The Grit-advocate., 1905-12-15
CHAPTER xvii.-continued.

very Weil, said the courier, re-
spect his wishes until he awakes. l
wfll see him myself before go. Alexis
Petrotfsky." he added. as he entered
the name in his book. 1T will be my
duty to lay his noble conduct before
the authorities with view of getting
him a pardon" He paused a moment
and then sharply asked: why was
ne gagged when arrived?"
"He had been vilifying our imperial
master the czar," said Katherine.
"And cursing our holy church"
added Nicholas.
A shade of disappointment passed
over the face of the courier. i am
0orry to hear it," he said.
Then he was silent and thoughtful
for . moment.
"See that have fresh horses ready
by daybreali." at length he said, and
that my rest is undisturbed.
You go hence to" said kath-
crime waiting for the courier to COM
piete the sentence.
"I 60 hence to Stralensk.' replied
the courier, where l am to deliver
a pardon to young girl who has
proved herself heroine, having been
the only nurse who was available dur
ing a terrible outbreak of fever. Her
pardon has been granted at the re-
quest of the governor of the PROV
ince. who petitioned for 1t on the
ground that the young girls unselhsh
devotion and unfailing exertion was
undoubtedly the means of saving
scores of lives More than that, she
appealed to the convicts and prevent
ed u dangerous uprising when the
guards were stricken down. All Rus
sia is ringing with the story of her
good deeds"
"Ah." said Katherine, "and may
ask the name of this heroine. Doubt
less she is celebrated, but we hear so
little OF the worlds news in this out
of-the-way place"
Certainly" answered the courier,
"her name is Ida Barosky!"
Ida Barosky!"
The name was uttered together by
Constantine karischeff and his wife
and son. 1t was spoken with such
bitterness of surprise-such tone of
incredulous wonder-that the courier
could not help giving expression to his
curiosity.
DO you know her?" he asked.
"Know her." replied Katherine, Il
do know her. A vile Nihilist, daugh-
ter of the gutter of St. Petersburg-an
assassin. a reptile-I do know her.
and shall protest against her pardon,
even to the czar. have some claims
yet on his majesty. He cannot afford
to forget what has been done for the
Russian crown by the ancestors of
Katherine Karsicheff!"
katherine Karsicheff. Are YOU
this then is-you are General Karsi-
cheff?"
1t had been the first time the name
was spoken in the presence of the
courier, and he repeated it with
scarcely less surprise in his tones
than the three persons before him
had The name of Ida Barosky a mo.
ment before
What caused his surprise!
That was what the Karsicheffs
wanted 10 Know.
Their anxiety was interrupted by
the marked change in the courier's
manner. 1t had been polite before
wher he spoke. Now there was in his
voice an unpleasant ring which BODIED
no good.
"So!"
The courier paused moment,
thoughtfully, and then, as if he had
made up his mind. he produced a
large official envelope. Handing this
to Karsicheff, he said: 'You will for
ward these papers Immediately to-mor-
row morning by trusted messenger
on whom you can rely to the isprav-
mix at Chitka. You must lose no time
and use relays of horses where neces-
sary. Sign receipt for the pardons"
"Pardons?"
eyes. THIS envelope contains par
dons for two politicals, Alexis Nqzi.
moff and Ivan Barosky. Strange" he
paused as the similarity of the name
struck him. Can he be any relation
to the girl for whom have the pardon
at Stralensk ?-no matter! These pa
pers." he continued, addressing Karsi-
chef. "have been forwarded by special
relay from the frontier, and are to be
deIiuarad AT tho earliest moment Won