The Grit-advocate., 1905-08-11

! type of a beautiful and attractive girl
The great clock had just runS out
the hour Of eleven when Nicholas
karsicheff. pushing his way as rapid,
| ly as possible through the throng, ap.
! preached his father. and with a mean.
ing look indicated that he desired to
speak with him alone. The appear
ance of General Karsicheff at this
moment Indicated that he was i'll at
| ease. Already he had sent three diff
| ierent messengers in search of Rada-
loft, only to receive the answer that
Radalotf had not returned.
We'll, what is it, Nicholas?" impa-
tiently asked the general. when a few
minutes later he found himself alone
with his son. Then, as his eye fell
again upon Nicholas and he noted
the expression of the face. he added.
with an appearance of anxiety he
could no longer conceal: What is it?
Don't keep me in suspense"
There is rumor in the clubs to-
night that change in the ministry
is imminent"
We'll. there are always rumors. Is
that all? That is nothing"
Nicholas hesitated.
We'll, well, well?"
There was a rumor as | came here
that another proclamation of the Nj
hilsts has been found in the winter
palace"
My God"
General Karsicheff as he uttered the
words staggered with the force of the
blow. If this news were true it meant
but one thing-his official end, his
social doom, his political death.
a moment more and he recovered
himself
His face was deathly pale and he
gave evidence of laboring under in
tense excitement.
'Who-who found it?"
Il have rot heard"
My God! if this is known to Gort-
schakoff | am undone. Have you
heard? tell me the worst"
Il fear it is worse than even that
have heard that the proclamation
vas shown to the car himself"
Karsicheff sank into a chair. His
head fell upon his hands as he bent
over, the figure of a broken man
Nicholas karsicheff. cold bloodless.
heartless, even when his own family
was concerned, felt touch of pity
for his father. Placing his hand on
the shoulder of the general, he said,
in a voice with strain of concern:
rs it as bad as this?"
There was no answer.
And now Nicholas Karsicheff began
to realize that even more than his
fathers position was at stake. The
peril to his own future; the blow to
his mothers pride; the danger to his
sisters happiness; all these flashed
through his brain. What could be
done? Something must be done to
avert the threatening lightning bolt
which might strike at any moment.
His mother"
That was it! Her influence, her
favor at court, the power of her fam
lily connections-all all of these must
be invoked to avert the danger. to
prevent at least change in General
karsicheff's position until after the
marriage of Olga.
Il will summon my mother" began
Nicholas, leaning over the general.
karsicheff raised his head, and
grasping Nicholas by the arm with
grip of iron held him fast. mo, no.
not that. To tell the countess now
were madness. 1t would drive ner
insane. Wait, wait. let me think"
With white lips and deeply marked
brow the minister of police. his hand
pressed hard against his fevered
brain, rose to his feet
IF Radaloff-" he thought.
Ay, IF Radaloff had but succeeded
then he could do something"
And if Radaloff failed!
Suddenly his face frightened a lit
tie, feversh energy possessed him.
He would stake all on Radaloff. Go,
at once, take the carriage and drive
to-the Gortshakoff palace. Say that |
am now on the trail of the conspira.
tors. that l have them in the hollow
of my hand, and that before daybreak
| will arrest every Nihilist in St.
Petersburg.
But
GO, tell you. and at once. have
two hundred suspects on my list
no evidence against them-but what
OF that? This latest outrage. this
proclamation will justify extreme
measures. Tell Colonel Hoffman to
nave his men ready. | will give him
the list tonight. Yes, | will strike a
blow. | will do something that will
at least give me breathing spell
until | can find the fountain head of
this damnable stream of revolution
and stop the spring at its source"
Five minutes later Nicholas Karsi-
chef was on his way, as fast as
horses could carry him. to the resi-.
| dence of the prime minister of the i'm.
perial council, and General Karsicheff