The Grit-advocate., 1905-10-20
CHAPTER XII.
Sentenced to Siberia.

SN' >h",i' sAoitoio, III Vic HdLlt VI
the Czar." fell upon the ears of the
inmates of the Nihilist rendezvous.
1t was as a death knell, and had the
surprise been less instantaneous than
it was. the conspirators would have
made desperate resistance. For
they well knew, that captured as they
were, red-handed with all the evi-
dence of their guilt. that their doom
was sealed. and that from that mo-
ment their days-perhaps even their
very hours-were numbered.
1t was too late to attempt escape
by the unseen doors that formed part
of the apparently solid walls, for
dozen rifles covered them, and the
soldiers. with fingers on the triggers.
we're only waiting the order to fire.
So the prisoners-some in defiance,
some in sullen resignation. some in
hopeless despair. stood still; while in
obedience to the command of the Of
fcer, half dozen soldiers speedily
descended and with drawn revolvers
pointed at the heads of the conspira-
tors ordered them to throw up their
hands. Five minutes later the cap
tured, men and women alike, were in
irons. and were seated in silence
waiting the arrival of the prison vans
to bear them away.
Under the direction of the officers.
a search was then made of the prem
ises. The bombs, the wires, and the
battery left no doubt as to the pur-
pose of the prisoners; nor was there
wanting still further proof of their
guilt. For Kirshkin. weak from loss
OF blood, and paralyzed by terror,
crawled on his knees to the officer
and begging for his life offered to
betray his companions. Without COM
mitting himself to promise anything.
the officer induced kirshkin to pro-
coed, and the fear-stricken wretch re-
vealed the hidden chambers on the
other side of the wall. Here were
found papers revealing the ramif1ca-
tions Of the conspiracy and implicat-
ing thousands of Nihilists throughout
the empire.
Among all the prisoners there were
none who felt their fearful position
more than did Ivan and Alexis, Olga
and Ida. With blanched faces they
locked into each Others eyes, only
to receive in return a sigh of hope
less despair. Alexis, at the first mo.
ment, had drawn the hood of his
greatcoat over his head, and Olga had
similarly concealed her features with
the cape Of her mantle. But these
precautions were needless at the
time. for when roughly ordered to
show their faces neither of them
were recognized by the officer or by
any of his men. They Judged nv
Alexis uniform, and by the rich and
elegant dress of Olga, that their pris-
oners were persons of no mean sta.
ton: but, since it was known that
Nihilists were to be found in all
ranks of society. the only feeling of
the soldiers was one of qualification
that they had evidently caught some
great fish in the net destined for
small fry. Their reward, they felt
sure. would be all the greater
In few hurried words Ivan begged
oASu, VAo was dlAlOSI lAlnllnE, 10
keep up her courage; that some
means would be found to effec. her
release: but his words produced little
comfort to the stricken girl, who,
with her hands clasped in unspeak-
able anguish. sat gazing at her hus-
band with look of hopeless despair.
1t was not of herself that Olga
thnpuht Iyov fo<1 eoA
grief; her mothers deadly anger; the
blow to the prospects of Nicholas
all these. as the result of her arrest.
flashed in turn through her distracted
mind.
Alexis sat. his hands clasped in
those of Ida, a prey to the most con.
flicting emotions. He realized at
once that no explanation, however
true. could save him from the fate
which he felt certain awaited him
degradation from his high rank. So
cial ostracism. exile. perhaps death
itself-ill these he felt were the m
evitable result of his capture at slluh
time and in such a place. For
Alexis had been enc of the first to
bt StdiN'itN anu III We DTtdSl tl MS
coat had been found Ivan's cigar case
with the Red Rouble therein. He
felt that this one fact had sealed his
fate and with such forttuie as he
could command he resigned himself
to the inevitable. and awaited the
1CNt move of the soldiers.
The vans arrived 1t length. and
UaSr the escort of three troops Of
Cossacks, the prisoners having been
huNdled T.. the march began ia the
-rcat prison oi Petropavlosk
ivan and Olga, Alexis and Ilda.
iron i % each other. We're evidently
Inc grand rg.Zo iu The eyes OF the
soldiers and Fol'cs. for the van in
which ;rey wera orGerca to take thei
rl'cg t"d -" entire troop ~ an se-
co@t Following came the t,Aor vc-
wei 'ade" VIA prisoner" and last
- ! r"gc rEiu" c-me II 80 par