The Grit-advocate., 1905-11-24

|
liant officer in the service of the
czar. He was betrothed to the daugh-
ter of noble. But he must needs
fall in love- and she laughed ironi-
cally. with street girl of ST. Peters
burg. Her music charmed him.
| Katherine laughed again.
| Alexis could only glare at her in
helpless agony.
Katherine fairly gloated over his
sufferings
Yes she went on. "he was
charmed by the music of the syren,
and she dragged him to her depths.
She was street vagabond with half
a dozen lovers before his time, and
she is now the mistress of an officer
at the fortress of Araca."
"Liar-false woman, you lie!" shout
| ed Alexis.
Gag him-gag him." shouted Karsi-
| chef
To hear the order was to obey, and
in two minutes Alexis was lying on
the ground, shackled, gagged and help
| less.
katherine turned to Ivan.
This other-this rufiian with the
marks OF the convict upon him-he
was once student who was lifted
out of obscurity by lady of nobility
He betrayed his benefactors by TAX
ing advantage of a young girl who
visited her house and whom he, with
! deyilish art, persuaded into a secret
marriage. She was the daughter of a
noble house. Once freed from his
presence, she confessed that she hated
him; decree of divorce was granted
her and she is now the wife of noble
in Russia, hating and despising the
low-born dog who made her forget her
duty to herself and her family"
AS Katherine began speaking a door
at the top of the stairs leading to the
sleeping apartment of the house soft
ly opened, and by degrees a pale,
agonized face appeared at the en-
trance. AS Katherine finished the
door opened full and Olga appeared.
With a cry of mingled joy and sor-
row, of deepest anguish and of pas
sionate devotion, she screamed as she
saw Ivan:
No, no, my love, my love! am
true, Ivan, true always, true till death"
and before any one could prevent
her, Olga had flown down the steps
and cast her arms around the neck of
her husband!
Katherine, with speechless rage,
sprang to her daughter. and grasping
her. strove with desperate strength
to tear her from Ivan. Olga, with all
the power she possessed, clung to
her helpless husband. Trust me,
Ivan; trust me. I'll be true. love
you row as l loved you then. Oh,
God"
She ceased, for her mothers fingers
tightened around her throat till the
delicate skin was bruised by the cruel,
merciless grip of the talons of Kath,
crime.
Take her away!" shouted Karsi
chef.
Nicholas with brutal wrench tore
his sister from Ivan and while with
one hand he attempted to stop her
cries, with the other he half carried.
half dragged her. aided by his mother,
to her room. Olgas frantic cry: Ivan
trust me. l will ne true" rang out
even after the door closed-and then
there was silence, for the hapless Olga
had tainted.
"Merciless mother, inhuman wolff"
exclaimed Ivan. Your cruel lie could
not have deceived me. Oh, God.
Were | able, would brain you with
these shackled hands,"
He could say no more.
One of the soldiers with supersery-
icable zeal sprang up and knocked him
down.
Brave fellow" said the countess,
pouring out glass of vodka and hand
ing it to the cowardly soldier, you
know your duty"
The soldier drank the liquor and
turned to his comrades with a smile.
They looked at him with contempt.
The act had been too much, even for
them.
But among the convicts there was
that painful agony with which SYM
pathetic heart sees suffering of what.
ever kind while helpless to avert it or
alleviate it. They began to murmur
silence, cutthroats! We will have
no mutiny here!" shouted Nicholas,
who had returned to the room
The word ''mutiny" caught the ear
of Katherine.
What easier" she said. "Mutiny-
shot" and she looked at Ivan and
| Alexis.
Hush! not before Witnesses. We
| will find the time
Just as Nicholas finished there came
across the air the sound of bugle.
1t was followed by shot!
"Hark!"
All present recognized the sound!
ut is the signal of an imperial
courier!' said Nicholas; I'VE must
wait"
Some of the guards got ready to