The Grit-advocate., 1905-11-17

men were Constantine karsicheff and
his son-lifted the letter which was
on the table before him and resumed
the reading of its contents. Constan-
tine listened eagerly to every word.
Three months after your departure
from st. Petersburg" so the letter ran,
that irrepressible American, whom
we met at the Nazimoff fete, was mar
ried TO the Baroness Won Rhineberg.
The ceremony took place at the Amer
lean minister's residence, and was one
CT the brilliant social events of the
season."
Curses on them both" said Nicho
las. Il always thought that the ba-
roness was fool-now know it."
Nicholas did not explain that once
he had tried to make matrimonial
overtures to the baroness himself, but
had been so quietly but effectually re-
pulsed that he never renewed the at
tempt
What else?" said Constantine, i'm
patiently. Read on
Count Nazimoff, as suppose you
have heard" continued Nicholas, read
ing, resigned his position as minis
ter of police within few months
after taking Office He secured the
sworn confession of one kishkin, a
Nihilist who had been captured dur
ing your memorable raid on their
rendezvous. This confession, am
told, puts an entirely different light
on the guilt of Alexis. The story goes
that Alexis merely went there to see
the girl Ida, and that he refused to
take any oath of secrecy, and de-
nounced the conspirators, even going
so far, with the aid of Ivan Barosky.
as to attempt to capture them. These
facts have been laid before the czar,
apd ! should not be surprised to hear
that their pardons were issued at any
time"
"Damnation.' Constantine could
stand it no longer. He jumped to his
feet and strobe up and down the
room. He had aged perceptibly with
in the year. and the hard, cruel lines
about his mouth were deepened and
intensified by what he had endured.
For, since we last saw him in St.
Petersburg, he had suffered enough
humiliation to make him a bitter man.
On his way to assume the post to
which the czar had assigned him on
his deposition from the ministry Of
police he had given expression to his
feelings in no unmeaSured language.
One remark-that the czar should get
dictionary containing definition of
the word "gratitude"-had been re-
ported back to st. Petersburg, and
came to the ears of the czar himself.
The result was that when Karsicheff
reached his destination he found his
commission as civil and military gov
ernor revoked, and received an order
degrading him from his rank. He was
detailed to take charge as command
ant OF an etape. or exile station, on
the road to the mines, and warned
that any further expression deroga-
tory to the cZar would be followed by
Imprisonment at hard labor.
The etape at which we find Kars
chen and his son was large one. 1t
consisted of the commandments house,
a rather commodious building, which
stood on one side of the road. On the
opposite side was a large enclosure
surrounded by stockade about
twelve feet high made of rough hewn
logs. Within this enclosure stood
three long, low buildings-two, the
kameras or sleeping places for the
extles. The furnishing of tie kareras
was of the simplest description, con.
sisting of long row of mares (sleep-
ing henches) and couple of rough
tables. There was no bedding of any
description. Heat was supplied by
large oven.like stove; and, wrapped up
in their great coats, the exies were
obliged to pass The night on the bare
boards, to get sleep as best they
could
Up and down in front Of the great
gate which admitted to the stockade
were the guards, and their orders
We're of the simplest description
when the kameras were occupied-"In
the event of mutiny or attempt to es-
cape, fire. and fire to KILL"
What does your mother say of The
letter." al length asked Constantine
of his son.
"Nothine-but she keeps thinking, ="
was the reply.
Even as they spoke the door lead
ing to the private apartment of the
house opeI ed. and Katherine Karsi-
chef appeared. She. too. had aged
considerably since we last saw her.
Her hair had begun to turn gray, and
the face had harder expression than
ever before.
Katherine's eyes lighted on the let
ter which Nicholas still held in his
hand. Her brow darkened as she
caught sight of it, for the news it
contained had given her anything but
pleasure. She took the chair vacated
by Constantine and with hard, bitter
laugh said: Pleasant news for us to
hear. isn't it?"