The Glenwood post., 1905-08-12

with an appearance of anxiety he
could no longer conceal: What is 1t?
Don't keep me in suspense"
There is a rumor in the clubs to-
night that a 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 rumor as l came here
that another proclamation of the Nj
hilists 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 not heard"
MY God! il this is known to Gort-
schakoff l am undone. Have you
heard? tell me the worst"
Il fear it is worse than even that
| have heard that the proclamation
was shown to the cZar himself"
Karsicheff sank into a chair. His
head fell upon his hands as he bent
over, the figure of a broken man
IT,, cioh
heartless, even when his own family
was concerned, felt a touch of pity
for his father. Placing his hand on
the shoulder of the general, he said,
IN voice with strain of concern
'Is 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 d.ne 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.
81 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. A feverish 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
|
of that? This latest outrage, this
proclamation will justify extreme
measures. Tell Colonel Helfman to
have his men ready l will give him
the list tonight. Yes, | will strike a
blow. l will do something that will
at least give me breathing spell
until | can find the fountain head of
this dannable stream of revolution
and stop the spring at it's source"
Five minutes later Nicholas Ka,si-
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,
having recovered in some degree his
composure, was once more mingling
with the guests. He had been in but
a moment when Count Nazimoff an.
preached him with rather amused
expression on his face. He held a
letter in his hand.
Il say, Karsicheff." said the count,
you remember that extraordinary
American we met at the dinner given
by the American minister some three
years ago?"
THE man who had a scheme to
build elevated railroads in st. Peters.
burg, to open telephone lines to Mos.
COW, to"
Exactly; well, he is here again, aud
what is more remarkable, has net