The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-09-01
Varenka Arkadyevna
[Original.l


young men-TurOvtsuin and Dronski-~
saw, Russian Io.and, Matching reyo-
luton Suddenly there We're footsteps
on the stairs and in another moment
the door was thrown open and the po-
lice Sushed in. TucoYtsuin nodded
toward Dronski ed the olice arrest
ed him. AS they were taking him
away he reproacheI Turovtsuin with
having betrayed him, wheceupon the
latter remarked cooily that there was
no betrayal, since he was simply doing
his duty as an officer III the secret
service. Dronski was sent to Siberia,
where, after intolerable sufferings, he
died of prison consumption.
Several years after Dronski's arrest,
while Turovtsuin, who was now chief
of police in Russian Poland, was rid
ing in his carriage in Warsaw, a man
fired a shot at him. At the moment
girl who stood by the would be assas-
sin knocked up the weapon and saved
Turovtsuins life. The man who fired
the shot was spirited away by accom-
plices so quickly that the police did
not even get on his track. The chief
saw the whole affair and directed that
the girl be sent to his office. When
she arrived there he said to her:
"You are a brave girl to have inter-
fered with an assassin, and 1 owe you
my life. What can I do to repay
you?.,
PLEASE, excellency, l would like to
serve the government
"In what capacity?"
'In the secret service. l have many
friends among the revolutionists, who
consider me one of them. | could
learn much of their plans and report
them to you"
"You shall have every opportunity,
and for every ruble you earn will
see that you are paid ten"
The girl, who gave her name as
Varenka Arkadyevna, from that mo-
ment enrolled in the secret police,
where she served for long While, Of
ten bringing in information of the revo-
lutiOnists. There was a singular per-
sonality about her that fascinated
Turovtsuin. At times he thought she
loved him. and at times she acted as
if she hated him. There are few men
who will not be caught by such un-
certainty. Turovtsuin fell desperately
in love With her,
Varenka's bravery, too, was fascinat-
ing to her lover. She told him that
I, 40 TVS 70 90
her revOlutionist friends, but she did
not fear to go where they were, though
always armed to the teeth. One thing
at last began to mystify Turoytsuin.
Though Varenka often led the police
to capture some revolutiOniSt, when
the force arrived the bird had always
flown.
Varenka lived in first class apart
ments which were paid for by the gov
ernment One day the chief appeared
at her apartments with trouble written
on his face.
Sweetheart" he said, II have no.
ticed that we never gain anything
from the information you bring us.
Every meeting of revolutionists you
have told us of has for some reason
failed to take place. Besides, certain
persons whom we have intended to ar
rest have in some unaccountable way
been warned and have escaped us. And
now comes one of our women in the
secret service bureau who accuses you
of being a revolutionist of giving them
all our secrets
''Who is my accuser"
''Katia Pestsoff''
Varenka grew a shade winter Co.
ing to another room she took a piStoi
from drawer, put it in her bosom
and returning to her lover said
II may as we'll make a confession,
for Katia can prove her accusation
Great heavens" exclaimed Turovt-
suin, catching at the back of a chair
for support.
"Do you remember Varenka went
on, "yOur bosom friend Dronski?''
II do gasped Turovtsuin.
81 am his sister. | was far from him
at the time you betrayed and arrested
him, but l determined that some day
I would avenge him. While he suf-
fered the tortures you heaped upon
him my resolution grew stronger.
When he died / determined to execute
a plan l had formed The man who
fred at you was my accomplice, and
there were twenty revolutionists stand
ing by to take him to safety.
knocked up his pistol on purpose to
win your confidence. Having won
from you all l can for my people, the
moment of my supreme vengeance has
come
People living on the floor below
heard a shot and came running up the
stairs to see what was the matter.
Varenka stood at her door and asked
them if they had not heard shot.
They replied that they had and that
the sound seemed to have come from
that floor, whereupon she said that It
sounded to her to have come from the
rear apartments. She spoke as calmly
as if she had been used to having shots