The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-15
The EVENING STORY
Varia Ivanovna's Vengeance.

At cafe in one of the principal |
boulevards of Paris sat Aleksei Lux |
itch. a Russian gentleman, twirling his |
mustaehes. He had good reason for
self congratulation. High in favor
with the car, he had long been en- |
ployed in the work of hunting down
certain persons suspected by H. I. M.
He had just followed one of his mas
tiers bitterest enemies to Paris, Sc
cured his arrest, and, by permission
OF the French government, was on the
morrow to take him to Russia.
a gentleman and lady entered the
cafe and glanced at the occupants, and
the woman, who was yelled, seeing
Lukitch, though he did not notice her,
said something to her companion, and
they took seats directly opposite the
Russian. When for the first time he
looked at her his eyes rested upon her
curiously.
81 will trouble you, m'sieu, to cease
your insulting stare" said the wo-
mans companion.
The Russian apologized, but the
other grew more and more violent till
| it was evident that he was intending
to force a quarrel. His insults came
course for Lukitch-he tossed his
card at the man and turned his back.
Meanwhile the lady had retired to
distance, and her escort. having pro-
duced his own card, joined her.
Day was dawning and the bells of
| Paris at a distance were striking the
hour of when two carriages, soon FOL
| lowed by a third, drew up in a road in
the environs and a party from each
passed to an open space beside a stream.
| The man who the night before had
forced the quarrel advanced to Lukitch
and said:
Permit me, m'sieu, to apologize for
my insulting language last night, or,
rather, to explain it. Early in the
evening a lady asked me to escort her
/ in round Of visits to the restaurants
in search for some one she wished TO
| find. When she saw you she asked me
to take the course I did, promising that
the affair should be taken off my hands
M'sieu, I have the honor to present your
real antagonist"
! A figure smaller than the others pres
ent who had been standing back, ad-
vanced, threw aside cloak and reveal
| ed that she was woman she was
dressed in a tight fitting costume, with
a short skirt, such as girls wear in a
| gymnasium. The moment Lukltcn saw
her he started.
| 'Variai'' he exclaimed.
| ''Varia Ivanova, at your service,
| Aleksei Lukitch."
| What does this mean?" he asked in
a tone that indicated he knew it meant
a good deal to him.
THAT the day of vengeance has
GOMEZ
The others of both parties drew near
intent on this strange turn in the af-
| fair The woman continued:
''You are a faithful servant of your
master, Aleksei Lukitch. He rewards
part to punish you for your treachery
to me- You made love we'll Aleksel,
so we'll that you won my heart You
had fine revolutionary sentiments, SO
fine that they won my confidence ana
! 7 revealed our purposes to you. do
you see these shrunken cheeks, these
| prematurely white hairs? Well, these
| come from prison life in Siberia, where
YOU sent me. 1t was during those Dill
| ter DAYS in that dark wintry country
that [ conceived this purpose, and every
day except when took part in nun
| ger strike in which we were trying 10
end our sufferings by death renewed
| nv vow of vengeance. That vengeance
was to have been murder, have chang
ed it to death in an honorable way IN
the eyes of the world. On guard!
The woman spoke as though not for
a moment did she doubt the issue OF
the combat. To her enemy her WORDS
seemed prophetic. The hand in which
he held his sword trembled.
Then he saw throng of wretched
creatures. emaciated, starved, covered
with nrison filth, white from the shad-
ow in which they lived, gatnerlng
about him and their champion Ihelr
ewes glistened as those of wolves nun
cry for his blodd. He heard tne "Ilu
now and again laden with the shrleks
of some prisoner crazed by suffering,
/ Above this wall came family tne
words "On guard" spoken sharply by
his second to call him to himself. 1t
failed to rouse him. Those looking on
wondered. His condition was SO plu-
full he seemed such easy prey, that
both parties looked to see the woman
throw down her sword and give MN
his life. But she, too, saw In memory
the throng of his victims. She saw
too. the handsome fellow that had won
her heart for the purpose of betray-
ing her and those whose secrets she
had given him Not one look of wom-
anly pity lighted her face, dark with
her own and others revenge
con guard" she cried.
| con guard" shouted the men or
both parties as matadores strive TO
anger a dropping bull.
| Aleksei Lukitch heard and reused
himself to die.
A few minutes later the woman
threw down her sword and walked
quickly to her carriage. There was no
| WomanIy reaction. She did not shud-
der; she did not weep. This phase of
woman's nature-at least for this one
man whom she had killed-had long
ago been eliminated. Alone she had
come on to the field, and alone she
drove away. She had sprung from
whence no one knew and went no one
knew whittier. No angel of vengeance
appointed by heaven to avenge sorrows
heaped on its suffering children could
have struck more mercilessly.
| AIRLINE PHILLIPS.
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