The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-27
PHONE |S|!l EI||||I|||I |'|l|

|
 would not be well for the Kitay-aorod. What had Petrovsky meant by connecting | Ivan's dealing with the gypsy singers and the tower above the gate. What? Except that he knew of Ivan's relations to IsabelL Did Petrovsky know Isabell? That there would be arising in Moscow befqre the year was out nobody doubted. But as long as the government paid promptly it would not | lack loyal soldiers and Ivan knew-had | made 1t his bushes to know-yhat the gov ernment was not only paving promptly. but generously. What could the uprising mean then. but the death of a few hundred stu dents and other discontented ones? Petrov- sky will never open the saviors Gate unless he opens it from within" he satisfied him- self and stood stupidly staring across the river. then up at the tower until suddenly he said aloud: Wait! Her mother was a Lith- uanian!" The mind of your Great Russian is like his VaIor. or like a heavy rock on a hillside. difficult to put in motion. but once started, liable to go crashing through ali obstacles. Isabsll had been getting restless over their long engagement. Petrovsky had been talking to her. and had been talking to many others in the KremIin. These times 0 traitor might dine with the ezar. The shaggy old cossack captain would kill his daughter if he suspected her of treachery. but he would first Kill the man who accused her. Ivan was not ready to die. If Petrovslxy won IsabeIl. he would win the guard, for the soldiers Idol ized her with the dumb. unswerving IdoIa- try of Russian affection. How far had the thing gone? His troubled glance returning from his old home across the river. started back mechanically to the tower. but he was caught on the way by the play of light on the many eolored towers of the cathedral. The great pineapple and melon that an Ital- Ian fancy has fastened upon a Moscow church. Church. Wait" he said 'IIl marry hoF.'' el
 The masculine conviction that marrying her Is the safest way to keep woman out of mischief Is not confined to men of the Great Russian race. but is indicative of the grasp he had seized upon the situation that Ivan resolved to act at once. There was no time to find proof of suspicion. nor ground for charges. The daughter of the Guard mast be removed from communication with the soldiers and--times were too un- certain to speculate about probabilities and mprobabilities--besides he had always meant to marry her some day.
 He did not find her in the tower she was so fond of, and he felt this omtnous. He sought her hurrIedly fin her fathers house and lost no time. Hear me. IsRbell I love you as it is given only once to a strong man to love woman. Why do you play with mel Today 1t is tomorrow Tomorrow 1t Is next week. A year has gone by lonesome and empty Is it your will that I shall live another like it2 Sooner than that. I swear to you. l will join the soldiers and die fighting for the Little Father"
 lsabell sat up Contuseu, put not mcreuu- Ious The maid brought in a name. Ivan seized upon It. "Petrovskyi Tho Lithua- nian?" Then sharply "Go tell the traitor to shoot himself before It is done for him by one faithful to the Little Father"
 The girl went white-faced to the waiting man. Ely" she whispered. and slammed the door.
 The Lithuanian did not fly. He crossed tho court slowly and talked with the guard at the Saviors Gate. Had Ivan. the mer- chant. passed through the gate today?"
 But a moment ago"
 Had the daughter of the Guard talked to the soldiers today?"
 ''she would not come out before evening"
 Mechanically, the Lithuanian barred his head and passed through the sacred gate He had allowed himself 10 be Roaded into self-hetrayal by braggart. In spite of the rage that tore him he saw the facts clearly enough Of the million that lived in Mos cow he could count on q bare three thous- and. The guard had been almost within his hand He had thought to fight and win. It