Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-09-01
THE GOVERNORS DAUGHTER.

! HE uUFEEINOk > DhOOIl LIN.
| When Paul Andronevitch Nronowski
returned to Russia after long sojourn
abroad he threw himself into the ques-
ton of reform with vigor and enthusi-
asm that allowed but a small margin for
the exigencies of those in authority.
Therefore it was not surprising that the
governor. harsh featl "ed, irascible old
general. wholly absorbed by the idea of
his own Importance, should resent his at
titude and endeavor to restore harmony
and peace in the government over which
| he ruled by seeking to remove the youth
full perpetrator of the disturbances.
A sudden police raid on his house at
! the dead of night, WREN Nronowski should
have been sleeping placidly in his bed,
ignorant of the danger that menaced him,
resulted in nothing but the finding of a
| brief, unsigned note in q womans fine,
almost undecipherable handwriting, evil
IDENTIFY dropped by the fugitive in the
hurry of departure. which revealed the
fact that some one had betrayed the gov
ernor's secret and warned Paul AndIone
WITCH just in time, of his danger.
There was only one person in the
fgovernment, however, who could have en-
! lichtened him as to the betrayer of his
secret, and she was his own daughter.
/ Vera Ivanovna Esteletski was a slight,
pale faced girl with large pensive eyes
and an air of gentle timidity. On several
occasions. unknown to any one, she had
met Vronowsl<i while driving across the
steppe, and there was something in his
| handsome face and vigorous personality
that had instantly produced strong in
| fluence on her.
Once he had come to her assistance
when her sledge Lad sunk into snow
drift and helped the driver to eXtricate
the struggling horses Few words passed
between them, and those few were for
gotten all too soon by the one, but the
other had lain awake the greater part of
that night living over again those few
brief moments.
She was fully cognizant of the danger
when she resolved to warn Paul Androne
witch of her fathers intentions, but her
timidity was wholly submerged by the
thought of Nronowski's peril. At lunch
time she had remained impassive when
the general had declared vehemently that
he would rather discover the woman who
had betrayed him than the fugitive him
self.
But when the meal was over her cour-
age waned; she felt she could not face
her father again knowing how she had
deceived him. and. quitting the room
hastily. she donned her thick furs and
stole out into the gardens that stretched
behind the palace.
With head bent to meet the blast that
came sWging over the snowbound steppe
Vera walked slowly to the end of the
gardeny. then paused Close to the high
stone wall that separated the grounds
from the open country was a small
dutcha (owoden house, which had former
ly been occupied by an old nurse of the
family, and which the governor had con
verted into a little summer retreat for his
only daughter The datcha looked cold
and desoate among the snowdrifts, and
hence it was usually locked up at that
season and seldom visited.
That day, moved by sudden impulse,
she drew out the key and threw open
the door. She was about to enter the
inner room when its door opened noise
lessly and tall figure stood out
abruptly,
The girl paused, her hand to her
| throat as if to arrest a cry of alarm.
One glance suticeu to tell her that this
was no ghostly visitant, but tall,
broad shouldcred man with fair hair and
| piercing gray eyes that were quick and
kind, eyes that had once on time smiled
| into hers as their owner had stopped
with ready courtesy to brush the cling
! ing snow from her furs. There was no
smile in them now as they met hers, but
there was no fear in them either. only
surprise and Il shade perhaps of some
thing akin to disappointment, which
vanished. too, as Paul Andronevitcl
Nronowski advanced into the room and
bowed
"Mademoiselle Esteletski,' he said
coolly Il suppose | ought to apologize
for my intrusion; but believe me- whcl
| sought the shelter of your roof las
night | had no option, as my pursuer
were already close on my heels. | knew
no one would dream of searching for M
in the governor gardens. so | vaaltet
the wall and made my way in through
the window at the back. Had YOU no
discovered my whereabouts | Shout,
/ have taken my departure tonight, am
. endcavored to escape across the frontie
on foot But now | have nothing to Il
but to yield myself your prisoner"
Still Vera did not speak. With on
t hand cmtching her heavy coat. she stoo
9 motionless, gazing tiNedly in front o. hel
e In n flash there rose before her menta
(, vision two pictures; the one representa-
Il the man who stood before her drive
: into exile. the other depicted her fathe
: overwhelmed 10y the, ,i,Hm.s Of hi
: daughters trcachcry.
Whom should she behay2 Vronowsk
who had no claim ou her. or her fatbe,
who trusted her implcitlyg She felt tina
Is 1t She gave Paul Andronevitch his Gbert
Sc she could never return home and mec
On her father again; and if she betrave
i nun, If she summoned help, what then
in Nud suddenly she remembered the wa,
ne m which NrHowsi had smiled thc da'
\ ne came TO her assistance ON the stcnn,
nf Tho l.Mnh nf h. A.nl ~. L. -, \