The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-03-05
CHAPTER VIIX uCntinued.g

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CHAPTER vIIX sCntinued.y
GAS time rolled round, the
prince grew quiet. He yielded to
my entreaties, and set Michael at
liberty.
You, my dear daughter, were
born soon after.
AFTER that, spent few
months of real happiness. The
prince went to Paris for the win
ter. My whole time was taken
up with study, and with the care
of you, my child, whom I idol
lied"
The letter then described the
princes discovery that Michael
and the princess were students of
socialism. His jealousy was
aroused. and. in spite of Federoff' s
skill and kindness during a severe
illness of Wanda, the serf-physi-
clan was arrested and condemned
to receive 100 lashes of the knout.
Upon the day of the execution
Of this sentence, the princess was
forced to accompany her husband
to the scaffold and witness her
friends torture.
"At the end of eight days." her
letter continued. II wrote to
Michael that henceforth my life
was bound up with his.
"The prince, perceiving the
horror with which he inspired me,
determined to send you and me to
Perm, at the foot of the Ural
mountains, where he had an enor-
nous estate and a handsome cas-
tie. Upon the estate were quick
silver mines worked by his serfs.
For the second time, when you
were desperately i'll, Michael saved
your life, and for the second time
your father, suspecting us most
unjustly, struck me-"
The princess, desperate because
of her husbands cruelty, then fled
with Michael, but they were cap
tured, and Federoff was sent to
the mines, while the princess was
imprisoned in a room in the
castle.
Some months later second at
tempt to escape was discovered by
the prince, who Immediately Or
dered masons to wall up the win
dow and door of her room, leav-
ing only an opening for ventila-
ton and the passing in of food.
In this veritable dungeon, the
princess, deprived of the associa-
ton with her small daughter, lived
like a slave for three months.
Zone night" the letter contin-
ued, Il was awakened by a great
noise and tumult in the house, and
suddenly I heard the cry Fire!
fire!' l sat up in bed and reflect
ed. Fire was deliverance or death;
and death was deliverance; but,
such a death! I opened the graf
ing, and saw a torrent of flames.
No one was thinking of me, SO l
lay down upon my bed and waited
for death.
Suddenly I heard a voice; it
said, 1T is I, Michael; don't be
afraid. Everything is ready for
our flight heard pickaxes
knocking at the wall. In five min
utes the opening was large enough
for me to pass; he took me in his
arms, but the fire was raging in
the passage. Dragging me to al
window, he fastened a rope lad
der to 1t, and almost threw him
self out with me in his arms. Att
the same moment I heard cries
behind us: There they are! here
they are' = y
"Six months later we came to
Marseilles. 1 wrote to my father|
to ask for assistance. He was
very poor, and could not help me;
but an old aunt of mine. dying
just at that time, left me quite al
little fortune.
For II years ] have been ex-
lied, separated from you. Thanks
to Padlewsky and Katia, we have
at least the same creed, the same
hope.
81 waited to make this revela-
ton to you until you were of age,
because now you are free to dis
pose of yourself, and you can
claim your inheritance from your
father. This fortune will at least
make you Independent. AS for
me, I do not need anything.
Michael's practice is quite suffi-
cient for both of us.
I'VE have a project on foot,
which may permit us soon to see
you and embrace you.
"Your mother presses you to|
her heart and covers you with
kisses.
"Poor mother!" murmured|
Wanda, wiping away her tears;
chow she has suffered! And II
am the daughter of her persecu-
tori"