The Washington times., 1910-02-10
PRINCESS lara ~ sss:sz..

the oath promise me that you viii take
( the oath and le- me 90 and tell my
/ friends that you viii do So
She was pleading with me now, with
ner hands sUppllcatlugly extended. and
with an expression OF such utter terror
IN her face because Of the calamity
which threatened me that my soul was
Tor a moment moved 10 pity for this
. woman who could pass through so
many phases or emotion IN so short a
period OF time. But nevertheless, Il
was not my purpose 70 betray that pity
then ] had still 10 draw her JUL, more
and more there was still mucil 10 learn
OF this complex woman, 50 beautiful and
so noble Who yet could md a sufficient
excuse 10 engage IN such nefariOus
practices
1 have thought since that I was play
ing with myself. as well as with her
at that time that / y as making & study
OF Zara's soul, rather than Of her char
acteT5 I have D Iieved and / now be
Eeve. that even at that moment 1 was
ulacly in love with this haIf Wild crea-
Iure- OuLWaTQly so tanned. and yet in
WardIy more than half q barbarian
with the blood OF her Tartar ancestors
on the one side courslnE holly IN her
veins / wanted TO know her wanted
70 bring her out Of herself Ny own
intuition recognized, and was making
the most Of q bOundl5sS and limitless
sympathy that existed between Us two,
although I was not at the time con-
ScloUS or the fact sympathy that
found voice in Zara-s heart as well as
III mine. and which needed but a touch
as OF the spark TO grains Of powder 10
fire II into blaze OF love 50 absolute
as 10 sweep every other consideration
from tts path NY heart recognized
hers. and I was subconsciOusiy aware
mat hers recognized mine It NAV he
tn2L 1 was playing two parts with her
at that moment. the one being that Of
my OStenSlble character as an agent
OF the Car, the other asserting itself
as pam Dan Darlington. an American
gentleman. who was very much in love
10 you suppose, even then, that they
would believe you and spare me2-'
asked, with UnConcealed irony, forcing
mySelT even against my Will to render
my question bitterly offensive
eSs on yes I would give myself
as hostage for your honor. Nv life
would be forfeited, too, II you should
not keep the oath"
/ heSiIaJed- The opportunity was an
ailuTlng one N way. for IL would rem
Ger ire entire organization Ike an omen
book 70 me But more than AL else
was the communion Of interest that
WOUlu thus be created between this
peerless woman and me Still a. re
were other things to be considered. The
danger l would thus incur might render
impOtent the entire fabric that -lad
truth to tell l could not bring myself
TO the point Of utilizing a WOman'S con-
hdenCe in order ultimately to betrar
her and her friends
Il cannot take the oath princess
said ca-mIy.
Think! Think she exclaimed.
j have thought. cannot do it"
81 down again, Mr.. Dubravnfk
Ihere Is no danger as long as Won re-
main here 1 wish to tell you some
thing. l want you TO know why I am a
\ must then. perhaps, YOU. may be Of
1 obeyed her and she resumed her
position on the couch. but her entire
manner had undergone another change /
Inc contempt the scoTn, the anger had
an dled out or her face, which now !
assured a retrospective expression and
WhSn Snc next addressed me her eyes
ha0 IN them a dreamy, far away light
as though she were living in the n 81
while she TeCited the strange tale fT7sf
thrilled me as nothing else ever had. or
ever has done
I h5ve heard she began. thar vo,l
yourself have seen some of the hOr-
roTS OF Siberia. but I doubt it 7 do
nc even beleVe that YOU are a Rus
sian, and TO be perfectly frank I DO
not believe that your name is Du-
braVnik- I am Of the opinion-and 7 /
did Tot think Of il until since the com
mencemenJ Of this interview-thst YOU
are not what you seem to be, and that /
your mission in Russia is in some Wv
connected with the government police
that YOU are more than 2 passive an I
envy OF nihilism-that you are, in short 1
an active one. IF am right there -ex-
lists al the more reason why ] must an
peal TO your manhood, your honor. vOi1r
sense Of justice, to your bravery and +
Chivdlry- Who are you. Mr.. Dubrav- /
nike
I am Daniel Darlington. an Anoeri-
can in the service OF the Gar"
And. therefore, connected with the 4
police"
NO The police dc not know me.
save as you know me; not even the Il
terrible Third Section"
She scarcely noticed my confession so
absorbed was size By the mere thought !