Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-17

came a line Of soldiers marching route
STEP" then criminals, politicals, men.
women and some who were scarcely
more than children. Among the latter
was a girl of about eighteen. That
she was a political was apparent from
her features, which marked refine
ment. intellect and character.
To see any one in the strong arm OF
the law is sad, but to see a girl on the
very threshold of life trudging along
through snow, with armed men ready
TO shoot her II she attempts to get
away. her destina ton the terrible mines
of Kara, on the Arctic ocean, is enough
to freeze the blood In ones heart
While Borden was looking at her she
raised her eyes and met his, and so
great was the sympathy she saw in
them that she returned 1t by an express
sion of gratitude. Borden would have
walked on that he might continue TO
look at her. but the sight was too sad,
and he feared to be considered obtru-
sive, so he remained standing where
he was till the melancholy procession
had passed, then gazed after them till
they disappeared. a dark spot on the
white snow in the distance.
Borden went back to st. Petersburg,
unable TO throw off a sadness induced
by the distressing sight Of persons 60
ing to a doom far worse than death,
and passed through the city, delaying
only long enough to pick up baggage
he had left there and be sure that his
passport was in proper condition. Then
he started on his way to a more con-
genial climate and a land with a less
despotic government.
One thing he did not forget during
the rest of his stay in Europe nor after
his return TO America-the face and fig
ure of the convict girl on her way to
Kara. He could not shake off the mel
ancholy procession, especially the one
person in it who had returned so pa
thetically his look of sympathy. he
took an Office, swung out his shingle as
an attorney and tried to work. but eli
ents were not to be had without an eff
fort, and, having a fortune, there was
little inducement for him to make 1t.
However, he stayed on for a couple Of
years. then gave 1t up and returned to
Europe
Borden when abroad at times stopped
at pensions instead Of hotels. At the
former he made acquaintance, while
at the latter he usually passed his I'M
occupied time alone. One day on srriv-
ing at Paris he stopped at a pension at
which he was accustomed to put up
when in that city. That was the year
| the car Of Russia visited the French
people and became their ally. Indeed,
he had Just arrived in Paris at this
time Borden had gone there to wit
( ness the festivities attending the mon
[ arch's reception. At dinner Borden
/ sat opposite the entrance Of the dining
/ room and suddenly, looking up. was
/ startled at seeing woman enter whom
! he recognized at once as the girl CON
/ Wet he had seen on her way to Siberia
/ But, oh. how changed. Instead Of
appearing as one Just from her teens
she looked as If she might be any.
! where between thirty and fifty. And
instead of wearing the patient look
J Of a martyr her face had become hard
ened 1t seemed to Borden. perhaps
because he knew something OF her
story. that she was thirsting Yor re-
venge.
On meeting his gaze she gave slight
start, but passed on without giving
any other sign of recognition. She was
alone and sat at one end of table
where there were no other diners. Her
back was to Borden. so he could not
see her face. he left the dining room
before her and waited IN the adjoining
room, where he hoped to get another
sight OF her. While at dinner he had
made a story TO fit her case. This was
what he fancied:
She had suffered in the mines o.
Kara. She had Joined hunger strikes
She had fallen under disease in the
damp prisons and living upon un
wholesome food. She had found al