The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-11-13
CHAPTER xvII-continued.
IL

IL
In sheer desperation I went to the
ministry of the interior end sought
an interview with the baron, who,
when l told him of the disaster, ap-
peared greatly concerned. and went at
once to the notice department TO make
inquiry. Next day, however, he came
to me with the news that the charge
against my mother had been proved
by statement of the woman Ship
roff herself. and that she had already
started on her long journey to ST.
berfa-she had been exiled to one Of
those dreaded Arctic settlements be-
yond Yakutsk, a place where il is al
most eternal winter, and where the
conditions Of life are such that half
the convicts are insane. The baron,
however, declared that, as my fathers
friend. II was his duty to act as guar
dian to me. and that as my father had
been English ! ought to be put to an
English school Therefore. with his
seif-assumed title of uncle, he took
me to Chichester. For years ! re-
NAMED there, until one day he came
suddenly and fetched me away, TAX
ing me over to Helsingfors-for the
car had now appointed him governor
general to Finland. There, for the
nrst time, he introduced me to his son
Michael, a pimply-faced lieutenant OF
cavalry, and said in a most decisive
manner that / must marry him.
naturally refused to marry a man OF
whom ! knew so little, whereupon,
hnding me obdurate, he quickly al
tered his tactics and became kind
ness itself. saying that as I was young
he would allow me a year in which to
make up my mind.
"A week later, while living in the
palace at Hels.sgfors, ! overheard a
conversation between the governor
general and his son, which revealed to
me staggering truth that had never
suspected. It was Oberg himself who
had denounced my mother to the
minister of the interior, and had
made those cruel, baseless charges
against her! Then I discerned the
reason. She being exiled. her fortune,
as well as that of my father, came to
me. The reason they were scheming
for Michael to marry me was in order
to obtain control of my money, and
then. after the necessary legal for
malities. should, on a trumped-up
charge Of conspiracy. share the same
fate as my mother had done"
The Internal scoundrel!" ,jacu-
lated. when I read her words while
from Jack. who had been looking over
my shoulder, escaped a fierce and for
chile VOW Of vengeance.
The baron took me with him to
Petersburg when he went o. Official
business, and we remained there near
ly a month";" the narrative went on.
while there received a secret mes
sage from The Red Priest the unseen
and unknown power of nihilism, who
has for so many years bafiled the po-
lice. I went to see him. and he re-
vealed to me how Oberg had con-
trived to have my mother banished
upon a false charge. He warned me
against the man who had pretended to
be my fathers friend, and also told
me that he had known my father in.
and that II I got into any
further difficulty ! was to communi.
cate with him and he would assist
me. Oberg took me back to Helsins-
fors few months later, and in sum-
mer we went to England. He was a
clever diplomatist. His
tactics he could change at will When
was at school he was rough and bru-
tai In his manner towards me. as he
was to all: but now he seemed to be
to inspire my confidence
BY treating me with kindly regard
and pleasant affability.
'In London. at Claridge's, we met
my old schoolfellow Muriel and her
iather-a friend of Oberg's-and in
response to their invitation went for
\ cruise on their yacht, the Iris, from
Our party was q very
pleasant one. and included Woodroffe
and Chatter. while our cruise across
he Bay of Biscay and along the Portu-
yuese coast proved most delightful
One night. while we were lying outside |
Libson. Woodroffe and Chatter. togeth-
n with Olinto. went ashore, and when |
hey returned In the early hours OF |
he morning they awoke me by cross
ng the deck above my head. Then |
heard someone outside my cabin door
rositDg as though with a screw
river, unscrewipg q screw from the |
This aroused my interest,
md next day ! made a minute exam
nation Of the paneling. where. in one
art, I found two small brass screws
hat had evidently been recently re-
moved. Therefore I succeeded in get