The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-28
A Betrayer
By EUNICE BLAKE

When the revolution In Russia woo
brewing-that revolution which result
60 In the establishment Of the duma
OF representative assembly-two younp
men, friends, were coworkers in the
cause OF the people against the govern.
ment Peter vronsky and Alexander
Niehon were members of the same 40.
cret propaganda, and either of them
were the fact kaown to the authorities
would have been arrested and sent to
Siberia.
one person outside Of the revolution.
airy circle knew Of their membership
Inis was Sonia Nicolaevna, the be.
trothed of vronsky.
One day when vronsky. Niehofr and
Sonia were together and Sonia was
iamenung at the constant danger in
which her lover stood vronsky said TO
her, III l am spirited away, put In a
dungeon or sent to work in the mines
at Kara you shall marry Alexander"
sonia looked from her lover to Me.
nom and saw the effect Vronsky's
words had produced upon him. A
rant color came to his face and his
eye. That telltale organ, which will
not lie, said that Niehoff would be
only too happy to be her husband II
his friend were removed.
A few months after this the blow
fell upon the lovers. Peter was ar
rested, charged with plotting against
the government and sent to Siberia.
Sonia was crushed. When a political
prisoner is sent to that desoiate region
there Is no expectation that he or she
will ever return. A few have escaped,
but the great bulk of them die in exile.
The first thing that Sonia took an
interest in after her lovers Danish
ment was how the government had
been informed Of Peters political afil.
iations. This matter had been taken uE
by the revolutionary circle, and they
had probed it without finding the slight
est clew. As soon as Sonia had re
covered from the blow so far as tt
collect her faculties she resolved thai
, she would devote the rest of her life
to running down the informer.
} But she did not know where to be
gin. Everything pertaining to tn,
revolution. both on the side Of thu
government and the revolutionists
was so secret that it seemed impossi
, BILE to gain foothold anywhere Their,
were spies in the interest Of the revo
, lutionists who were in the confidenc,
Of the government, and vice versa
The arrest Of Vronsky caused the cir
i, Gle to suspect that there was govern
ment spy among them, but why b
should betray Vronsky and not tn
whole circle they could not explain.
Some months after the removal o
Vronsky Niehoff said to Sonia: "Vron
sky is noble man, worthy of you
love and my friendship. He could nc
/ bear the thought of your passing you
life mourning for him. Do you re
: member what he said to you once
what you should do In case he wa
taken away IrOm you
j Sonia looked up at him, He was S
intent on what he was thinking tina
q he did not see In her expression rev
elation his words had given her.
e "What did he say?" she asked.
"That you should marry me-
What investigation would not pr
8 duce was OWNED by the woman. a
o first she thrust the idea away frol
8 her with horror, but 1t was like a
, infection-once 1t had found a lodi
IS ment In her brain 1t multiplied. 81
g turned her eyes from Niehon TO u
floor but made no reply. When 81
Ie smoke again she turned the subject
1T Sonia did not know surely any Oh
who was a member OF the circle, o.
she knew her lovers most intima
& associates and judged they were re
olutionists. One Of these, ivan IVA
to ovich she sought and conveyed TO III
her suspicion that Alexander Nieno
had informed upon Peter Vronsk
e. Ivan said nothing to her of any actl'
ID he might take, but he at once informs
the circle Of the suspicion. A shaoo'
r or was put upon Niehof. and IL w
not long before he was, seen entefil
the office of member of the secP
I'd government police. 80 Al
Iyanovich informed Sonia that n
hon was a government spy. Wheth
ID he had been so when he joined :
circle or had become 50 later or n
given the government informacion u
had compelled him to pretend 70
o. working for the car. was not NOV
ic Sonia was asked If she wouio p"fs
i'd the matter further She saao :
u would. expressing a wish tnat ho .
be else be concerned in T.
~ Sonia threw of outwardly ner srl
On for her lover and pretended 20 &C. o
x age Niehoa to carry out tina. lOse
d. expressed wish. She pretenoeu - ~,
a he a convert to the government Gnu
he In this way she got a confession IN n
70 Nieboff who was infatuated with !, y
he that he had done wOsk for the pon POI,
=, u,h,z o,,dance she gave 10 Nano'