Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-20
THE LITTLE REFUGEE.
CHAPTER IN.
The Escape.

since IN" count. separated from his
lighter was taken away TO Siberia.
The Prisoners Home" where tor
lures and torturcs were heaped on his
mead.
lie has tn" same good kind face.
Dut his face vas covered with a dark
"vcrSrown beard. and his hair was
turning gray from years OF loncli-
ness and captivity.
The guards. who had given Vera
her freedom. were now scattered
over Rnss!n. some dead. and Others
sun working under the Bolshevis,s
rule
Armed guards surrounded the large
stone building. through which no
rays OF sunlight could enter. Guards
stood outside the door OF Count Ds.
iron y narrow cell. Through all those
seven years no kindly face had come
TO his iron-barred door 10 take him
away from the prison. no kindly sun
mad smiled through the iron bar. OF
the window. and the wheel o, time
turned slowly by.
Now, "" must turn back to Berthe.
~" Is now handsome man Of .!
years. He is now ncwspaper CIR.
'cSp"hdent for an American paper,
ana went on a mission To Siberia 10
look into the conditions Of tn.
prisons
After being nut up by hotel man
hper In III. hotel. he tool; n rem
mihnt" walk. and was soon gazing a.
'hc inprsHslv" stone building. with
us many iron barred Windows
fo"r souls" h" ,nurmurcd. SYM
pd'h"tich!!y, as he gazcd up at III.
windows. How happy should be
am free, while those poor souls gaze
f,a,
windows Ana he stretched out his
arms, with eyes that ahone. S,andlnr
there' In the full light of day. he sud
n'h'E looked M NJ one OF the win
"""S' more dismal than the rest
mere he saw looking down a, him
'he sahd"st. kindcs, face he had ever
seen Tho sad blue eyes were staring
"oWh where the young man stood a
.p"h oi hopeless agony In them. Then
"a, Young man stopped dead still.
!" mere had he seen those ewes md
that face now saddcned win ,,.,
ne count was sian gazing n, HcrtIe
ana IN" counts eyes seemed To say.
u YOU are ;ru" son Of this
""r!u please take IN. from mis-
Pr'N"n' where have stayed for s.v.,
whole years. with not "A human sn,,i
|" chcer IN" up, or talk to me during
III! loneliness. Take pity on me and
~ ~ rom this cru"i. hard prison"
ne young man looked dejcctediy al
'"e count whose blue eyes lool ed
NOR ricaiinf than ever. Without a
a. hoft'e Went M tho steps and
hhaiv got permission to yisl, Tho
counts cell. '"c
mere hay" eeen you before"
l''r Tie asked the count as he took n
scat on low stool and addressed
az count Your eyes and face nrn
EaRUeiy familiar. and / Will tell Won
o! some one ! saw that reminds mo
or you II was about seven vaars
'f" that was standing by the win
co" bE Mrs. Rober,son's camp. who
rs 'he mead nurse. Well. in the
ne saw some people approach
hg. Thcy came within n distance -,
'hc camp and stood confcrrinr To-
s.ther. All were Russian guards cx-
cept man and "A little girl. Tho
IMAM 'dcc was so sad that | could
h"t help plying him. and the yirI
'Ha the most angelic face I had over
cen She had sweet blue eyes inc,
IKE yours ana long golden chris
Then the last ! saw OF The man vac
pair OF pitifGl blue eyes looking n,
'he little girl. aud then the guards
surrounded the man. disappearing In
a cloud or dust. while the little girl
came on to the camp. That is all.
! but your face was vaguely familiar
6" came to investigated
The count had been listening with
keen interest to the story, and At the
conclusion he said. briefly and
eagerly.
What was the little girls name
whom YOU saw that day. and do you
know where she is"'
The young man answered. indiffcr-
emily. unconscious Of the tumult Of
hope in the counts breast:
Why. believe her name was Vera
ostrof. ana she was little Russian
girl who captivated all of our hearts,
The last thing saw of her was
when we bade her farewell. She
was to go to New York with Mrs.
Robertson. That's all I know" he
said, scarcely dreaming the effect on
the old prisoner. whom he believed
was no kin To Vera. The count
rose cxc!tedly and said, his eyes
lighting:
Dung man. that girl was my
daughter. and I am the man whom
you saw seven years ago"
The effect on BERTHE was the same
as II boom had buretcd on his
mead. He rose to his feet. his face
red. You Vera's father" nc STAN
'hercd' holding out his hand. Never
IN AL the time she has gone have
ceased To think OF her. How
nope that could get you OUT OF
mis- Internal prison. so we could go
TO New York to hunt Vera. But how
am to take you from this place."
Yes, that's the problem" the old
man agreed. shaking his head But
maybe fate will will il so that we
can start the search for Vera soon"
The young man left the prison
visibly impressed by the counts
words. In his room in the hotel that
night he devised plan after plan to
help the old count escape, but each
one he shook away with an Irritating
pacing Up and down his room. Fate
Will have to take Its course" Berthe
whispered as he lay down in bed
that night.
Little did no dream that Fate
would take Its course" sooner than
he expected. for he was awakened
a hout o,,looL ~. -, AZ,