| Show f 7 J 1 By jt t L DOROTHY DOROTH Ill Illustrated DULiN DULIN by y j T H E G C I R R L L. 1 s P J. J L ANDREE HOPE 11 iI I A SYNOPSIS of ot a trusted employ a 8 an Forsyth Is given n a English business house eucce s large Jarge secret mission into Russia Muss house success in n In Inthe which will bring him a a. partnership hi his hid overworked overworked over- over arriving homo home the firm But on gives way and an lister 11 Jie is worked constitution sister doctors doctor's care Ills His Anne put under who the lives liven with him 1 goes e J to m the dead head J of of the e fi firm and offers s to take talCe his hie plunges a her and to prove provo place her hand She is fa finally a Al Into Shel famed a a. l warned especially and is c allowed to go drop to droop peculiar against a aman man with a a. the eyelids then to Berlin She goes to Paris and her to From rom there her course isle takes by the perplexed she a is Vienna where tampering with her traveling bag apparent although hough However i it has n nothing never been is missing away from her r. r into and she ehe he continues on he her wa ways way Russia On the train she meets a young hom girl whom whom she takes a fany fancy to and to of her brother and tells tho the story she abe stop stoIl for or him They her anxiety for breakfast at a 0 small town where an attempt is made mader to poison polson Anne but it a beggar frustrated by is Anner Anne 1 r her destination Upon arrival a at hotel se and while In her room her toom hou to a goes with the looking r out she see he sees the man I the window across drooping lids at a then train acquaintance Her street rescue seen and takes her to a to her f comes she Is of revolutionists where compelled com to take their oath r T as I had believed myself to toI tobe FIRM I be courageous as asI I had resolved resolve and andr to to be I was so shaken r all I heard beard an and and- saw that c r app appalled by night that I followed my conductors dream Like one In a a. as like one in a trance trance I traveled in a train and then s f in in a a. carriage But through dream and n trance 11 f alike my rny determination was steady I had become cognizant that True night of cruelties of Injustice of oi deeds of ot tyranny such as the wildest Imagination imagination imag- imag would scarce credit as ni possible pos pos- ne sible in the civilization of the v century to turn a deaf eaf ear 7 It was impossible ear wretches I It to the cry of miserable was impossible that the tho heart should not burn bum within one at distinct evidence evi evi- vl- vl dence of hideous wrongs but murder murder in retaliation was wholesale was contemplated Murder of the Innocent would I lend and helpless and never myself to such atrocities j All was clear to me now Mine was C to b bo bethe the cruel hand to fire tire the deadly dyn dynamite mite I the accredited agent of a well known mown firm finn connected closely alike with England and Russia in m mercantile tile the relations was to be implicated te in plots the ripening and fruition of which would involve the death of hun hun- of thousands of human beings Therefore had I been tracked therefore had I been seized Dead my papers pavers and credentials would have been of infinite use alive alie I should be forced to take part in we desperate venture only one alas of the deep laid conspiracies now convulsIng convulsing convulsing con con- this unhappy la land Days passed I was kindly treated but closely watched nigh when The time was drawing j the train was to pass The fatal mine like a a. cruel snake beneath the earth I was making steady progress AU All day the lonely house was quiet quie respectable in appearance almost appearance almost uni un- un inhabited i o L L- knew that from time to time It r was was visited visited by the police r J however was to be seen n nothing thing was heard But when night came cam especially when stormy stonny winds howled over the dreary plain when drenching rain 4 splashed heavily down upon the boggy soil then the house seemed filled with swarms swanns of laborers How they came how they went I knew not but gang after gang worked with undaunted steadiness relieving each other at r stated intervals Young and old women and men henno en no nobles Ino- Ino bles and serfs were among those desperate desperate des- des Aerate bands Jj During such hours the dim sound of r the tho pickax never ceased for a single moment Its heavy thud made a dismal dismal dismal dis dis- mal echo to to the merry jest even to the laughter of those who worked gayly gayly gay- gay ly yet grimly with the mocking mirth of he who j jests ts with the halter round his neck h It was as the dance of death hide death ous awful heroic and appalling I Through it all Verena was as a guiding and terrible yet beautiful star the patriot-heroine patriot the child angel-child the tender sympathizing friend Whatever I might think of others her enthusiasm her goodness were genuine r Firmly convinced that fear alone would produce any impression on the ruling powers satisfied In her own I mind that terrific as were the principles prin- prin prin-I prin adopted by her party that from I j that party alone could effectual aid aido o b be obtained she threw herself with all aU the tho energy of her high strung nature nature na- na ture tore into its plans Having accepted its doctrines she resolutely closed dosed her eyes to its errors or to their consequences and devoted herself absolutely to carrying out its schemes 1 Vainly I attempted to point out to her the enormity of the crimes that were contemplated She answered me by the recapitulation tion of f cruelties that made my blood run cold Would you she said her eyes flaming and grasping my hand with witha a a- violence that shook me remain calm and restful enjoying the I pleast pleas pleas- t I ures urea that life may give whilst those you love best are literally rotting away in a Jiving grave Have you ever seen one brought back from the mines The horror of the livid skin the palsied pal pal- sied limbs the branded cheeks the thet theto t to scarred back distorted by the blows of the heavy whip the lash Jash of which falls incessantly upon the quivering flesh at atthe the will and pleasure of the merciless merci merci- less overseer Of what avail are cries r and nd appeals for tor mercy thousands of o. o feet Below the surface of ot the earth thousands of miles mUes away from human from human habitations This trembling palsied palf pal pal- f- f sled sied starved half hat Idiotic wretch was i 1 dragged frag cd from his home from amidst us us- usall all aU when a handsome young ever ever- r gIo man and why he was thus seized well well- ve never n never ve fully known N My God how long wilt Thou suffer this Arise and help us 0 O Lord Lordi I 0 o rd have mercy upon Thy suffering children She burst into inlo an agony of tears and left leU me to pursue her work with redoubled re redoubled re- re doubled energy With what heartfelt compassion did I listen to many tales of woe and yet as ass s each day as each hour passed I was the more resolved I would never take part in the wicked scheme Echeme on hand They might kill me If they would but I never ever would aid In such a crime With desperate ea eagerness erness I I watched I-watched for Cor any possible chance of escape but alas I was guarded with the closest vigilance vigil nce nor did it seem to me was I e ever cr permitted to too r o alono alone with any member of the party save with Verena Verona 1 and now the time was very near One night however a storm of almost al al- I most unexampled fury was raging raging- and ad iad been raging for hours The wind with savage violence and during durIng during dur dur- ing its comparative lulls the drenching rain fell tell in absolute sheets of water Verena was ill For some days sho had been suffering from intermittent t fever and now the attack was so sharp that she was unable to leave her bed I had scarcely left her the whole day but late in the evening went into the adjoining ad- ad adjoIning adjoining ad ad- joining room to prepare some food tood for he her How kind and good you are to me meT she said looking fondly into my face tace and gently kissing my hand I kno know how you do not approve of our plans and yet how tender and good you are aco areto to me to me-to to me who have ill treated and kept you a prisoner But from But from the first moment we met I felt you were honest and true Honesty and truth shine in your eyes and can be heard in every word you say Oh my Anna Ann love Jove me mo for my heart me and this unlUcky unlucky un un- lucky illness makes me low and dispir dIspIr- Listen dear I doubt some of our people but you rou oh you I can never doubt I kissed her fondly and with theae these loving words ringing in my ears went into the the next next room Fearing to disturb her I gently closed the door Are such things chance or are even such small circumstances preordained I can swear I had no thought of what I Iwas Iwas Iwas was about to do when I closed that door I had scarcely done so when a b boy y entered bringing our supper He was pale and thin and had an honest kindly face His pallid cheeks and bloodless lips Ups also appealed to my sympathy but alas in the sudden resolve I had I formed all compassion must be bo banished ban from my heart stern duty was before meI me I said a few words to the young fellow tellow follow tel fol low who answered promptly and with withe e evident pleasure He had had the fe fever fe fe- ver many ver many had tho the fever during such weather weather but but he ho was better though still very weak He hoped the kind kIrd lady would not have the fever like Vorena Vorena Vorena Vo- Vo rena All this pained me but I dared not spare I made an an n excuse for tor sending him for something needed for Verena During his momentary absence I hastily poured one of the strongest sleeping powders into a cup of soup which when he returned re- re returned returned re re- turned and after after- a few compassionate observations I offered to him Ah Ab what a miserable and cruel traitor I felt as asI aa as asI aaI I did sol sot The boy took It with gratitude and thanked me with so much earnestness that I turn turned d away In deep shame and had to struggle myself to forbear dragging the dangerous draught from those pale lips Ups But I had been assured this was only a sleep sleeping ng potion that it contained nothing inimical to life Ufe so I restrained the impulse The next moment the contents of the cup had been swallowed He had hardly made a step when he staggered stagger d trembled violently a frightful frightful fright fright- ful convulsion passed over his face the skin around his mouth his lips parted in ina a ghastly smile the eyes for a second seemed starting from his head ere looking at me with such bitter bit bit- bitter ter reproach the lids closed over them Then he fell back into the chair I I I. had pushed toward hb him In n a h heavy Vy cat leptic lep- lep tic sleep My conscience smote me as I looked at the poor child who had trusted me but repentance if it were repentance came too late and I could only hope this horrible sleep would eventually do no lasting Injury to my victim Gently I opened the door of c communication com com- mJ Verena was sleeping so o peacefully so quietly She also looked j j I pale and worn but seemed conscious conscious' of my presence and from between her parted lips I heard the faint sound of Anna my Anna I r dared not trust myself to stay I beside Deside De- De edde e- e side her I was about to desert h her r in her moment of need Perhaps that Iwas Iwas I Iwas was about to d do dd would imperil her safety as it must imperil the safety of many of her closest friends but nevertheless nevertheless nevertheless never never- I had no doubt of that which duty demanded Hastily yet carefully I dressed myself myself my my- self in her cloak and outdoor costume x No sound was heard save the labored and breathing of the poor boy and the howling of the storm without with with- out Gut The slight noises In the room had r disturbed no one All Alt was so far tar pro pro- t Cautiously and rapidly I passed down the stairs and through ugh the house s 1 1 r t 5 t 5 j cu I i y w 1 r f fy 1 t y x r a 1 t ts s r 4 1 K y r rr r r i iP P r r t tA A X c n ns s r r ra rr a r q q lf r r F. F M V 5 s 4 1 r l r t ct r r r rt t S w I Y r i r rii e f i r f j ii v jh But But ere 1 J l the huge e portal portal-a octal a ha hand n d is on my my 1 Ii throat those ban bane f-bane- n t. c f h t fal es t ir droo drooping lids lids' d irons irons- J s. s r rf II I 5 I f Bae arse T The he murder marder- r side Faintly 1 heard beard the thud of the pickax in the ever ever- advancing mine now so so near so very near its completion Near the entrance door were Were the the old man and woman to whom the tha house ostensibly belonged They bowed re respectfully respectfully re re- as I approached and made some remark about the weather to which I was c compelled to reply ply but I. I only muttered a few words I bad had I drawn s 's veil veil closely closely around my face and my figure somewhat resembled resembled bled h hers rs but probably my accent at accent at any rate any something tate something about me aroused me aroused their suspicions a moment they seemed half Inclined to bar my passage pass age However ver be before ore they could detain de d.- d. Stain tain me me I 1 had slipped by slipped by and gained the street or of the the- suburb In which the h No sooner there than l the nearest 1 corner corner- corner and and flew on with all the speed the extreme of terror could give dir directed ct d my course to toward toward toward to- to ward the city where in the streets and among people I should find comparative comparative tive tiye safety but ere long Jong steps steps' were behind me pursuing steps that gained upon mine mine-at mine at each each minute Thank God a a is atthe corner of this street In another r second I was within with with- in it To the head of the of-the he police I gasped Treble fare for speed and then I whispered the tho magio maglo words that Insure obedience bot from fear fear- and from I hope of oJ gain On on we flew but the avenger was i behind I knew it I knew the fate that awaited me me but on we went We ar are are there I rush Into the great building where my mission will be ended but ere I I can pass pass' the tho hugo huge portal a hand is ison on my throat those eyes baneful s with their drooping lId lids transfix my shuddering gaze gaze The Tho murderous knife Is plunged I into my side A re red darkness obscures my sight I am borne borne in in S Surgeons are with me me officials officials' ls are around me me I I. I hardly know know- to whom but I have I-have told my mysto sto story t the Is made ad known the day and and hour are declared Telegrams have speeded on their saving saving- way and the train Is rescued Then a with a rush of blood I I. I Ja lapse se Into In Insensibility t A Weeks passed passed ere ere I was able to to leave my tny b bed d but my y wound though pain painful ful was not dangerous I would not therefore fore send for tor my brother or Dr Elliott My brother was better but still unfit for much fatigue and I dreaded lest he be exposed to whatever danger was still threatening me The pre precautions taken to Insure my safety were sufficient evidence that some danger was apprehended but at any rate I had the delight of fulfilling my my commissions and from the firmI re received received received re- re most gratifying assurances of their satisfaction But whilst I was gradually regaining health and strength Russia had been convulsed by the attempt to destroy the royal train on on its way to Moscow Arrests had been made by the hun hun- Several executions had already taken place but the name I most f feared ared to hear had not been men men- I hoped although I trembled Surely |
