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Show m dTVOPSIS. W iirolotlon sweeps Grodnia. The War Ir killed by rl'.BOb hl riauirblrr. Princess Sabina Mc.-ipes T t;- rv-b of a peasant An acJ priest. Father t,0ff a o -.-in panic? her In flicht The two mwl KAm'ori'-jn newspaper correspondent B.-b Hailam, 1. Ka brlts 1 P'rcoit th.-m to , re- thr (r- J." jJaroush Dup.hinskr, a bolaherut. is naslmed I - and kill the princess. He takes posssre for ' Lclca on t Li- Mimf boat with the Princess Sublna ?Kpi pasin" M peasant tlrl Sophia Goror' Kruck by lb clrl bautj Dupchinskj makss lore E'brr mu n 10 ht'r J14'res Chuos rrlpris D Grcn JJk and Count Jan ts sent by leader of the old En to And the princsss (hat a mama hflnn-n i! E two B3U arranged und 'ho qur.n put upon C. throne. He meets Uallara cn route homo ron-; ron-; Bus his mission, and asks his aid The princess I Imcht Y"rk and lnt0 Wulnr. DurKhlnsky aw iV-V h' " I'" " h. r hii m.ion. and sne 1 SasUy promt's ' mnrrr hm ' hn h.- h is killed Trae pnncoss ' N.uilia, ths bolsherisl s forsaken LwVeth1 1,1 m 10 Npw york Jan and Nusila I BCth discorer the pnncres. cau-inc her rreal alarm Eilsm appears on thr n.-tne caln The princess KJlirts JaD 411(3 ,clls tnm ,hct ,h "ill make no con-Et con-Et f0- the throne. ELEVENTH INSTALLMENT. V A BEFUDDLED BOLSHEVIST. COUNT JAN of Grodnia stood irresolute before Sablna, former sovereign princess prin-cess of Grodnia, uncrowned by her Wn renunciation of the claims to ascent which were hers by the law of descent. The Rations were new and nebulous to him. -Ld he known what to say he would not svo known how to say It. ss "I I cannot bring your highness' answer lick; I dare not." he winced, almost wept. ) "You nco nor" she assured him. "It (A ffl! precede you by many days. The cable HI MJ transmit it." Jan looked up at her with the inexpresal- L anguish of the lost. He bit his lower L until the blood stained his teeth -The young; noble limply let himself sink to i m knees. Tears which he could not repress uirted to his eyes. lf implore ynUr highness." he sobbed. )j 'In the name of God I beseech you to tell pe that this if fome grisly jest." W H MArie," she sneered "For shame, that ssssaa fjou pray t royalty to a commoner on Beaded nobletknees'" "I pray, your highness, yes!" BjjThen pray to a higher power. What jhroc ask !c beyond mo to grant. Get up like Bm&n. if not like a gentleman " "To kneel before your father' daughter Wk an honor." "Get up." spoke Sabina, testily. "A man Hould never kneel unless he la certain to Briie a winner I have refused the crown flat you offer me. I have refused the love Bou offer .Tie. I refuse your arguments, your Hesitantly, gjrogglly. Jan found hie feet. "You have made me a pauper," he whim-irrl whim-irrl "You have expatriated me and mine, pour own kinsmen. You merciful heaven, Brglve me! You have turned bolshevlst." -"That Is a lie." said Sablna, drawing her Bio upward. "Let not your emasculated jlqiie carry you to the vapid extreme of aJl I n harsh name.'' You. like other eelf- Q Blonated 6c!f-sef kers, inest with diabol motives all who because of honest con-fctlons con-fctlons will not contribute to your egotlstl-tland egotlstl-tland grasping plan Tou see In my stand pjbWF" dldp&tion of the mirage upon which have traded, as did those before you lose blood yo'j bn:. and you call me a obhevlst for that. You and your kind hade bolshevism thieving barons clubbing it burdened travelers on life's hard way riti their own superntitions and false faiths, ou grate against my patience Now, go " Sftn listlessly, gropingly, fumbled for bis fcblna's tiny form was trembling. Her determination to throw Into the melt-Bf melt-Bf pot of progress her small contribution the way of one crown was burning within r. She was on edge to summon Hallam pom his watch station across the street and Is send him to pre.-s with notice for the orld that the throne of Grodnia, knocked Ism by overzealou? anarchy, had ceased lo exist And here was this complaining He of the old order In her way. She passed him to open the outer door, at his dismissal might be so absolute as to rmlt of no further equivocation. As she jBtred Into the corridor Father Pokoff. won-Bring won-Bring at her long absence in the " parlor," Bine toward her. Jan recognized him as he sv 90 Pttsnlzed Jan. The priest knowing noth-mt noth-mt of what hurl transpired since his return Dthe !., . , P thrilled at seeing the ssBung count, and took his hand enthusl- ThJs Is Indeed a wonderful surprise, my H Jan," said the father "How did you ua? And what news Is there from I Jan Mt- a last chance in the greeting of m holy man whom he knew as Sablna's jrest and dearest friend, confidant, and B,0, father," he said, vehemently. ' I have Bt sustained a terrible blow, a calamitous Father Pokoff looked startled, then gazed Brlli for explanation. B Her royal highness. Princess Sablna, has has i cannot tell y u; my Hps cannot Btsr what my ears refused to hear, what my Bart cannot yet believe. Father, save us. fco her. She is Insane. She 1 K The priest turned to Sablna, deeply pr- I"My dear, dear child." he asked, "what B you done?" B"I have done nothing, as yet But I have t Informed my ambitious young cousin H of what I Intend doing within this frac-of frac-of an hour." B6he threatens to " interjected Jan. ffl threaten nothing. I proclaim. Father, have merely made known to Count Jan. Blto comes here as the spokesman of the nant of nobility of Grodnia, anxious to Bpjtor about m& a struggle to regain my Btx' crown, ana VM jt upon my had, o that this brow which wore the red shawl can never again wear a diadem. "I mean, father, that I resign all claims to royalty. I voluntarily withdraw from all supposititious privileges of power or title. I declare myself one of the pcoplo. I intend to remain in America and become a resident and citizen of this nation All this I proposo to incorporate into a public statement to be issued to the press over my personal signature signa-ture In the presence of witnesses." " Do you hear?" cried Jan. " Do your holy ears ring with the echoes of those words of treason to her birth, anarchy against her heritage abandonment of her nacred trusts, desertion of her kinsfolk nnd loyal supporters. support-ers. Father. I eay this girl I mean her royal highness is hysterical Sho is young. ho has had many sorrows it cannot be the - daughter of our departed king who says " When you attempt to interpret what Is and what Is not the will of tho Almighty you presume f:tr. Were It the will of the Lord that Sablna be a queen not all your urging nor ail her backholding could influence influ-ence the result " You, llko so many human children, pay little heed to God's will 60 long a you can control earthly affairs with your own weak hands to your own liking, but whon you Und that you cannot influence as you dcslro with your limited resources, you claim God's wish to fortify your wish Kaiser Wilhelm used tho samo technique, but it 6ccma he was unauthorized, and the ' Gott mlt uns ' argument argu-ment was so successfully challenged that hencefortn the heavenly Master will have revealed hLs support before tho worlu will again accept prophecy of It as carrying weight in specific undertakings not directly caprice may account for, even slightly palliate, pal-liate, her breach of principles and flaunting of radical dogma into the teeth of birth and tradition. But for you there are not even those ameliorating circumstances you, a learned scholar, a priest of tho gospel, a man. a " " Stop!" called Father Pokoff. "As a priest 1 accept your insults, for a vocation to the cloth bears with it a willingness to endure slurs, even blows. But when you raise your voice at mo in my capacity as a man, I forbid for-bid you to take me to task and to hurl your insolent verdicts of my conduct and my opinions. You are an insulting young Jackass, Jack-ass, Count Jan, and were I a few years younger I would thrash you and throw you out. You havo the viewpoint of a snob, the ugly temper of a badly broken colt, tne shabby shab-by manners of the poor snort, and the lr- you are not to question me. You have heard my wish, I now repeat it as a command. Go!" Tho young count stood, torn and trem- ' bling. -2 ..... - . - . ,Q Naroush Dupchlnsky had sat for hours, alone, in the groggory where the detective, Grogan, had left him left him his hopeB, his problems, his concealed knife, and the ', whisky bottle. J$ He had given a fleeting thought to tho Idea of seeking assistance. He ran over In his mind the rabid cronies of the coffeo house j set Yes, they were loud talkers and bom- I bastic table thumpers. But which of them J could he commandeer to engage in a deed of blood and felony in New York, the hostile city thick with police? Not this one. not that one nnr I EL i Vm 77u brow which j L P . I worm the red ihawl r can never again $ wear a diadem." these things. I beg of you, as speaking for that power even higher than the divine estate es-tate of royally, to take Issue with her, to command her, if need be, to withdraw these threats which she. in her overwrought state, has voiced." Sabina. the petulance of the born princess mounting through the arteries of the human jirl, was sorely temptI to slap bis face at the open statement of the frantic nobleman that he believed her deranged. But shs held her resentment checked in the presence of the priest, who was studying her face, himself shocked at the revelation of her sudden stand. "'You, father," urged Jan, "blessed the crown of Grodnia as it was placed upon the head of her royal father, may his royal soul rest in peace You pronounced the requiem over the grave of her royal mother, God keep her. You anointed Princess Sablna of Grodnia, you gave her the Hist communion of the church, you have been her confessor, you bave'led her by the hand through all her life. "Tell her, father tell her that God has willed that she bo a queen of her people, that royalty is endowed of heavi-n and cannot can-not bo cast off by a childish whim of mortal. Tell her that what she says Is sacrilegious as well as unreasonable." Father Pokoff rubbed his chin, reflectively, Introspectively. then with gusto " My son," said he " what you havo told me of what sho has told you. and what she has told me of what she has told you, Is as violent a shock to me as it was to you, no doubt. " But In the walks of tho church I have learned to Judge with deliberation; In the confessional I have learned to expect almost any revelation, . i singled out for guaranteed blessings by the acred scripts. "This controversy, as I see it, is one between be-tween a man and a woman, only; rather, it Is between representatives of two opinions, two schools of thought and theory. You have fleshly rewards to gain by maintaining ( your side, Sablna has only sacrltlce and obscurity to win on hers; therefore I am more inclined to believe in her sincerity than in yours. As to the practical merits of the difference, that may be another matter "The world Is in the process of geRtatlng a now thought, sired by drunken passions, but mothered In sorrow and in suffering. What It will he is, like all mortal things of tho yot to be, uncertain But many children chil-dren have been born blnce earth began, and averages have been drawn which are comparatively com-paratively reliable guides. Thoughts have been born, and they, like children, have grown with each generation more civilized, more godly, more nearly perfect. The heritage heri-tage of the children has not always been healthful and wholesome, but those children havo brought other children and the ages have refined them. Thoughts have progressed pro-gressed similarly. " Men wero not born to be thorough altruists: altru-ists: for each good deed each must have a direct incentive. But that does not take away from the deed its goodness any more than the man who raises rosos for the market mar-ket can take from them their frugrance or their beauty because he calculates in ad 'ance the price which ho will ask for them when full grown. You see " C "I see," snarled Jan, "that you are wading wad-ing through a prolix introduction to a do-fenee do-fenee of her royal highness' fanatical position. posi-tion. This, to mo, Is even more astounding . 4han her own plunge. Youth and feminine reverent impudence of a 6poIIed child." The father's eyes flamed with anger and his fists were closed. Jan started at him as though to strike him. Sablna fleotly stepped between them. "Don't you dare." she breathed. Jan fell back a step. " Leavo this house at once," directed Fatner Pokoff. " Not as long as I have strength to speak for my country, for my birthright, for the nnolnt doctrines of autocracy, for the throne of Grodnia." "Who are you to speak for the throne of Grodnia when she who. if any owns it stands hero?" answered the father. "I speak for It because she will not, because be-cause she rejects it, which I contend Is beyond be-yond her power. Sho became tho sovereign princess of Grodnia before birth. Sho cannot can-not disclaim her parentage." "Just a moment," said Sablna ' Then you deny that I can case to bo Grodnla's liege ruler?" " I do, your royal highness " "Then you Insist that I am still and must remain undisputed mistress of our country and queen of all loyal Grodnians. Including yoursolf. Count Jan?" " I beg your royal pardon, since It Is unbecoming un-becoming for me to insist In your presence; but I make bold to state it as my faith that your royal hlgness la and will always be to me the highest power on earth, irrevocably" "Very will, tht n." and Sablna drew herself her-self up to ngai rigidity, put forth her hand with the gesture of regal command, ; and pointed her finger toward Jan " As your crown princess I desire you to withdraw with-draw from my royal presence forthwith." " Am I to understand, then " "Tou aro to understand nothing. And Numerous 6wlgs of the rotgut which breeds slum courage fortifled his resolutions as he wavered. Numerous times ho turned to the windows to see whether darkness had approached, for he did not question the need of night's aid for his escape, a precarious business even with overy element favorable. To escape was paramount Dupchlnsky's bolshevism was sincere, even courageous. Killing, burning and marauding were to him the destined Instruments of an earnest conviction. con-viction. But he was not of those heroic nihilists who have assassinated czars In broad day in sight of the crowds, knowing that they must crown accomplishment with sacrifice, assassination with suicide. Dupchlnsky Dup-chlnsky was of tho breed of fighters, but not martyrs. No. ho did not want to die that the bol shevlkl might live. He yearned to Jab his blade of death into the white breast of Princess Prin-cess Sabina In vengeance for tho wrongs that the poor and humtde had suffered from tho cruel mighty; In protection of the liberty loving emancipated people struggling to hold the treacherous step, slippery with blood, so lately gained toward what ho conceived as freedom. But he panted as hotly to hear the plaudits of his Slavic worshipers ringing In his ears as they tore tho air of Grodnia. And he Itched to possess the captivating Sophia, to sweep aside her Insolent lclnees with the grandeur of his deeds and the powers of a husband. He fancied himself already a minister of Grodnia, wielding Judgmont over life, liberty, lib-erty, and property, a hero decorated with the laurel first of a liberator of his people, second us a saver of tho liberated. Then would he talk to this Sophia, this unaccountably haughty peasant beauty, out Bj iBjl B of tho other side of his mouth. She ahoulA bring him his slippers and his glass. Shi should kneel at his chair and ask in the wavering voice of humility to know th j ; wishes of her lord. Surely fte, Dupchlnsky, j ' fawned on by an entire nation, foared by an entire nation, admired by the whole world, could not be lens than obeyed by his own wife, the obscure damsel whom he had lifted k to the elevation of being his consort 9 She should sit back with her knitting, as ( became a subjugated female vassal of a , giant while he told tho select few whom he ! would admit to his palatial home the tales j of his American masterplcco; how he had come alone and in disguise, how he had waited and watched, how ho had connived and contrived, how he had outwitted the secrecy of the royalists and run the gantlet or the foreign protective authorities, how he had ventured single handed into that dwelling dwell-ing In tho nub of densely peopled area, braved who and what might be within. J trapped the elusive heiress to Grodnia's ghoat of royalty, drawn his naked steel and rammed It into the body wherein flowed that blood which had dared to call Itself blue, how he had turned, with his back to the wall and j the weltering butcher knife uplifted in his hero hand, to fight his way out through the whole country, If necessary, so that he might return to his Grodnia to take up the administration admin-istration of the Utopian reign which he had made safe and final. ( Sophia would nod her head In approving corroboration. i It was a pretty picture. Dupchlnsky enjoyed en-joyed It llngerlngly. Then he slowly opened his eyes and rubbed them. About him were the appurtenances of the low dive, the scarred bar, the 6awdust on the floor kicked away in seamy spots of baldness, the blear eyed bartender blowing his foul breath into a pony glass before he wiped It to a sheen with his blotchy towel. Slowly Dupchlnsky's eyes wandered. Yes there was yet much to do before this vista should be replaced by the vision he had seen in prospect There was yet much J to do. J His eyes turned further till they encoun tered the nearest window. At last! Darkness was coming. The tims bad come to do it. Dupchlnsky, harrowed and fearful, yet rea- . olute and keyed to desperate daring, lugged himself upright. For a moment he veered unsteadily, then he found equilibrium, straightened, crossed to the bar and settled set-tled his account. " Have one on the house," smiled the bartender. bar-tender. Dupchlnsky looked at him questloningly. " Have a Jolt a shot a drink. Free. Compl'menis o" the Joint" Dupchlnsky poured himself a stiff hooker and snorted it down " Here's luck," said the man behind the bar. swallowing a thimbleful of water. Drink an be merry July ain't far away." Dupchlnsky tacked for the door, negotiated negotiat-ed It, sighed nen ously, bucked up. and start ed toward the house. At first his steps were slow and hesitant But. as he came nearer to the turn which would bring him within eight of the door bet-hind bet-hind which he hoped to find his royal sacrifice sacri-fice and his witching idol of love, his long limbs swrung into an accelerated stride that cnused more than one of the weary wayfarers way-farers trudging to their homes after the long day's grim grind to turn and stare at this baby-faced heavyweight with the wild hair and the wild expression who was legging it along the sidewalk's edge No one observed, leajt of all Dupchlnsky, that as he catacornered over the crossing from the west walk of the street along which he was coming to tho north walk of the etroet Into which ho was going, that a pale girl, clutching the front of her wajst, was turning from tho east walk of the first street around the continuous asphalt into tho south walk cf tho second, so that by the time Dupchlnsky had started three yards upon the block within which, midway, stood the objective house, the girl was on the opposite side and about abreast of him, both swiftly proceeding eastward It had grown quite dark now, far too dark for one to distinguish the features of another an-other over the width of the thoroughfare even had they been on the alert to read the faces of all who might be about. Dupchlnsky was preoccupied within himself, him-self, his pulses hammering as he neared the house, which was on the side of the street whereon he walked. Nastla was fearful of no one. timid of nothing, concentrated In the predetermined program of revengo by means of the revolver revol-ver which she held tight and steady within her dress as she, too. realized that she was within a few feet of the building wherein eho expected to find Dupchlnsky. or at least the woman who had alienated him from her. Dupchlnsky gained the foot of the steps. He lifted his first foot to the bottom step. His other still was on the walk It was not too late yot to withdraw, to proceed along the street, to give up, to surrender to sut-render sut-render everything With tt great shudder ho pulled himself up and together. No. He would go through. He brought up tho other foot. As he did. Nastla stepped from? the opposite oppo-site walk Into the street, to veer at a right angle for tho stops which Dupchlnsky had started to ascend. And as she cleared the curb the well knit figure of a man slipped from cover of a doorway behind her and followed. To be continued. . COopyrtfhH Xfll9: jr Jack LaiU |