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Show Wiq CMS 5PY ' The Mystery of a Silent; Love ChreilierMUAJUIQIJEUX (J AUTHOR of "THC CLOSED DOOK," ETC- xQH ILLUSTRATIONS C-DOTODE5ffi& coprxorr by rnc smart- srr pubiishw co VjrtrawT-.-Cy www w xiPK& CHAPTER XVII Continued. 17 "In sheer desperation I went to the ministry of the Interior pnd sought an interview with the baron, who, when I told him of the disaster, appeared 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 a statement of the woman Ship-roff Ship-roff herself, and that she had already started on her long journey to Siberiashe Si-beriashe had been exiled to one of those dreaded Arctic settlements beyond be-yond Yakutsk, a place where it is almost 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 father's friend, it was his duty to act as guardian guar-dian to me, and that as my father had been English I ought to be put to an English school. Therefore, with his self-assumed title of uncle, he took me to Chichester. For years I remained re-mained there, until one day he came suddenly and fetched me away, taking tak-ing me over to Hetsingfors for the czar had now appointed him governor- . general to Finland. There, for the first time, he introduced me to his son Michael, a pimply-faced lieutenant of cavalry, and said in a most decisive manner that I must marry him. I naturally refused to marry a man of whom I knew so little, whereupon, finding me obdurate, he quickly altered al-tered his tactics and became kindness kind-ness itself, saying that as I was young ho would allow me a year in which to make up my mind. ''A week later, while living in the palace at Ilelsingfors, I overheard a conversation between the governor-general governor-general and his son, which revealed to me a staggering truth that I 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 wet! 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 formalities, for-malities, I should, on a trumped-up charge of conspiracy, share the same fate as mv mother had done." "The infernal scoundrel!" I ijacu-lated, ijacu-lated, when I read her word while from Jack, who had been looking over my shoulder, escaped a fierce ,ind forcible for-cible vow of rengeance. "The baron took me witt him to Petersburg when he went oy. official business, and we remained there nearly near-ly a month," the narrative went on. "While there I received a secret message mes-sage from 'The Red Priest,' the unseen and unknown power of nihilism, who has for so many years baffled the po- tice. I went to see him, and he revealed re-vealed to me how Oberg had contrived con-trived to have my mother banished upon a false charge, fie warned me against the man who had pretended to be my father's friend, and also told me that he had known my father intimately, in-timately, and that if I got into any further difficulty 1 was to communicate communi-cate with him and he would assist me. Oberg took me back to Ilelsingfors Ilelsing-fors a few months later, and in summer sum-mer we went to England. He was a marvelously clever diplomatist. His tactics he could change at will. When I was at school he was rough and brutal bru-tal In his manner towards me. as he was to all: but now he seemed to be endeavoring to inspire my confidence by treating me with kindly regard and pleasant affability. "In London, at C'larldge's. we met my old schoolfellow Muriel and her father a friend of O berg's and In response to their Invitation went for a cruise on their yacht, the Iris, from Southampton. Our party was a very pleasant one, and Included Woodroffe and Chafer, while our cruise across (he Ray of liiscay and along the Portuguese Portu-guese coast proved most delightful One night, while we were lying outside T.lbson. Woodroffe and ('hater, togeth er with 01 1 n to. went ashore, and when they returned in the early hours of the morning lliey awoke me by crossing cross-ing the deck above my head. Then I heard someone outside my cabin door working as though with a screwdriver, screw-driver, unscrewing a screw from the woodwork. This aroused my Interest, and next day I made a minute examination exam-ination of the t ellng, where, In one part, I found two small brass screws that' bad evidently been recently removed. re-moved. Therefore I succeeded In getting get-ting hold of a screwdriver from the carpenter's shop, and next night-when night-when everyone was asleep, I crept out and unscrewed the panel, when to my surprise I saw that the secret cavity behind was filled with beautiful beauti-ful Jewelry, diamond collars, tiaras, necklets, line pearls, emeralds and tiiniunlscH. all thrown In Indiscriminately, Indiscrim-inately, "1 replaced llie panel and kept careful care-ful wi.lch. At Marseilles, where we culled, more Jewelry arid u lieiivy bagful bag-ful or plate brought aboard and accreted I" binrl another panel. tImii .1 knew thai the men v. .-re thieve "Well eee lii t (.inniiier's night c were lying off Naples, and as it was a grand festa ashore and there was to be a gala performance at the theater, thea-ter, Lelthcourt took a box and the whole party were rowed ashore. The crew were also given shore-leave for the evening, but as the great heat had upset me I declined to accompany the theater party and remained on board with one sailor named Wilson to constitute con-stitute the watch. We had anchored about half a mile from land, and earlier In the evening the baron had gone ashore to send telegrams to Russia Rus-sia and had not returned. "About ten o'clock I went below to try and sleep, but I had a slight attack at-tack of fever, and was unable. Therefore There-fore I redressed and sat with the light still out. gazing across the starlit bay. Presently from my port-hole I saw a shoreboat approaching, and recognized In It the baron with a well-dressed stranger. They both came on board, and the boatman, having been paid, pulled back to the shore. Then the baron and his friend a dark, middle-aged, middle-aged, full-bearded man, evidently a person of refinement went below to the saloon, and after a few momenta called to the man Wilson who was on watch, and gave him a glass of whisky and water, which he took up on deck to drink at his leisure. "The unusual character of my fellow-guests on board that craft was such that my suspicion was constantly on the alert, therefore curiosity tempted tempt-ed me to creep along and peep In at the crack of the door standing ajar. A closer view revealed the fact that the stranger was a high Russian official to whom I had once been Introduced at the government palace at Ilelsingfors, Ilelsing-fors, the Privy Councillor and Senator Sena-tor Paul Polovstoff. They were smoking smok-ing togther, and were discussing in Russian the means by which he, Polovstoff, had arranged to obtain plans of some new British fortifications fortifica-tions at Gibraltar. From what he said, it seemed that some Russian woman, married to an Englishman, a captain in the garrison, had been impressed im-pressed into the secret service against her will, but that she had, In order to sase herself, promised to obtain the p.. fographs and plans that w ere required. re-quired. I heard the Englishman's name, and I resolved to take some steps to Inform him in secret of the Intentions of the Russian agent. "Presently the two men took fresh cigars, ascended on deck, and cast themselves In the long cane chairs amidships. Still all curiosity to hear further details on the Ingenious piece of espionage against my own nation, I took off my shoes and crept up to a spot where I could crouch concealed and overhear their conversation, for the Italian night was calm and .still. They talked mainly about affairs In Finland, and with some of Oberu's expressions of opinion Polovstoff ventured ven-tured to differ. Suddenly, while the privy councillor lay back in his chair pulling thoughtfully at his cigar, there was a bright, blood-red flash, a dull report, and a man's short, agonized cry. Startled, I leaned around the corner of the deckhouse, when, to my abject horror, I saw under the electric rays the czar's privy councillor lying sideways In his chair with part of his' face blown away. Then the hideous truth in an Instant became apparent. The cigar which Oberg had pressed upon him down in the saloon had exploded, ex-ploded, and the small missile con-ce!-J inside the diabolical contrivance contriv-ance had passed upwards Into his brain. For a moment I stood utterly stupefied, yet as I looked I saw the baron, in a paroxysm of rage, shake his fist in the dead man's face and cry with a fearful Imprecation: 'You hound! You have plotted to replace me In the czar's favor. You Intended to become governor-general of Finland! Fin-land! You knew certain facts which you Intended to put before his majesty, maj-esty, knowing that tho revelations would result In my dlsgraco and downfall. Hut, you Infernal cur, you did not know that those who attempt to thwart Xavler Oberg either die by accident or ,,o for llfo to Kajana or the mines!' And bo spurned tliu body with his foot and laughed io himself as he gloated over his dastardly das-tardly crime. "I watched his rage, unable to utter a single word. 1 snw him, after ho hud searched the dead man's pockets, raise the Inert body with Its awful featureless face and drag It to the bulwarks. bul-warks. Then I rushed forward and faced him. "In an Instant he sprang at me, and I screamed. Hut no aid came. Tho man Wilson was sleeping soundly 'n the bows, for the whisky he had given him had been doctored," went on the narrative. "Upon his fnen was a fierce, murderous look such as I had never seen before. 'You!' he screamed, his dark eyes starting from their sockets as he realized that I had been a witness of his cowardly crime. 'You have spied upon me, girl!" he hissed, 'and you shall die also!' I sank upon my knees Imploring him to spare me, but he only laughed at my entreaty. 'See!' ho cried, 'as you saw how ho en loved his cigar, you may as well see this!' And with an effort ho raised the dead body In his arms, polHcd It for a moment on the Tessel'3 side, and then, with a hoarse laugh of triumph, heaved It Into the sea. There was a splash, and then we were alone. 'And you!' he cried In a fierce voice 'you who have spied upon me you will follow! fol-low! The water there will close your chatter mouth!' I shrieked, begged, and Implored, but his trembling hands were upon my throat. First he dragged me to my feet, then he threw me upon my knees, .and at last, with that grim brutality which characterizes him, he directed me to go and get a mop and bucket from the forecastle and remove the dark red stains from the chair and deck. This he actually forced me to do, gloating over my horror hor-ror as I removed for him the traces of-his cowardly crime. Then, with his hand upon my shoulder, he Bald: 'Girl! Recollect that you keep tonight's to-night's work secret. If not. you shall die a death more painful than that dog has died one In which you shall experience all the tortures of the damned. Recollect, not a single word - or death! Now, go to your cabin, and never pry Into my affairs again.' "A great sensation was caused when the body was discovered. The squadron squad-ron was lying oft Naples about a week after the Iris had left, and while we were there the body was washed up near Sorrento. At first but little notice no-tice was taken of it, but by the marks on the dead man's linen it was discovered discov-ered that he was Polovstoff, one of the highest Russian ofilcla'.e, who had, it was said, been warned on several occasions oc-casions by the nihilists. It was, therefore, there-fore, concluded that his death had been due to nihilist vengeance. "The real reason why the baron spared my life was because, if 1 died, my fortune would pass to a distant cousin living at Durham. Yet his manner towards me was now most polite and pleasant a change that I felt boded no good. He intended to obtain my money by marrying me to his son Michael, whose evil reputation reputa-tion as a gambler was well known in Petersburg. We traveled back to Finland Fin-land in the autumn, and In the winter he took me to stay with his sister In Nice. Yet almost daily he referred to that tragedy at Naples, and threatened threat-ened me with death If ever I uttered a single word, or even admitted that 1 had ever seen the man who was his rival and his victim." "Last June," commenced another paragraph, "we were in Helslngfors, i I When Everyone Was Aileep I Crept Out and Unscrewed the Panel. when one day the baron called mo suddenly and told me to prepare for a Journey. We wero to cross to Stockholm Stock-holm and thence to Hull, where tho Iris was awaiting us. for Mr. Lelthcourt Lelth-court and Muriel had Invited us for a summer cruise to tho Greek islands. We boarded the yacht much' against my will, yet I was powerless, and dnro not allege tho facts that I had already al-ready established concerning our fellow-guests. Muriel nnd I. It seems, wero taken merely In order to blind the shore-guards nnd customs olllcials as to the real naturo of tho vessel, which went safely out of the channel, was repainted and renamed tho Ix)la, until her exterior presented quite a different appearance from tho Iris. "Tho port of Leghorn was our first place of call, and for some reason wo ran purposely upon a sandbnnk and were towed off by Italian torpedo boats. Next evening you came on board and dined, Muriel and myself having strict orders not ro show ourselves. our-selves. We, however, watched you, and I saw you pick up my photograph which I had that day torn up. Then Immediately after you had left Wood-rofio, Wood-rofio, ('hater and Mackintosh went ashore and were nway a couplo of hours In tho middle of the night, .lust beforo they returned the baron rapped at the door of my cabin saying that ho must go ashore, and telling mo to dress and accompany him. lie would never allow me the luxury of a maid, fearing, I suppose, that she might learn loo much. In obedience 1 rose nnd dresHed, and when I went forth he told me to get my traveling cloak and dressing bag, adding that h" was compelled to go north, as to continue I the cruise would occupy too much , time, lie was duo back nl Ills official . dutlen, he suld. Aj soon I fU'd finished packing, the three men returned re-turned to the vessel, all of them looking look-ing dark-faced and disappointed. Woodroffe whispered some words to the baron, after which I went to Muriel's cabin and wishedher good-by, good-by, and we went ashore. Taking the train first to Colle Salvettl, thence to Pisa, and afterwards to the beautiful old city of Siena, which I had bo longed to see. One of my teeth gave me pain, and the baron, after a couple of days at the Hotel de Slenne, took me to a queer-looking little old Italian a dentist who, he said, enjoyed an excellent reputation. I was quickv'td notice that the two men had met before, be-fore, and as I sat In the chair and gas was given to me I saw them exchange meaning glances. In a few moments I became insensible, but when I awoke an hour later I was astounded to feel a curious soreness In my ears. My tongue, too, seemed paralyzed, and 1n a few moments the awful truth dawned upon me. I had been rendered deaf and dumb! "The baron pretended to be greatly concerned about me," it went on, "but I quickly realized that I had been the victim of a foul and dastardly plot, and that he had conceived it, fearing lest I might speak the truth concerning concern-ing the Privy Councillor Polovstoff, for of exposure he lived In constant fear. To encompass my end would be against his own interests, aB he would lose my fortune, so he had silenced si-lenced me lest 1 should reveal the terrible ter-rible truth concerning both him and his associates. He was not rich, and I have reason to believe that from time to time he gave information as to persons who possessed valuable jewels, and thus shared in the plunder obtained by those on the yacht. "From Italy we traveled on to Berlin, Ber-lin, thence to Petersburg, and back to dreary Helslngfors, journeying as quickly as we could, yet never allowing allow-ing me opportunity of being with strangers. Both my ears and tongue were very painful, but I said nothing. He was surely a fiend in a black coat, and my only thought now was how to escape him. From the moment when that so-called dentist had ruined my hearing and deprived me of power of speech, he kept me aloof from everyone. every-one. The fear that I should reveal everything had apparently grown to haunt him. and he had conceived that terrible mode of silencing my Hps. But the true depth of his villainy was not yet apparent until I was back In Finland. "On the night of our arrival he called in his son. who had traveled with us from Petersburg, and In writing again demanded that I should marry him. I wrote my reply a firm refusal. He struck the table angrily with his first and wrote saying that I should either marry his son or die. Then next day, while walking alone out beyond the town of Helsingfors, as I often used to do, I was arrested upon the false charge of an attempt upon the life of Madame YakurolT and transported, without trial, to the terrible fortress of Kajana, some of the horrors of which you have your-Belf your-Belf experienced. The charge against me was necessary before I could be Incarcerated there, but once within, It was the scheme of the governor-general to obtain my consent to the marriage mar-riage by threats and by the constant terrors of the place. He even went so far as to obtain a ministerial order for my banishment to Saghallen and brought it to me to Kajana, declaring that If In one month I did not consent he should allow me to be sent to exile. While I was In Kajana he knew that his secret was safe, therefore by every means In his power he urged me to consent to the odious union. "All the rest Is known to you how ProvlcTence directed you to me as my deliverer, and how Woodroffe followed you In secret, and pretending to be my friend, took me w ith him to Petersburg Peters-burg He had learned of my fortune from the baron, and Intended to marry me himself. Hut now that all Is over it appears to me like some terrible dream I never believed that so much Iniquity existed lu the world, or that men could fight a defenseless woman with such double dealing nnd cruel Ingenuity. In-genuity. Ah! the tortures I endured In Kajana are beyond human conception. concep-tion. Yet surely Oberg and Woodroffe Wood-roffe w ill obtain their well-merited deserts de-serts If not in this world, then In the world to come. Are we not taught by Holy Writ to forgive our enemies? Therefore, let us forgive." There my silent love's strange story ended. A bald, straightforward narrative narra-tive that held us all for some inomentB absolutely speechless one of tho strangest nnd most startling stories ever revealed. She watched every expression of my countenance, and then, which I had finished reading and placed my arm tenderly about her slim waist, she raised her beautiful face to mlno to re-celvo re-celvo the passionate kiss 1 Imprinted upon those soft, full Hps. "This, of course, makes everything plain," exclaimed Jack. "Polovstoff was a very liberal minded and upright official who was greatly In tho favor of tho czar, nnd a serious rival to Oberg, whoso drastic nnd merciless methods In Finland wero not exactly approved by the emperor. The baron was well nwnre of this, and by Ingeniously In-geniously enticing him on board the Iris he succeeded by handing that small bomb concealed lu a cigar a nihilist contrivance that had probably been seized by his police In Finland In freeing himself from the rival who was destined to occupy his post." "Yes," 1 said with a sigh. "The mystery Is cleared up. It Is true, yet my poor Klmn Is still the victim" And I kissed my love pnsslouutoli ' ir;"tn mid again upon the Hps. THIS END. |
