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THE MYSTERY
OF ORASLOV
"== Bv Ashley To^ne
Ckoolra T? f'l hjMri/T) rrl fYTL
'Xlf,**-- -CHAPTER ITT.
TLApiMIR SEXT TO SIBERIA.
AT*TAOIIED to the police of the
of Perm was an
inspector named Ignatz Jan
sky. i-KLe was ambitious to rise
izbb.Q'■mia-. of rfbnt mental and physical
• ;atBCOHer staat rmakes a man successful
-~-mHw"II iw >cnds all bis energies, regard
ws> til rxl -scruples, to the attainment
• f icMt goM.
lTaßpeotor JanSlcy, having received a
r -Ttmma ge ffroni Prince Neslerov, hasten*
9 m itcy, for lie knew the power of
’feserr.n . and if there should eliance to
jr Eiwraiotlou In his path at any time
Ibsterot, as a wealthy noble of Gras
•ctsubi firrflat bis possibilities.
Sisajicctor Jansky entered the palace
*af Stma prince with a humility that
■Tsawtw have charmed the poor devils
sf)M >i)k oageraoss had sent to Sibe
trta-
■'TSh.■Jjmvti*' said the prince, and the
.Hftspoeior-sat lowti with a suddenness
aart gn*>vcd Id's desire to please his
••jjiwftftr. '“3 -s nt for you."
. i-alt excellency. I received
Terror and made nil haste to
-*dbts r*
“I topi 1 did not Inconvenience you
•“ gran oT.tent." said the prince, who
<rns
"VsixtJ Ylte mspeetor's nntnre.
"Xet -u ;• !. ,Mit:r exeelleney that is.
•>rj} sj> >p:.;eh bat what ii gave me pleas
■ mre To .Oicr Jam always busy, as you
knevt ~
•"yes. yon am assiduous. Well, I have
v.Mwn'.rs for yi: v Put fast I sbould be
• fjSfWrt-I a> receive f:*c m you an answer
St fjn-sr n .U'J.ai do you wish for
i £Jm"! tri •sf;’ 1 '
- Jbmsky "heri rated. Ills servile mind
i*nr far Into the future, as a rule, but
ft: swcmlM! not fathom the meaning of
Oils strange question. W’lmt did it
accalK'f To the prince what lie wanted
i*uuk?. miles* the prince was disposed to
jgram At?
*7 AbouM like promotion, your ex
•fflbxWßscy- Of course, I make no claim.
'lKi have befriended me. You have
;*de me what I am. I have in my
f Hfev&ble way endeavored to so acquit
> wsyseJf that you would not lie displeas
■wdL i would not ask you for more.
J&nX, siaoe you ask my dearest wish, it
OM promotion.”
■"‘ft Asa possibility,” the prince re
f Laving -said this, he deliberately
’.ifelrtt'sd a -cigar, leaving the inspector
aw susttles, wondering if the possibility
vaaerv fa materialize into a fact.
“As l said before, ft is a possibility.”
mW3 'Neslerov and relapsed into silence.
7 isnppose it is always a possibility
dte-one so powerful as your excellency,”
m3& Aassky, who had a fine talent for
.aauterj.
“At this particular moment it is more
•oslly accomplished than at any other
■ -**■*" ” ,
“If your excellency will explain—lf
uythlng Is-expected of me, I would”—
“Duty, only duty,” broke in the prince.
“jßut I will explain. You an* already
■ware Shat when you were made in
spector of police in Term the field of
jjfenQee activity extended but little far
-liser east. The Cossack guards and the
Tartar cavalry composed the police
wver the border. But this new railway
S* revolutionizing all that. In each
jpovejnainent through which this line ol
passes or is to pass a depart
meat of police Is to be established.
There will be new cities develop. There
w?H be railway stations. Tlie i>opula
> .tkis of Siberia will increase and, tjiougli
• ssnnplex enough at all times, will now
’ present a far greater variety than ever
Jsefare. The entrance of foreigners, ol
?oi!iJ?ptrators, will have to be made less
• ijiffienll. The escape of a convict will
,a*Mr -lie almost a mere act of stepping
agaon a train and saying farewell to his
, guards.
"tt will'be, therefore, quite necessary
*tablish a system of police with
atf&flprs of more ability and shrewdness
•i3iais the Cossacks who now command
IQae rude guards who stand sentinels
.aver The czar's great dominion in Asia.
■Tglach a department of police has al
ready been established in Tobolsk,
■f&snxogb which the railway is now com
pleteL It Is time now for us to think
■af such a department in Tomsk.”
J&, the prince and governor paused
15* inspector’s breath came short and
Zxs*.
■“And, ycrar eieellency, in the good
aaea* of yntr heart you have thought
- • .3-f me 7“
“£ have'been thinking—of several. I
W" befriended you. I desire to do so
a*sia. But there are difficulties which
aw must -consider. Your present posi
aeao, while not a low one, still is so
:wm flint the leap from it to the posi
'* rik® -off superintendent of police of the
; jgsediment of Tomsk would excite the
Ymaxtnaiions of certain people at St.
£ PteSersburg.”
“Sfeqper'mtendent of police of Tomsk!”
• 2aixSkj-cried.
That is the position for
'> "Sriricb I intend you. I have watched
j career. You are eager, ambitious
aartac r resourceful. What better man
xcxfiEU have in such a position? It Is
age* you wham I must rely to prevent
SSre encroachments of our energies. It
wr£fi be the superintendent of my police
afce will be my .closest confidant. Who
•ewcSfl be more acceptable to me than
rivm-r
“T thank you, your excellency. I
thank’’—
“Wait. Thank me with deeds when
wp succeed. As I said before, there are
difficulties. One cannot leap too great
a distance nt once without a cause. We
must find a cause.”
"A cause, your excellency?"
“What I mean is some potent reason
for this great promotion. The chief of
the Tomsk police will have a palace, a
large income and will be second only
to myself in power. To obtain that
one must do something worthy."
"Oli. if I could but win that distinc
tion!”
•7 think it even now within your
power.”
“You have discovered something?”
“Yes—a very nesting place for ni
hilists.”
"Good! Give me an idea where this
place Is, your excellency. There will
be no more nesting."
“Do you know a forge on tlie forest
road leading out of Perm to the south?”
“A forge? A horseshoeing place?”
“Well, that and all ironworking. It
is kept by a man named Paulpoff.”
“Paulpoff. the giant who breaks horse
shoes with his thumbs ami forefingers?
The simple minded son of old Michael?
What lias he to do with nihilists?"
“He is their leader," Neslerov said
quietly.
Jansky turned white, whether from
surprise or horror at the devilish plot
be scented we do not know. But he
sat there waiting. The police of Tomsk
needed a chief. The chief would have
a palace and a large salary.
“Yes,” continued Neslerov, “this Paul
poff. as I accidentally discovered, is the
leader of a baud of nihilists who meet
there- in the shops. I chanced to pass
there yesterday and overheard a bit of
conversation between the son and the
old man. It seems there is to be a
meeting in a few nights.”
“A meeting of nihilists in the shops
of Paulpoff?”
“Yes. Now, it has long been suspect
ed that there were many nihilists at
Perm, but the police have not been able
to uncover them. Let me advise you.
Keep this to yourself—a secret between
you and me. We will go to the forge
and arrest these Paulpoffs. If we (iml
proof that they are nihilists, they will
go across the border and you will be
mentioned for promotion. Then the
opportunity will come to me to speak
to the minister of justice for you. and
undoubtedly you will be given to me as
the chief of the Tomsk police.”
Jansky nodded. It was not for him
to ask questions now.
"1 am ready," he said.
“Then tomorrow. I will make still
further investigations in my own way,
and we shall be ready to act. We must
both go to Perm from here.”
Jansky, not being asked to remain
longer, took bis departure. And then
suddenly from his repose the prince be
came a man of quick action. He called
from It is estate four men In whom he
knew 7 he could place the most implicit
confidence. He speut some time at his
desk writing. To each of the four he
gave a letter, unsealed, unstamped, but
addressed to each and apparently hav
ing been delivered by the hand of a pri
vate messenger.
“Go with me, do what J bid you. and
you will have gold rubles for a year’s
pleasure.” be said.
Insjtector Jansky, happy and yet agi
tated at the result of the conference
with the prince, sat tn his office in
Perm on the following afternoon. It
was growing late, and he bad looked
hours for Prince Neslerov.
| “He was mistaken or he has failed,”
he said. “He would have cornedf there
was a possibility of success.”
As he spoke the prince’s horse gal
loped to the door.
“Good! Then success is possible!"
said Jansky, graspiug-the hand of his
noble benefactor.
“Possible! It is certain. Come with
me.” ’
Jansky’s horse was soon by the Bide
of the steed ridden by the prince.
“I made it my business to ride past
the shops of Paulpoff.” said the prince.
”1 met there, just leaving, a man who
was, to say the least, discreditable in
appearance. I spoke to him, and he
was frightened. I saw him grumple a
paper in his hand. I snatched it from
him. It was a message addressed to
’Number Five’ of some mysterious cir
cle, calling upon the person bearing
that name to come to the shops at a
•ertain hour tonight. We shall be In
time. Let us ride.”
It had so chanced that a number of
accidents to horses had taken place
that day on the forest road. When
the inspector of police and Neslerov ar
rived, four men were within the shop,
their horses standing outside, and all
were apparently in the greatest eager
ness to have their horses shod. Papa
Paulpoff was visibly disturbed by this
sudden influx of the horseshoeing busi
ness, but the giant Vladimir, who nev
er refused a request if he could help a
human being, was beginning to make
the shoes. The men did not apparently
know one another, and each growled
continually at the others for being
there.
Neslerov, upon arriving at the shop,
whispered to the inspector, and both
leaped from their horses.
“Seize the old man and the son!” said
Neslerov. “I will search these fel
lows.”
Poor old Papa Taulpoff turned white
and sank In horror to the ground, sus
pecting what was ooruing. but Vladi
mir, in wliose innocent mind there was
no suspicion, stood gaping at the new
comers.
“It is five prince!” he exclaimed.
“What Ikjvc these poor men done, your
excellency?"
Neslerov did not answer him. He
turned to the nearest of the four, wres
tled with him a short time, while the
others showed evidences of terror, and
then pulled from hie pocket a letter.
“See!” he cried, waving it in the air
and then showing It to the Inspector.
“It Is a message to ’Number Three!'
We have here the five constituting the
circle.”
“L<>t me read,” said the Inspector,
while Vladimir still looked on uncon
scious of the tragedy that was being
played with himself as its center.
The letter simply commanded “Num
ber Three” to attend a meeting of the
circle at the shops at that hour.
The name of Vladimir Paulpoff was
signed.
“It is enough!'’ cried Jansky. Paul
poff, I make you my prisoner in the
name of the czar!”
The young ironworker could, had he
exerted bis strength, liave thrust the
entire shameless crew from the place
nisi crashed their skulls together. But
even now he did not realize the enor
mity of the thing with which he was
charged.
“Attend. Paulpoffs!” commanded Jan
sky, while the prince went through the
pockets of the other three of the circle.
“Oh. have mercy!” cried Papa Paul
poff, falling upon his knees and clasp
ing tlie legs of tlie prince. “We are in
nocent, I swear it! Some enemy has
done this thing! Tlie name is not in
the writing of my son, I am certain!
Oh. let me see the letters!”
Neslerov made a movement as if to
hand the letters to the old man when
“Sec!" he cried. “It la n mcaaage to
*Number Tiercel’ ”
one of the wretches who had brought
them there sprang forward, seized
them and rushed unhindered from the
place.
“The letters! The proof Is gone!”
howled Jansky.
“We have seen them. It Is enough,”
said Neslerov calmly.
At this point Mamma Paulpoff came
in. In consternation and helpless hor
ror she saw her husband in the grasp
of an inspector of police.
"What is this?” she cried.
“It is nothing, mother,” said Vladi
mir. “These men have found some let
ters. but 1 did not write them. Have
peace. We shall soon set ourselves
free."
The three Paulpoffs were thrust into
a dungeon. The prince and the inspect
or told their stories —clear, lucid, con
vincing—to the governor of Perm. The
word of a prince and governor and of
an inspector of police was not to be
doubted. There was no trial, no hear
ing-nothing but a report to the minis
ter of justice at St. Petersburg.
In three days the Paulpoffs—old man,
old woman and the unresisting giant—
were on the way to Siberia on the rail
way which Gordon had helped to build.
. CHAPTER IV.
THE MEETING AT THE FORGE.
IT was characteristic of Frances
Gordon that, no matter how great
the stress of social or other du
ties, her mind never lost room
for such favorite schemes as were clos
est to her heart
It ws by reason of this characteris
tic that, while her busy father was
deep in the mysteries ami intricacies of
the Moscow conference, the subtleties
of which increased as the time for sep
aration and departure drew nearer,
Frances bethought her of a fitting op
portunity to make good a promise she
had made to Vladimir Paulpoff, the
blacksmith.
During a conversation held several
weeks before Vladimir had expressed a
desire to study certain books which
were apparently beyond his reach.
Frances promised to obtain the books,
and she did so. These made quite a re
spectable package, and a drosky was
called to convey her to the railway sta
tion.
It was nothing new for Frances to
travel alone as far as from Moscow to
Perm, but on this occasion her father,
with some sort of premonition, begged
her to send tlie books by messenger.
“Oh, no.” she said in her quiet man
ner of insistence. “We are about to re
turn to the east, and I shall not see
poor Vladimir for a long time.”
“Hang Vladimir!” exclaimed Gordon
as he saw his self willed young lady
step into the drosky.
Having alighted at Perm, she hired
another drosky to take her and the
precious books to the forge.
The driver was a huge, surly indi
vidual. whose face was covered with a
thick mass of beard and whose voice,
when speaking tc one not established
as his superior, was heavy and inso
lent
Responding to the call of Frances, he
swung his heavy drosky in toward the
door of her hotel. A police inspector
stood mar. and the driver saluted in
humility.
"I hate women!” he said to himself.
“They pay nothing and have things
happen to them. I shall get into trou
ble before I lose her.”
Frances stepped toward the vehicle,
*nd the driver’s mouth opened.
' “Such a woman!” muttered the dros- i
ky driver. “She must be English or an
American. If she was a Russian, she ]
would be a princess.”
Frames had had ample experience
with his class In all parts of Russia.
She calmly stepped into the drosky and
handed him a silver coin. v
“I want to go to the Iron shops of the
Paulpoffs, on the South road,” she said.
“Paulpoff— Michael Paulpoff and his
son Vladimir. .Do you know them?”
“Yes, I knovv them. But do you
know-what has happened?”
“No. Has any one been ill?”
“No; but”—
The police inspector came up.
“Any trouble here?” he asked sharp
ly-
“ Trouble? Oh, no!” replied Frances.
“I was just asking the driver some '
questions.”
“Where Is it you wish to go?”
“To tlie ironworkers’—Paulpoff.”
A warning lock that meant volumes ,
to the initiated shot from the inspector (
to tbe driver.
The horses were whipped up, and the
vehicle rolled clumsily over the road.
“You said something had happened,” i
said Frances. “Is any one sick at the
Paulpoffs?”
“No; it wasn’t that,” answered the
driver. “But the rain yesterday broke
up the road. I did-not think you would
wish to come.”
“Nonsense! There must be a safe
way to get there.”
In trutli tlie w 7 ay was as safe and
comfortable as It had ever been, but
the warning look of the inspector had
prevented the driver from imparting
tlie knowledge he had of the Taulpoffs.
“Let the police tell their own tales —
they are always true then—according
to police standards,” muttered the driv
er.
It was a long drive to the forge, and
when the drosky drew near, having
passed through the wild and almost
unsettled region between it and I’erm,
Frances w 7 as struck with an air of
mystery that seemed to have suddenly
enveloped the place.
There was no sound of the tremen
dous blows of Vladimir that sent the
ring of steel far into the forest. No
smoke came from the chimneys. Old
Mamma Paulpoff had been wont to run
to her door to see every arrival, but she
was not to lie seen.
The wolfhound that had been Vladi
mir’s pet sat whining upon the porch
and was evidently weak with hunger.
“Old Boris!” cried Frances, leaping
from the drosky. “Where is your hand
some master?”
The hound, who remembered her,
placed his cold nose in her hand lov
ingly. He seemed to feel that he had
found a friend.
Frances stepped to the door and push
ed it open.
“Ob!” she cried.
She had opened the door on Prince
Nicholas Neslerov, who stood there,
about to depart, evidently, with a paint
ing under his arm.
“Mile. Gordon,” he said, with a bow
and smile.
“Where are the Paulpoffs?” she ask
ed
“Why, you have not, then, been in
formed of their misfortune?”
“Misfortune! I knew nothing of any
misfortune. What has happened?”
“They are dead.”
“Dead! All the Paulpoffs dead! Im
possible! Papa Paulpoff and Mamma
Paulpoff might die, they were so old,
but Vladimir! Impossible! So young
and powerful! Nothing but the w’eapon
of an enemy could kill him in this
healthy place.”
“I spoke as we speak, mademoiselle.
The Taulpoffs are not really dead. We
speak of a man who is caught in crime
and sent off —exiled—as dead. He is
dead to his friends and to tbe world.
You understand?”
Frances stood rigid and white, the
package of books forgotten in the
hands of the drosky driver. Her nails
bit into the tender flesh of her clinch
ed hands. Her eyes studied the face
of the governor of Tomsk.
“Vladimir has not been caught in any
crime," she said, with a sort of gasp.
“Impossible! He was so simple and
honest! What crime?”
“Conspiracy against his imperial
majesty the czar.”
“And where is he now?"
“On the way to Siberia.”
“Siberia! Vladimir Paulpoff sent to
Siberia! And where are his parents?”
“One in a family taken red handed
condemns all. The old people are also
on their way to Siberia.”
Frances swayed a little. She had
studied Russian customs and Russian
Justice and shuddered as she realized
the horrible torture In store for these
simple work people who had never, she
felt convinced, harbored an evil thought
against any man. To her they had al
ways spoken in terms of loyalty and
praise of the czar.
The face of Neslerov was inscrutable.
He held the picture loosely and care
lessly, and the girl caught a glimpse of
the face.
“That is Vladimir's picture!” she
cried. “What are you doing with it?”
“I am sending it to him,” was the re
ply of Neslerov. “It so happened that
I had occasion to visit my chateau near
Graslov and rode by here at the time
the inspector of police was making the
arrest. I remembered what you said to
me at Moscow and tried to do what I
could for the poor fellow, at first doubt
ing his guilt. But the inspector was
certain, and so all that was left to me
was to ask Vladimir what favor I
could perform for him. He asked me
to send him this picture, and I have ar
ranged with the governor of Perm to
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permit it to t>e passed along to him.”
“It is a beautiful face.” said Frances.
“Vladimir has the soul of a great art
ist in him. But in Siberia he”—
She shuddered and ended her sen
tence abruptly.
“I have done more for him, for you,”
continued Neslerov. "There is another
picture—he painted from memory. I
have arranged to purchase it for a good
price, and he shall not lose the money
I promised him. It was a beginning to
certain steps I had thought of to assist
him.”
“My own face!” cried Frances in as
tonishment as Neslei’ov showed the
second picture.
“Yes, and the remarkable part of it is
it tool: him but a short time. I describ
ed you, and he remembered you, and
between the two he managed a very
creditable work. I shall cherish this
picture while I live.
“My picture!” murmured the girl
again, looking at the sweet yet strong
young face the blacksmith artist had
placed upon the canvas. “And all from
memory!”
“Yes, from memory and my descrip
tion,” said Neslerov. “Your face is so
indelibly imprinted upon my memory
that I could describe each line, each
feature, with the utmost accuracy.”
She looked at him in astonishment.
Fie had made frequent attempts to
make love to her, but she had always
skillfully repulsed him. That this could
be true —that this man whose life was
one round of pleasure should have her
face so impressed upon his mind seem
ed to her incredible.
“But you will befriend him,” she said,
without answering his remark. “You
are powerful in Russia. A large part
of Siberia is under your control. You
can make the life of the Paulpoffs
pleasant there if you wish.”
He bowed, and his eyes were hidden
from her.
“Believe me, I have already taken
steps to befriend them. In Tomsk there
is great need of such ironworkers now
that the railroad lias gone beyond the
Obi, and I have sent my petition to the
minister of justice to have them sent
to Tomsk. They will not be treated as
convicts, but as honorable workers.”
“What was the crime?” asked Fran
ces. She was very pale, but quite
calm.
“Why, it became known to Inspector
Jansky of t he police that a certain num
ber of men congregated here and seem
ed to hold secret meetings. He investi
gated and discovered that this was the
headquarters of a circle of nihilists.
He arrested them all, but many es
caped.”
“And the proof?”
"Letters from Vladimir found on
them.”
Frances sighed and turned sadly
away.
“You are an American,” continued Ne
slerov, “and cannot understand bow a
man who appeared to you to be simple
and contented with his lot should prove
t* be an assassin. This same spirit
permeates our best society. It comes
to the surface even among the relatives
of our highest nobles. My own consin
was sent to Siberia. I had no pity for
him, because he was rich, educated and
had no reason to complain. But the
Paulpoffs—novr that I know you are
interested in them—l will protect them
from further harm.”
“I thank you,” said Frances sadly.
Neslerov slipped a coin into the hand
of the drosky driver, and he immedi
ately had cause to go to his horses,
which were standing peacefully enough
where he left them.
“I wish to speak one word before we
leave here,” said the prince, taking the
hand of Frances, which she, in her sur
prise, permitted him to hold a moment.
“I love you. 1 have loved you ever
since the day I saw you first. We
have beautiful women in Russia, but
none like you. I am rich, powerful and
CASTORIA
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Signature xAu
iJr ,n
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am not offering you an empty name.
Will you be my wife, my princess?”
“I'rince Neslerov,” said Frances gen
tly, but still in a tone of reproof, “you i
cannot mean, I am sure, to take ad
vantage of my situation, alone and at
your mercy. You are a gentleman.
Please leave such words for a more fit
ting occasion.”
I “All occasions are the same to a man
| who loves as I do,” answered Neslerov.
!“I asked your fattier. He treated the
; matter as of no concern. To me it is
,my life. Make me happy, the world
is yours. Refuse me, you plunge me
( into deep despair. I do net care to live
; without you.”
“What nonsense!” said Frances. “Ev
erybody has sooner or later to live
without a loved one. My father—l—my
mother died many years ago. lie loved
her. He has been true to her memory,
but he has lived.”
“Ah, but that is not the same thing
at all. Had I possessed you for a time
and lost you at the command of death,
then I could live, happy in the blessed
memory. But to love you and lose you
to another! Ah. I would kill him!”
“You are mad. Such words do not
inspire love in the heart of an Ameri
can girl. Fools kill their rivals, but it
is a poor revenge. I do not love you,
prince, and so cannot marry you. Let
that end the matter. I must now re
turn to Moscow.”
“You shall not go till you are mine!”
cried Neslerov, driven to madness by
her coldness. lie sprang forward and
slammed the door, shutting them alone
in the unoccupied house. He stepped
toward her. His breath came Hot upon
her cheeks. His arms were outstretch
ed to seize her. There was a look of
mad passion in his eyes.
She knew no help was near or possi
ble. The drosky driver was a Russian
and would not fight the prince. She
“Stand bach, you insulter!"
might scream, but her voice could not ■
reach within two miles of the nearest f
house. The threatening lips, the touch
of which would be pollution, were near <
her own. With a quick movement she
slipped her baud into her pocket. I
“Stand back, you insulter!” she said,
with a cold, steely voice.
The shining barrel of a revolver was ,
thrust Into his face. It was not a large ,
weapon and was ornamented with
ver, but it was large enough to do ex-,
ecution at short range, and it was al-,
most in Neslerov’s very mouth. He
staggered back, taken by surprise.
"You she devil!” be cried. *
With an upward motion he made as
if to knock the revolver from her band.
She bent the barrel downward. Tl
contact with his hand exploded
cartridge. The flash blinded him- j
There was a red mark on his forehemf
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