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EVENING LEDGER-PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1017
i.'-'!
',.
"Mr. Sturmer was but a tool in the hands of this artful, clever private secretary
whom he had been persuaded, or rather compelled, to take. Manusscwif sch-M aniuloff had
managed to get hold of him and to keep him securely bound to his own policy."
(Copyright. 1017. Tubllo Lcdsrr Company. All tights retemd.)
kttutin and His Aid, the Chief of the Secret
Mice, n em. jl uw u m x nvir ocneme Ot
Blackmail, Attacking the Director of One of
Russia's GrcaFBanksHc Did Not Submit
Meekly, as Others Had Done, but Went
Directly to the Military Authorities
tltto This Fatal Mistake of Having Overstepped
' .. ... t CJW.. ,'.. T7..'.. n .i.j-.i-. if
the liimuB ui fct in iiimi jvriuimy or
Immunity That the Sudden Ending of Ras
putin's Career Is Directly Traced The Out
raged Sensibilities of Respectable, Loyal
Russians Could No Longer Be Held in Check
CHAPTER VU (Continued)
nllT the people who surrounded Rasputin and with whom ho was
f V working wero not grateful for tho labor of lovo which Great
iriUln and France had ussumed. They begun to complain of tho
iwdled Interference of loreign elements with the details of tho
SiwUn administration. Some went even so far as to say that
J Jtosia wns becoming an English colony. All tho plunderers, nil
a, thieves who had had their own way for so many months, percciv-
Rfjtg that they would no longer have the opportunities which they had
rVnJoyed before to add to their ill-gotten gains, tried by all means
fc their power to discredit tho sovereign whoso firmness they had
fcuid In their way. They joined all tho pro-Germans of whom,
'im1 there existed but too many in tho country, in an effort to
Iris? about a peace, tho shame of which would have been quite in
herent to them.
The Smoldering Opposition to Rasputin
It is not at all wonderful if those shameless adventurers started
conspiracy for the success of which they required the moral
!. Influence of Rasputin and the authority of his person. It was, after
' til, such an easy matter to say that in such and such a caso he had
,:leen acting in conformity with the imperial will. No one could dis-
ffyrove the truth of the assertion, and in that way the Emperor was
kjtudt responsible for all the unavownblo things which were going
f on. He was supposed to have given his sanction to all these things
jfitaply because it had pleased, not even Rasputin himself, but indi
SftTidoals like Mr. Manussewitsch-Maniuloff, to declare that they had
lleen done with his knowledge and approval.
Can one feel surprised if in the presence of this artificial at
Imosphere, and still more artificial position, an intenso feeling of
disgust took hold of real patriot?, and made them contemplate seri
iVsly the possibility of trying at least to unmask Rasputin and his
J, crew and bring to the ears of the Tzar all the different rumors
Vwhich were in circulation concerning tho "Prophet" and what was
rping on around him? Men of experience and of weight seriously
J ftonght how this could be done. They made no secret of the fact,
fjsnfortunately for themselves as well as for tho success of their
fjjplans. What was going on very soon came to the knowledge of Ma-
irassewitch-Maniuloff and made him more frantic than he had ever
been to overthrow what he called "foreign influences" in Russia. He
applied himself with renewed energy to bring about, by fair means
t'r fonl, the conclusion of a peace on which depended his whole
future destiny. And he might perhaps havo succeeded if circum
inces had not turned against him and put an end to his machina--ons,
at least for a time.
Mr. Sturmer was but a tool in the hands of this artful, clever
t
The grand palace of Tzarskoie Sclo, the Imperial home,
alwa)s open to Rnsputln.
private secretary whom ho had been persuaded, or rather compelled,
to take. Manusscvvitscli-Muniuloflf had managed to get hold of him and
to keep him securely bound to his own policy. He hnd been the man
who had contrived to put him into the position of authority which
ho enjoyed, and Mr. Sturmer, whatever may have been his other
defects, had a grateful nature. Besides, Maniuloff amused him, and
took an Immense amount of trouble off his hands. He could rely
on his never doing anything stupid, even when ho did something
very dishonest. Mr. Sturmer was absorbed in great political com
binations and was looking toward a long term of offlcc. Ho felt
absolutely safe in the situation which he occupied, where at any
moment ho liked ho could speak with tho Tzar and explain to him
what he thought to be most advantageous to the interests of his
party, or tho events of tho day as they followed in quick succession.
Alas for this security! An unexpected incident was to destroy
it in the most ruthless manner. Rasputin, together with Mr. Maniu
loff, went too far in the system of blackmailing which they had
been practicing with such skill for so many long month. Tor oncj
they found their master in the person of one of tho diicctors of a
largo banking establishment in Petrograd, who, upon being threat
ened with all kinds of unpleasantness unless he consented to pay a
large sum of money, did not protest as others hud done before him
in similar cases, but gave it immediately, first having taken the
numbers of the banknotes which he had handed over to Mr. Maniu
loff. He went with these numbers to the military authorities and
lodged with them a formal complaint against the blackmailers. The
result was as immediate as it was unexpected. The General Staff
had been waiting a long time for just such an oppoitunity to pio
cced against Rasputin and tho members of his crew. That very
same night, in obedience to orders received from the military com
mnnder of Petrograd, Mr. Manussewitsch-Maniuloff's house was
searched from top to bottom, and ho himself conveyed to prison,
without even having been allowed to acquaint his chief, Mr. Stui
mcr, with what had happened to him.
CHAPTER VIII
rpHE arrest of the Primo Minister's private secretary produced,
as one may well imagine, an immense sensation in Petrograd and
intenso consternation among the friends of Rasputin. They were
thus deprived of tho one stron nlhj capable of guiding their steps
in tho best direction possiblo under the circumstances, and, moreover,
of the ono who was possessed of information which no one else
could possibly get at. Mr. Sturmer himself was more than dismayed
at this step taken by the military authorities without consulting him
and resented it as a personal affiont. Ho tried to interfere in the
H .M X
jHT
I 1
Prince Felix Youssoupoff, one of the principal plotters
against Rasputin, and his wife, the Princess Irene, one of
Russia's most beautiful women.
matter and went so far as, to demand as his light the liberation of
Manussewitsch-Maniuloff. Hut his intencntion, instead of helping
the person in whose favor it had been displayed, gave on the con
trary the signal ior a seiics of attacks against Mr. Sturmer himself,
attacks of which the most important was the speech made by Mr.
Miliukoff In the Duma, where he publicly accused the Prime Minlatef
of being in league with Gcrmnny and of working in favor of a sepa
rate peace with that country.
Immediate Effect of the Coup
Of course, ,the remarks of tho leader of the opposition in the
Chnmber were not allowed to be published, but so many persons had
heard them and so many others had heard of them that the contenti
of tho tuldrcsj of Mr. Miliukoff very soon became public property.
No ono had ever cared for Mr. Sturmer, whose leanings had always
been for autocracy. Whilo Governor of Twer he had distinguished
himself by the zenl which ho displayed In putting down every mani
festation of public opinion in his government. In addition he had
been connected with various matters where bribery played a promi
nent part, a fact which had not helped him to win-any popularity in
the province which he ... J administered. His only merits lay in his
ability to speak excellent French and in his having very pronounced
English sympathies. Theso sjmpathics, however, by some kind of
unexplainablc miracle, died out immediately after his assumption of
office. He at once fell under tho influence of n certain party that
clamored for the removal of foreigners from the administrative and
political life of Russia. He was not clever, though he had a very
high idea of his own intelligence and knowledge.
Though he had never carried his knowledge beyond a thorough
grasp of tho precedence that ought to be awarded to distinguished
guests at a dinner party (which he had acquired while he was master
of the ceremonies at the Imperial Court), yet he was convinced of his
capacity to fill the most important offices of the Russian State. These
he looked upon with the eyes of a farmer in the presence of his best
milking cow. Ho was not n courtier, but a flatterer by nature, and
an essentinlly accommodating one, too. There was no danger of his
ever turning his back on persons who he had reasons to think wer
in possession of the favor of personages in high places. And he had
, n wonderful faculty for toadying wherever he expected that it
might prove useful to his career. ,
For some years he had vegetated in a kind of semldisgrace and
fretted over his inactivity. When he found himself able once more
to make a display of his administrative talents he took himself and
these talents quite seriously nnd imagined that perhaps he could
become the savior of Russia, but surely a very rich man. Thi3 last
idea had been suggested to him by Mr. Manussewitsch-Maniuloff, who
in conversations with him had imbued Mr. Sturmer with the con
viction that it would bo a proof of careless neglect on his part if he
did not make the most of the many opportunities his important posi
tion as Prime Minister put in his way, and did not assure the pros
perity of his old age, wi en he had at his disposal all possible sources
of information out of which he might make a profit. Mr. Sturmer
was no saint, and the weaknesses of the flesh had always appealed
to him. There is nothing wonderful in the fact that he listened with
nttention, nnd even with satisfaction, to the;, confidences which wero
poured into his car by his private secretary, of whose talents he
had a mobt exalted opinion.
When his Fidus Achates was arrested and thrown in to a more
or les dark dungeon Mr. Sturmer was so dismayed that he allowed
himself to be drawn into the mistake of identifying himself with the
prisoner and claiming his liberty as a right. It is related that when
tho object of his solicitude heard of the various steps undertaken by
the Prime Minister on his behalf he gave vent to words of impatience
at what he considered an imprudence likely to cost a good deal to
the guilty ones.
"Sturmer ought to have known that a man like mjsclf does
not nllow himself to be arrested without having taken the, pre,
caution to be able to impose on those who had ventured to do so
the necessity of liberating him," he had exclaimed.
(CONTI.VL'ni) MONDAY)
m
J IT
V
V
w
RAINBOW'S END
By REX BEACH
Author of "The Spoilers," "The
Barrier," "Heart of the Sunset"
A novel of love, hidden treasure and rebellion in beautiful, mys
terious Cuba during the exciting days of the revolt against Spain.
h, (Copyright. 1017. Harper Bros )
J CHAPTER VIII (Continued)
rpHlS exactly suited tho elder woman,
who knew something about the slutn-
Mri of jouth. Neertheless, dawn was
itlll a lone way off when, truo to hoi
Promise. Rosa emerged fiom the hut with
fan apology for having slept so long.
JETangellna protested, though her eyes
kere heavy and eho had been awning
.prodigiously for hours. But for onco
tJ flrl was nrm. "I can't sleep." sho
Blared. "Why force me to lie staring
lato the dark while you suffer?" Having
frally prevailed in her determination, sho
tea herself in the warm place Evan-
Wlna had acated, and, curling her small
fwt .under her, she settled herself, chin
hand, to think of O'Reilly. It was
; tood time to think, for tho Junglo was
rry sun and the night llko a elvet
iWrtaln.
I ...
"(fTVe had better lcavo tho hoihes heie."
Wncho Cueto hesitatingly addressed tho
iwLblUr WhIch ho know t0 b0 CoIonel
"a n Th Coloncl ot Volunteers was In
!rM t'mper' wnat wlth tho long night
and an error of Cueto's which had
f2wveraWy le"Sthened the journey.
jWnero is tho houso?" growled the of.
$ ."Not-far. But tho path Is rocky and
, horses' feet "
fTGod, jes!" There was a creak ot
waie leathers and a groan ns the Colonel
mounted, "Now, my good Cueto." ho
iad l trn' "0,l0tller yqur mistakes
isie V Bhe you somethlns to remember
CJ Damnation! What a night! As
I1 as hell."
ih1'"1" b8 daylight before we know
fs"E I nervously.
lith men j can see to deal
to.. V M you ve rooIe me." A cun
Pw brought his men out of their sad-
,. J" ot thelr number was detailed
Ikht, V un"nais, wnue the rent fell
BraU I n Cuet0 nl followed him up tho
"' 1"b siargiow.
CHAPTER IX
MARAUDERS
"8 eurnrlRo ruu. ,o..ii.. .... -j
---. nu9 VUOlljT VUWkVU, Ul
;:' VOIOne Cobo'ft TTlOn warn n.umnlM
"i eortt of work. Rosa, crouching
" Wr bench. h.irH rTnttiln mnnr nnth.
"Mil out of the shadows beside her
J-"1 rorms materialized. Her white
" J'ke a dim phosphorescent glow in
waters, betraVArl hr nmidncii nnrl
her. at. j ....
r wio CJVVUHU'U once, IWIGC j
.. b. (,uu yvvi lie JIIVUU1 Mlivt
?n to struggle llko a cat.
una. who had waked at the first
roe, the marauders ,a they
jywn the door. The hush of
MB HM MMMftt-lMW
THE STORY THUS FAR
JOHNNIE O'REILLY, more commonly known as THE O'REILLY, has
fallen in love with ROSA VARONA, one of the orphans of DON
ESTEBAN VARONA, a wealthy slae owner and sugar planter of Cuba.
Don Esteban had hoarded a ast fortune in precious stones, old Spanish
coins and modern currency in a secret chamber at the bottom of a well.
In building this well he was assisted by SEBASTIAN, a faithful slave, the
only other person to share the secret.
When Don Esteban'a first wife died he became the target for many match
makers, who knew vaguely of his hidden fortune. DONA ISABEL sue
cecded in becoming the second wife and immediately set about intriguing
to learn of the fortune. Hoping to get information from Sebastian, she
succeeds in having his daughter EVANGELINA sold. The slave, infuriated,
murders his master and several others before he is shot Thus in a few
minutes the only two persona who know the whereabouts of the fortune
arc killed.
Isabel tries vainly to get information from PANCHO CUETO, the
manager of the plantations. Instead, he threatens to claim the estate as
his because Don Esteban left no Heeds to the property. Thn niirht Isabel
falls into the well and is drowned. The body is recovered by ESTEBAN, Rosa's
brother and a spy for Colonel Lopez, the leader of the Cuban insurrec
tionists. Poncho Cueto iinds a letter with information which Esteban had
dropped end turns it over to the authorities. Rosa and Esteban then escape
up the valley to the hut of Evangelina, their old nurse.
O'Reilly, back in New York at the office of the firm which he repre
sented in Cuba, anxiously awaits information from his sweetheart. His
many letters do not bring a reply until months later, when Rosa tells
him of the misfortunes that have befallen since he left Cuba. O'Reilly
determines to rescue his beloved, and for that purpose calls upon Mr.
Enriquez, head of tho Cuban junta in New York, who helps him to return
to the tropic island. There O'Reilly, in common with other Americans, is
suspected, nnd he attempts to fool his hotelkeeper by stating that he came
to Cuba for his rheumatism. After conferring with a Dr. Alvnrado, O'Reilly
moves on to Puerto Principe, nearer the scene of action, where he meets
Leslie Branch, on American consumptive, trjing to get cured or killed.
In the meantime, Esteban has been harassing Pancho Cueto by burning
his sugar fields. The latter goes to Colonel Cobo, in charge of the Spanish
troops, with the proposition that in return for exterminating Esteban and
his guerillas the colonel can have Rosa. Esteban during the rest between
raids shows Bosa n Spanish doubloon which he took from Isabel's clenched
fist ns he raised her from the well, thus establishing the location of the
treasure. When he and his band leave for an attack Rosa goes to sleep
first while Evangelina keeps watch.
Ing of feet upon the dirt floor of tho
hut, the rickety, bark-covered walls
bulged and creaked. Over all sounded
tho shrieks of tho negrcss battling In tho
pitch black interior like an animal in its
lair. Then somo one set flro to tho
thatch; the flames licked up the dead
palmleaves to tho rldgo polo, and the
surroundings leaped Into view.
Rosa saw a swarthy, thickset man in
tho uniform of a Colonel of Volunteers,
and behind him Pancho Cuoto. Tearing
the hand from her lips for a moment,
she cried Cueto'a name, but he gavo
no heed. Ho was straining his gazo
upon the door of tho bohto In the imme
diate expectation of seeing Esteban
emerge.
He clutched a revolver In his hand,
but it was plain from the nerveless way
in which ho held the weapon that he had
llttlo stomach for the adventure. He
was, In fact, mora inclined to run than to
stand his giound. Rosa shrieked his
name again; then sho heard tho ofllcer
say:
"Where is the young fellow? I hear
hut UwMnueala oC that nnwmna
$j : i "v -. 'c.vv.t'i ..."
suddenly ceased, and with them tho
sounds of combat. From the blazing bohio
ran two armed men, brushing sparks
from their clothing. A third followed,
dragging Evangelina by ono naked arm.
Tho black woman was inert; her scanty
garments wero well-nigh ripped from her
body; she lay huddled where tho soldier
flung her.
In Cobo's Arms
Rosa felt herself swooning, und she
knew nothing of what immediately fol.
lowed. After a time sho felt herself
shaken, und heard the colonel addressing
her.
"Come, come!" he was baying. "Why
don't you answer me?" Ho dragged her
farther from what was now a roaring
furnace. "Whero is your precious brother
und that black fellow?"
Rosa could- only stare dully.
"It seems we missed them," bald Cueto.
"Moro of your bungling," Cobo broko
out at him, wrathfully. '"God! I've a.
mind to toss you Into that fire." Ho
turned his attention once more to Rosa,
urf.wUk Jerk UmU shook br Into fuller
------ . i ran.
"Gone:" sho gasped "Gone!" Sho strug
gled weakly toward Cueto, Imploring him,
"Pancho don't ou know me"'"
"Well, we've taught him n lesson"
w.ild Cueto, gilnnliiR nppuhcnslely at
v-otio.. "We've accomplished xomethlng.
nnjhovv, ch?' Ho nodded at Rosa. 'She's
all that I told jou. Look at her!'
Coloncl Cobo took time to ncrutlnlzo
his prisoner. He turned her about In tho
light from tho turning dwelling; then ho
agreed.
Captured
"Yes! Sho's a pretty little spy quite a
prize, truly. Now then!" His thick lips
spread; he spoke to her moro gently. "I
want jou to tell mo ubout that brother
of jours, eh? Cueto suld I would Und
him here. HaJ Still frightened, I i-ee
Well, I have a way with women; I daro
toy you'll bo glad to tell me eveij thing
by and by. Then, jccln thut his men
Usked a scorching In tilth fec.irch of the
hut and wero ahcady quarreling uver
tho scanty plunder which it afforded, ho
turned from Rosa to call them away.
Profiting by his inattention, Rosa wrig
gled out of his grasp and ran to Evun
gellna, who lay face down In tho dirt, her
limbs sprawled loosely. Sho flung her
self upon tho prostrato body and cried
tho Diiiqk woman's name, but sho could
awaken no nsponse.
The flist pink of dawn was now deep
ening In tho cast, and as boon as it had
grown light enough to beo to travel Col
oncl Cobo prepaicd to leturn to Ills
horses, Tho loof and walls of the bohio
had fallen away to ashes. Its skeleton of
poles and its few pieces of ciudo furni
ture alono were smoldering when he
called his men together und gavo tho
word to go.
"Come, my sweetheart." Ho addressed
himself to tho girl. "Leave that carrion
for the buzzards."
Rosa looked up to find him leering at
her. Sho brushed the tears from hct
eyes, crjlng:
"Go awa! In God's name haven't jou
done harm enough?"
"Oh, but you're going with me."
Tho girl rose; her face was colorless;
she was aqulver with Indignation. "Leavo
me!" sho stormed. "What havo I dono
to you? Don't"
"Caramba! A temper. And you have
Btrength, too, as I discovered. Mu&t I bind
those pretty hands or"
Colonel Cobo reached forth, laughing,
and encircled her in 'his powerful arms.
Rosa fought him us sho had fought at
tho first moment of desperutlon, but ho
lifted her easily unJ went striding across
tho field behind his men.
i hi m - ltfr W Mtmmm9imwmZ 7mY l Vk. X F flMT. .vEZW VH
,' "Come, come!" Coloncl Cobo was f Z I
Jf .
way, then he led his followers back to
ward the hills. At sunset he reined in
upon the crest of a ridge and looked be
hind him Into the valley. The whole
Uy was bluck with smoke as if a city
wero In flames.
Revenge
Removing his wide Jlpl-Japa hat. the
jounc man swept a mocking salutation
to the east. ,
"So now, good Pancho Cuetu," he cried,
"I leave ou tho compliments of these
twins vou love so well."
In the shelter of a ravine the party,
tool? time to eat sapper, their first meal
since leaving home, and It was nfter dark
when they finished The negroes, who
weie thoroughly tired, were for spending
the night here, but llsteban. mow cau
tious than they, would not have It so.
Accordingly, the men remounted their
wear hoises, though not without some i
&"
,
"Come, come!" Coloncl Cobo was
saying. "Why don't ou answer
me?" He dragged Rosa further
from what was now a roaring fur
nace. "Where is jour precious
brother?"
J
Ti
Esteban'a party mado 'good tlmo over
the hills and Into the Sm Juan, for Asen-
W kaew Um mm7mlL MUaftemoo
cane was thick and high; It was ready
for the knife or fur the torch. Making a
detour, tho Inccndluiles aprrouched It
from tho east In order to hav o the trade
winds ut their backs. They dismounted
in the shelter of a wood Aid removed tho
bags which they had carried on their
Baddies. Iusldo these bugs were several
snakes, tho largest perhaps light feet In
length. To tho tail of each tho negroes
fastened u leather thorg, urd then to
each thong u length of telegraph-wire,
tho end ot which hud Wen bent Into u
lojp to hold a bundle of oil-socked waste.
These preliminaries accomplished, they
bore tho reptiles into the cane fields at
wMely separated places and llghtea ,Um
L'stebun, from his bnddle, saw the first
wisps of smoke arise and grow ant; un
wind Into long ribbons, reaching deep into
the standing crop. Soon tongues ot flame
appeared and the green tops of the cane
began to shrivel and to wave as tho
steady cast wind took c.'.'ect. Frorr the
uearost conflagration a great snapping
and crackling of Juicy stalks arose. The
thin, dry strlpplngs with which the earth
wus carpeted formed u vast tinder bed,
und onco tho lire was stuted there was
no checking It. Smoke billowed upward
und was hurried westward before the
breeze; in a dozen places the fields burst
Into Hunt. l . . . iTA
. y..
grumbling, and ict out.
"A weary ride," Kstcban yawned
blmll tileen for a week.
Asens'.o agreed. ' That Cueto will be fu AS
rlou." said he. "Some day, perhaps, he r&
and I will meet face to face. Then I shall ify,
1.11, !.! .. jt.7
twit i.t.ii. n '
K.itclnn reined in bin horse. "LooUP t
said he. "Yonder Is t light." ? ?,4
The other horsemen crowded close, f j ',
ufnrlncr Ihrnutrh thn rinrltnesg. It W-JI if'
very still in the woods; dawn was lew i!1
than half an hour away. ,' yyr
"What is Evangelina tninKing aDour
Asenslo muttered. , f V
"But, see! It c owa brighter" Ther.i
followed a moment or two during wttiela
there was no sound except, the brealftMC
of the horses and the cieak of
leathers as the riders crane their :
to see over the low treetop Uulov. to
Then Esteban cried: ' v?
"Hnmn! I'm afraid li'a our -rl
Kear,r!p4 Mm. fcwcjimnMttj
"&
Ta
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