By NEVA's WATERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 66, 17 March 1908, Page 6

By NEVA's WATERS.

Being an Episode of the~_Secret -History of Alexander "the Fire., Czar of All -the Russias. BY

JOHN R. CARLING.

ADTHOE OF "THE .SHADOW OF THE CZAB," " THE VXKIHG'S SKUI-l- " "THE WEIED-.JICTTJEE.*

view he returned more hopeful. He condescended now and again to favour Wilfrid, under the seal of secrecy, with the course taken by the negotiations. "Peace is agreed to," he remarked, upon the seventh day after his arrival. "Nelson will be disappointed 1 to be compelled to take his ships home again. The ilu-ssians think so much of Cronstadt that naturally our admiral is burning to show that their much-vaunted fortress is not impregnable. Its capture .would be the erowning-picee of his life." But a man in love ha-s no sense of historic perspective. Living in a pleasant day-dream. Wilfrid paid little attention to his uncle's political remarks. A single golden hair from the head of the Duchess had more interest for him than the departure of the British fleet from Revel. :It was often in his mind to tell his uncle the story of the Duchess, but yet somehow he forbore. Supposing, in spite of the diplomatic caution upon which he prided himself, I_ord St. Helens should, through some inadvertence, let fall a remark concerning her in the presence of any of the Czar's ministers, - she might receive from Court circles a | supervision not at all agreeable to her. Her going to the masquerade, for exj ample, might be stopped. I "Two days more." he thought, "and from her own lips I shall hear her name and story. X shall know then whether the ruse warrants the taking of my uncle into confidence." On the morning of the day fixed for the masquerade, Wilfrid, calling upon his uncle, found the latter looking so grave, that he thought at first peace proposals i must have fallen through, lie soon found that the envoy's gravity was due to a very different cause. j '"Is your swordsmanship still as good as ever." "I shall be happy to meet, the man that questions it." replied Wilfrid. "You are. likely to do so. Have you seen Trince Ouvaroff since you came to St. Petersburg?" ''Once, and that for a- moment only, on the morning of Alexander's accession. The Prince has not been seen since that day. Taken to a monastic life, some say." "Xothing of the sort. He has been living quietly at his country seat in company with two or three of the best fencing-masters in Europe. During the past three months he has spent the greater part of every day in nothing but sword -practice. Yesterday he returned to St. Petersburg." "With what object?" "To i-!ay you.'' Wilfrid's smile implied that the Prince was welcome to try. "He. evidently imagines he has some grievance against you. I don't ask for confidences, but I suppose some woman is the cause of it all?" "It's probable. lie thinks that—but no matter what be thinks,'' muttered Wilfrid, with a dark frown, as he. recalled the night at the Silver Birch. If Ouvaroff could believe (hat of the Duchess, there would be a pleasure in slaying him. "Well," continued Lord St. Helens. "Ouvaroff now considers himself sullieiently skilled in his art. and it's his intention to be present at this masquerade with the object of forcing a quarrel upon you." "You seem pretty well versed in his movements." "I have learned all this from a friendly minister, whose name 1 am not at liberty to disclose. He was not aware that you . were my nephew, and referred to you as that cccentrio Englishman, Lord Court- | enay. lie seems to have a kindly feeling towards you. for he. suggested to mc that j to avoid* a possible scandal, it mi-rht bo as well if 1 were to exert my influence in persuading you to leave St. Petersburg secretly." '•Very good of him! And your answer?" "Can you not guess it?—' Our house does not breed cowards, Monsieur In Comte. It is not our fashion to run away from an_y man. _Uy nephew lias no quarrel with Ouvaroff, but if Ouvaroff be bent upon forcing a quarrel with him. I he'll find he has the devil to deal with.'"! "Precisely my sentiments," commented ' Wilfrid. (To be continued daily.)

CHAPTER XVll.—Continued. '■ 'Tis not for long," replied Pauline. BaranofFs power is on the Wane. His counsels are already being ignored by the Czar." .-.-__ _.'. _,'__.___ "In what- way?" "As regards the war with England. What! yon do not know? Ah! I am forgetting. The story is not in the newspapers, since our editors must publish only what is pleasing. Of course, living at an Embassy, 1 often learn matlers unknown to the outside public. Well, here's a secret for you. Our Russian admiral, knowing himself to be no match for the hero of the Nile, has declined an engagement, and is coming fast to Cronstadt. 'Tis the old story: leaky ships, ' cracked cannon, and an unpaid crew, sullen to the verge of mutiny. The result of this flight is to place all the towns on the Finland Gulf at the mercy of the English guns. Nay, the very gate of the city. Cronstadt itself, is liable to bombardment. Hence, let Baranoff protest as he may. the Czar is bent on making peace. So magnificently sure were your Government that victory would crown their arms, that along with their fleet they sent an envoy with plenipotentiary power to arrange the term-; of n treaty. The envoy will arrive at St. Petersburg in the course, of a few days. Should peace he established, and there is little doubt that it will be, the envoy remains here in the character of British Ambassador." '"Who is this envoy?" "Lord St. Helens. What! you know him?" asked Pauline, observing Wilfrid's peculiar smile. "My uncle." '"Your uncle?" she Tepeated. "My mother's brother. Baroness, you are indeed the bearer of good news." , The uncle in question was one who held among other views that the only business worthy of an English peer was the study of diplomacy; and henea lie had often growled at his nephew's taste for painting and 1 swordsmanship. It would be pleasant to show the old gentleman that his nephew's swordsmanship had defeated the policy of Baranoff at Berlin, while a painting had largely contributed to the downfall of a Russian Ministry. And both these events within the space of six months! Could the most accomplished diplomatist have done more in the time? "With the coming peace," said Pauline, "the first half of my work is accomplished: Czar and Consul light side by side, no more. 1 call it my work, because it is mine. If you have wrecked the Czar's Ministry, I have had the chief hand in shaping his war-policy. How? Ah! that is my secret," she continued, with a peculiar smile. "The second and more difficult part of my task now remains— namely, to set the Czar in arms against Napoleon." Wilfrid longed to give her a severe lecture, but refrained, convinced of its uselessness. It was clear from her words that she was still pursuing her course of working in secret against her father's policy, au undaughterly action on her part, and one with which Wilfrid could not sympathise. '•A truce to politics." exclaimed Pauline. "Have you received your ticket yet from Prince SumarofT'.'" ; "I have yet to learn who that grandee is."' "Here's ignorance, forsooth, from a : three months' resident in St. Petersburg! Why. Prince SumarofTs palace and gar- j dens by the Nevka are one of the sights t of St. Petersburg. A fortnight from today he gives a fancy dress ball, to which i you are certain to be invited, by reason ( of your rank." i •How so?" , ''Why thus: The Prince's aim is to j gather to the ball every titled personage j in St. Petersburg, whether native or ; foreign, ranking from baron upwards. T am perhaps prejudiced,' he is credited • with salving, 'but for mc, mankind' begins with the rank of baron.' So, you see, , the ball is to consist of the creme de la i creme of Society. To add to its splen- • dour, Alexander himself and the young , Czarina have consented to be present." ' "And the Court ladies?" j Pauline replied in the affirmative, wondering at the quickness with which Wil- ' frid put the question. Then divining the cause, she added with a smile— "So. possibly, you may meet your fair incognita there." This was the hope that had just entered Wilfrid's mind. Since the Duchess | was one of the Court ladies, what more j likely than that she would be present lat this fete in company with the Czarina? What woman, especially a Russian woman, can resist the attraction of , a dance? Now that the Pahlen Ministry had fallen, it would be a matter of hon-' our with her to .redeem her word by bestowing upon him the promised kiss; and since every guest must be masked, such disguise would enable him to approach the Duchess without attracting attention or creating suspicion. To this fete, then, it behoved him to go. and next day he received a ticket : !of invitation. At nightfall there came something I still more agreeable, in the shape of a ' visit from the blind Alexis Yoronetz, who brought with him a pretty blue scarf embroidered with silver, "Wear this at the masquerade." I And without any more words he withdrew, ignoring Wilfrid's request for an explanation, though, in truth, one was scarcely required. From whom did this favour come, if not from the Duchess? It was a proof that she intended to be present at the approaching fete, and was desirous of fixing some token upon Wil- < frid to enable her to distinguish him ' from among the crowd of masked dancers. Thirteen days yet before he would . meet her. How was ho to live through them all? The first four, measured by Wilfrid's feelings, seemed more like four months: on the fifth, however, came a welcome diversion in the arrival of Lord St. Helens, the British plenipotentiary, sent to consider the peace proposals of the j Czar. There was assigned to him and his suite a stately mansion on the Nevski Prospekt, where it is crossed by the Fontanka Canal. Wilfrid lost no time in calling upon the old gentleman, who was delighted to : see his nephew, and proud likewise df h his late achievements in the political j arena. I "Ah! my boy," said he, "since you can I do great things in an unofficial capacity, ( what woul you do as a diplomatist?" "Much less," replied Wilfrid drily. Lord St. Helens had frequent interviews with Count Pauine, the new chancellor of the Empire, and from.each inter-