THE SCARLET LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12663, 17 September 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE SCARLET LETTER.

All St. Petersburg is discussing the enigmatical case of Vera Lutohkoff, the victim of the most .extraordinary outrage that has been recorded in the Russian, capital for years. Th o story, as outlined in theNovoye Vremya, is as follows i: —The girl's parents left their daughter alone in their ,'flait'on the Fontauka Quay. For some weeks past the pretty, golden-haired girl had been persecuted by the attentions of an unknown man, who shadowed her while she was shopping, and was constantly seen loitering around the house. Soon after her parents had left, Vera was startled by the apparition of this stranger on the threshold. Before she had time to escape the stranger threw his arms around her and kissed her repeatedly. In spite of her struggles and screams she was thrown upon the floor and gagged: Her assailant then declared that she would not be allowed to escape until she consented to marry him; and on her shaking her head he Isaid that he would leave his trademark upon her, adding, "I am going to the war." The wretch then leisurely undressed the unfortunate girl, and taking a, sharp knife, carved on her breast the letter " A," saying, "Remember Alexei." He cut off the girl's hair and put it in his pocket, and took her portrait out of a family group which stood on the mantelpiece. The girl then fainted, and was found insensible by her astonished parents.