THE LAST COMMAND

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 41, 26 September 1928, Page 3

THE LAST COMMAND

REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA. Tli,e following is the first 'part of tho story of the Russian Revolution, entitled “The Last Command.” It is adapted for the Paramount picture starring Emil Jennings. “Yes, I have heard of him. He is not unknown to ns on this front, and (with a touch of gentle irony) - I believe ho has been doling great work among the troops.” Natalie did not) answer for a moment. “Your Imperial Highness has an excellent tastci for cigarettes, "she remarked at length, changing, the subject from a channel that might at aiiy moment become dangerous. Sergius smiled. “I am honoured that you should thijnk so- —and X hope that you may have many more opportunities of sampling thpm.” Natalie looked at him inquiringly. “It is much too dangerous to be travelling tlie -country alone these times,” he explained. “You will, of .course, accept the offer of our hospitality, such as it. is, for a time at least” “It is very kind of Your Imperial Highness to interest yourself in this way, and I find myself entirely unable to refuse your offer.” There was a. knock at the elder, a|ncl the Adjutant entered. He held a bulky package sealed with the Imperial Eagles of Russia. “Orders from the' General Staff, Your Imperial Highness,” he reported. Sergius took the packet from his hand. “X will attend to thi s in a moment, nieanwhile have a. room prepared * for this lady and see that all arrangements are made for her comfort.” He turned to the girl who had risen to her feet. ; “You must excuse me now, but 1 tust that you will honour us with your company at dinner to-night?” “It would give me great pleasure,” Natalie replied gravely as she bowed and took her leave in company with the Adjutant. XX X X Dinner at- General Headquarters was a very formal affair, and that night was no exception, The Grand Duke’s' Staff stood to attention as he entered the dining room airid took his place at the head of the tabid. Natalie Da hr ova was not toi be seen and Sergius turned to the Adjutant. “Where is the lady?” he inquired. The officer indicated a closed door at the- side of the room. She is waiting for dinner in the drawing room, Your Imperial Highness.” Natalie was reading curßdl up on a sofa. She looked up and smiled as he entered. “Good evening, Aimtj, Dabrova, I. hope you have nor been waiting long”, ho said, and he stooped to kiss' her hand. <r :You are comfortable? Good! Tin a minute we' shall go into dinner, but before w© do— —” The Grand Duke seated himself by 'her side and drew a black lear tiler case from his pocket. Raising the lid he disclosed a magnificent rope of pearls. 11l beg you to accept thjes© as an expression of gratitude for your company and of my sincere admiration for a beautiful woman.” Natalie held the pearls in her hand for a while, gaxiug into their lustrous depths. “They are very beautiful,”, she said softly as Sergius loosened the catch and placed them around her tfieck.

“Como,” Jiq said, “We must go. My staff will no doubt be getting impatient;.” X x X X Hie dinner was a merry one. Natalie Dabrova was the centre of attention for she was as witty as she was beautiful. She talked about many tilings with amazing insight, but the subject of war Which was uppermost in all minds was not so much as men tioned. Yet even now the faint rumble of the guns conklj be heard in the distance, and there was an instant husl’l as the sharp ring of the telephone broke in on the conversation. The Adjutant rose to answer. He spoke for a minute and then turned to the Grand Duke, who had left his seat. “The General Staff,” said the Adjutant.' S''ergu% topic tjhe pedower, and as he listened his face grew serious; an expression of amazement slowly gave place to one of violent anger. It was a quiet but deadly

voice that those round the table heard replying to a request Horn the Imperial Command lor a demonstration of a massed attack by the Russian armies to amuso the Czar. The fact that these armies were unprepared and that such; an attack would mean the unnecessary sacrifice or thousands of lives did not seem to bother the General Stall'. “1 understand then,” Sergius was saying, “that you require, me to stage an offensive simply to provide entertainment for the Czar. Then cany this message back to him: “My troops are not prepared for an offensive and I will not sacrifice them for the Czar or for any man living !” With that Sergi usi banged the receiver and took ids seat again at the table. Natalie leaned over — “Aren’t you taking a terrible r'.sk in defying the Czar’s rv.shcs?” Ho glanced up quietly with a. steady light in his eyes. “I would take any risk to prevent a needless sacrifice.” “But has not this stupid war been nothing but- a needless sacrifice from the first?” she exclaimed bitterly. “Why do you continue it?” His eyes Hashed. “Wo must have victory! Defeat means revolution and the collapse of Russia.” “Then you love Russia —so much ?” Natalie asked softly. There was a wistful expression on Sergius’ face as ho replied, “I would gladly die to-night, if it would help Russia.”

Dinner was' ended aind Natalie rose fron the table. "Before you die,” she laughed, “won't you at least have coffee in ,ny room?” “I would be delighted,” was his answer. With a charming smile she begged to be excused and swept from the room leaving a bewildered staff to talk of her with some amazement. Meanwhile in the dark and chilly stone cell of the town gaol, a. crowd of revolutionary suspects were herded together like sheep. Many of them, were half-starved and racked with disease. Their guard hardly in a hotter ease than themselves, stood leaning heavily on his rifle at the doorway talking in low tones with Leo Andreyev, who still bore the marks of the Duke’s riding whip across big face. There was a scraping of the key m the lock, and the door swung wide to admit the officer of the guard. He strode into.., the cell and looked cointeinptnousiy about him. “Dirty swipe,” he hissed as he stumbled over thl? prostrate figure of a man. He seized the fellow roughly by the collar am] dragged him to his feet. “Stand up, you dog!” he cried ns the prisoner clawed lit him in an endeavour to balance himself; but tlie man’s knees gave way under him, and he tumbled to the ground with amoan of pain. The officer muttering an oath landed a vicious kick ou tliQ quivering body at Ids feet. It was a cowardly below and there was an ominous murmur among the prisoners. Andreyev started forward. “Can’t you see the man is ill!” The other turned da him like a Hash and whipped his revolver from the hoisted. “I’ll show you dirty revolutionary dogs!” The officer got no further. The prison guard who stood! behind Inin had! raised bis rifle and brought down the Jnit on the other’s head. The man sank to the floor in a pool of blood.

Instantly there was a rush, for the door and fifty desperate mem burst suddenly on the outside guards and overpowered them. There was a wild conflict of emotions in Natalie''s mind as she entered her room and closed the door behind her. A dawning love struggled for mastery with a fierce sense of duty. For months she had been working for tbe destruction of the Czarist despotism, and now that the chance to cripple the military forces by the destruction of their Commjandbr,' presented itself, she was loath t.oi take it;. The maid, entered with the coffee tray and placed it on a small table. Natalie’s eyes followed her mechanically, but she rose to her feet quickly as the girl left the roof, and crossed to where her small suitcase lay on the bed.. Unlocking It she took out a small silver-mounted pistol. She opened the breech to see that it was properly loaded and then i cejiveealed it, beneath a cushion on the j sofa, within easy reach of her hand. 1 Natalie heard the heavy tread ot I footsteps on the stairs and in a- mo- j merit Sergius knocked on the dom. Her heart was thumping madly j though she smiled at hint as he. rent i to kiss her hand. She motioned him j to sit beside her and tried to meet his eyes. They were smiling, kindly : eyes, but there was now another light in them as he took her hajndsi in his. ‘“You are very beautiful,” ho said softly. “One could easily fall in love with yon. Gently she loosened her hands from I big grasp and reached out to pour the coffee. But the hand that held the j cup for him. trembled' in .Spite

of herself. The Grand Duke held it for a moment. “You are trembling,” She laughed“lt is nothing—” He took his cigarette case from his pocket). “1 promised that y OU should sample my cigarettes once again, Natalie. Take one—it ■will steady your nerves.” { She shook her head — 1 “No thank you, your cigarettes are so strong—l should he glad if you would got me one of my own —you will find the box on the dressing table over there.” ! •'Sergius put down, his cup and walked across to the table. He was bending to pick up the box when his eyes caught the reflection of Natalie in tlio mirror. She was standing erect, a bright shining object in her hand, he wheeled 1 around to find i tire pistol covering ills heart. To be Contijnucd.