Rachel Shapiro
Ivan Mussak, the head of the Russian secret police, is responsible for the murders of thousands of Jews and the forced exile of thousands more. Isaac Gruenstein and his infant daughter Miriam are the only members of his family to survive one of Mussak's massacres, and Isaac is exiled to Siberia. Miriam, however, becomes Mussak's ward and is raised by nuns in a convent. Eighteen years later Isaac dies in Siberia, but before he does he writes a note to his daughter and gives it to fellow prisoner Rachel Shapiro, who manages to escape and, by chance, finds Miriam. However, circumstances have changed in the past 18 years--and Miriam is now Mussak's mistress.
Beatrice Kane
John Kane, who is passionately fond of his sweet little daughter, has opened his house to a spinster cousin of his, who is alone in the world. Jane repays his kindness by secret envy and hate, and her chief passion in life is the hoarding of the money given her and counting it over and over. On the surface, however, she is suave and smiling. On only one thing does she palpably show the hate which settles within her; she detests Shep, the beautiful and intelligent collie dog belonging to Beatrice and the idol of her heart.
