Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, August 18, 1897, Image 1
i
ISSUED TWICE A WEEE-WEDNESDAT AKTD SATURi: AY.
l. m. grist & sons, Pabiishers. j ?. X'imilji |leics|)ager: -J?or the promotion of the political, ?ociat, Agricultural, and Commercial Interests of the ?oufh. { ^raScop * crarafN?K'
vot, 4.3. YORKYILLE, S. C.,AYEDNIiSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1897. JSTO. 66."
EXILED T(
BY WILLIAM 311
Copyright, IK97, by the Woolfiill Publishing C
Synopsis of Pevious Installments.
.1 -x ? ?! rr,,?,
in orcier iaai now remi?K m x ?r. inquirer
may begin with the following installment
of this story, and understand it
jnst the same as though they had read it
all from the beginning, we here give a
synopsis of that portion of it which has
already been published:
Chapter I.?Vladimir Saradoff, a Russian
being heir to the fortune of his nephew,
Maurice Hammond, an American, in
case of his nephew's death, conspires to
have him sent to Russia in order to get
him in his power. II.?Hammond and
his friend Philip Danvers arrive at St.
Petersburg, and Saradoff lays plans to
have them arrested as conspirators against
the government. Ill and IV.?Hammond
at a review saves the life of Colonel
Jaroslav. Proceeding to Moscow,
they are arrested and sent to Siberia. On
the way the boat on which they travel
catches fire, and they, with two other convicts,
escape in a skiff.
CHAPTER V.
the burning barge.
On the bank of the river Tura, in
front of the gloomy palisades of tho
great forwarding prison of Tinmen,
there were grouped oue morning iu?i
in the mouth of May a band of Russian
exiles 400 or 500 in number.
A cordon of soldiers hemmed them in
on all sides, and close by a railed platform
zigzagged down the steep bank to
the water's edge, where lay a long, low
vessel with black hull and yellow deck
work, a convict barge waiting to receive
its cargo.
The wretched convicts represented all
sorts of types and contrasts?fierce
mountaineers from Circassia and Daghestan,
sunburned Tartars from the
lower Volga, Turks from the Crimea,
with their scarlet fezzes, and Jews
from Podolia.
A little apart from the rest stood two
youthful figures with haggard faces in
whom we find it difficult to recognize
Maurice Hammond and Philip Danvers.
Partly by rail, partly by water, they
had journeyed, with many delays, along
the vast exile route.
Passing through the great fair city of
Nijni Novgorod, the populous towns of
Kazan and Perm, they crossed the
dreary range of the Ural mountains,
passed the boundary line between Russia
and Siberia, and now, broken by
hardship and suffering, still ignorant of
their destination, they had reached
Tiumen, 1,700 miles from St. Petersburg.
The past seems almost a dream. Hope
has fled long ago, and they have learn*
ed to suffer in silence, thankful at least
that they have not been separated from
each other.
In their character of political prisoners
they have been treated with some
slight consideration, to distinguish them
from the coarser class of criminals, but
oil attamnta t.n obtain audience with
any officials, in hope of convincing them
of the fearful mistake that has been
made, have been fruitless.
Vladimir Saradoll's triumph is complete.
The net is woven tightly about
his victims, and there is no escape from
the living death to which he has consigned
them.
"Come on: they are going now," said
Maurice, and as he spoke a commotion
was visible among the exiles, and the
commanding officer shouted:
"Forward, now! Get 011 board!"
In groups of twos and threes the
wretched prisoners filed down the platform
past the armed guards, who stood
20 feet apart, and crossed the floating
wharf to the barge.
This vessel was about 100 feet long.
At each extremity was built a deckhouse
painted yellow, and tho space between
these was roofed over with timber
and faced with heavy wire screens.
In these pens the prisoners were placed.
Beneath the deck were dark, gloomy
holes, with tiers of narrow bunks,
where they were to sleep.
The boys sat down on the bare floor
in one comer of the pen and watched
for an hour or two the strange scene
that was taking place before them.
The prisoners, crowding up against
the screen, were carrying on a brisk
business with tho peddlers and peasant
women who had como on board the
Darge wun oreuu, canes, muuu i u<. umbers,
strings of dried mushrooms and
fish pies.
The chaffing nud buying kept up
briskly until a little past uoon.
Then a steamer backed up to the vessel,
with a great blowing of whistles, and
in a few moments the convict barge
was speeding through the black current
of the river on its long voyage to Tomsk.
It was evident that Captain Sasha,
the commandant of the Moscow prison,
had received special instructions concerning
the two boys. They were guarded
more closely, it is true, than the
common prisoners, but as yet they had
not suffered the indignity of being
chained, nud they wero supplied with
reasonably good food.
Moreover, although they did not
know it themselves, they were being
transported across Siberia with a rapidity
that is seldom granted to Russian
exiles Instead of marching hundreds
of miles on foot, they had journeyed entirely
by rail and by water.
With their fellow passengers they had
little or nothing to do. They were all
low grade convicts?thieves, murderers,
bandits?a fact which Maurice was not
slow to recognize.
In the past two months the boys had
picked up a slight smattering of thf
Russian language and wero now able x*j
understand tho commands of the soldiers
and oiheers.
Day after day the barge moved slowly
on its coursi, first up the sluggish current
of the river Tobol and then down
the. xiiore impetuous waters of the Ob.
) SIBERIA.
IRRAY GKAYDON.
0.
For hoars at a time llio hoys gazed
wearily ou the ever changing landecape,
A- 4. -i- J L:ii 1
inn rerCBl emu I11JJM UIIU JUJUUinaiua, WD
pretty villages with their golden spires,
and the waving fields of grain, for snoh
was Siberian scenery at this season of
the year. This vast continent is not always
the bnrren, snow clad desert that
many believe it to be perpetually.
Among their fellow prisoners the
boys bad made one acquaintance, a
middle aged Russian, who appeared to
be of a higher class than his associates,
though he possessed a cast of features
by no means prepossessing. Ho had
scraped acquaintance with Maurice by
addressing him in French, a language
which the lad happened to have acquired
at college, and in his delight at
finding some oue from whom he could
obtain information Maurice gladly overlooked
all other considerations.
The Russian's name was Grodno, and
he very freely confessed to Maurice that
his offense was smuggling contraband
goods over the Russian border.
If he expected a like return of confidence,
he was disappointed, for Maurice
was clever enough to see that it
would be unwise to make a confidant of
such a man. Instead he allowed himself
to pose as a political prisoner. However,
in regard to that matter of which
he was most anxious, he could learn
nothing. Grodno, disappointed per
haps to find that his friend was neither
a cutthroat nor a robber, disclaimed all
I knowledge of what was usually done
with "politicals," us ho rather scornfully
tenued them.
The Russian possessed another friend
on board the burge, a most villainous
looking Turk, with sunburned face and
a stubby black beard. Ho wore a greasy
red fez and was continually smoking a
short clay pipe.
Grodno and Hamid, for that was the
Turk's name, held long and whispered
conversations in Russian day after day,
always keeping apart in a corner by
themselves and separating whenever
any of the guards approached. These
secret palavc rs Maurice observed with
suspicion and distrust, for their actions
on many occasions showed that the boys
had sometning to do with the subject of
their discussion.
iYit'UUWUlU! lilt) uurgu uiuvv iug
nearer its destination, and tbc dreary
2,000 mile tide would soon bo over.
All day they bad been drifting
through a wild and picturesque bit of
country, and now at sunset the air was
sultry and oppressive.
Maurice and Pbil, tbeir beads resting
on heir coats, were lying close up
against the grating. The hot atmosphere
below deck was intolerable, and
the indulgent guards had allowed a
great many of the convicts to remain
out instead of driving them all below,
as was the usual rule.
It was remarkably quiet, so still indeed
that the splash of the paddles was
heard distinctly from the steamer somo
distance ahead.
The guards paced slowly up and down
the deck, glancing watchfully at the
prisoners from time to time. Off against
the railing the commanding officer,
Captain Stanisla, was smoking his evening
cigar, and its fumes, drifting in
through the grating, mingled with the
villainous odor of Ham id's pipe.
Suddenly, when the. guard's back was
turned, Grodno slunk up to the boys
and threw himself carelessly at. their
side. "Want to escape," he whispered,
"want to leave vessel, hido in woods,
go back to Russia?"
"What doyou mean?" asked Maurice
sharply.
"Hush!" said the Russian. "Don't
talk, don't say a word. Do you want to
go?"
" Yes." reulied Maurice incautiously.
"of course wo want to go. I3ut tell me,
Groduo, what do you mean?"
"Hush; not now," replied Grodno,
and slipping off in the gloom ho disappeared,
leaving the boys in a state of
great excitement.
"I'd like to know what he means,"
said Maurice. "I don't see how escape
can bo possible from a place liko this."
"It's a plot of some kind," replied
Phil. "That's what Grodno and Hamid
have been discussing for tho last week.
I don't like tho looks of either of those
fellows, Maurice, and in a matter of
escape I am afraid they would only use
us to serve their own ends."
"I believe all that," rejoined Maurice,
"but a chance of escape is not to
be neglected under any circumstances,
Phil. If only we could find some influential
person to listen to our story, he
might be induced to investigate it and
prove our .' noeence. If we escape and
are recaptured, it will hardly make our
position worse than it is now. But
what became of Grodno? Did yon see?"
"No; he tnd Humid have disappeared,"
replied Phil.
"I saw them going toward the hatchway
u moment ago."
The twilight had now merged into
darkness, and the dim outline of the
i shores bad vanished. A slight breeze
sprang up, and tho prisoners pressed
close against the grating to enjoy its
, invigorating effect.
"Humid can't bo very far away,"
said Phil suddenly. "I can smell that
; villainous pipe of his plainly. Don't
you notice it?"
I "I can smell something," said
i Maurice, "but I don't belicvo it's Kam?
id's pijte. It seems a very different kind
of odor."
An armed soldier strolled slowly past
tho grating at that moment, and tho
conversation closed.
i As soon as ho was gone Maurice bogaiLte
sniff the air uneasily.
"That's not tobacco smoke, Phil,"
ho paid finally. "I half beliovo something
is burning. The odor is getting
stronger every instant."
Before Phil could reply a sudden
commotion was heard behind them, and
turning quickly the boys saw a confused
mass of convicts struggling up the
hatohway, their dark forms outlined
against a dull red glow.
Then the silenoe was broken by a
sharp cry of "Fire! Firel Fire!" and
instantly an uproar arose that made the
boys' hair fairly stand on end.
Shrieking, swearing and shouting, the
panio Btricken wretches surged np the
hatchway and flung themselves against
the grating until it trembled and creaked.
The guards ran up and down the
deck, the officers shouted fiercely, and
thTrmoh the onen hatchwav the angry
flames were already visible. "We'll be
burned alive," cried Maurice, and he
tore desperately at the grating. The
hatchway was now one mass of flames,
volumes of smoke were pouring out,
and the deck planks were getting hot.
Suddenly a shrill whistle was heard
from the steamer, and then the barge
seemed to lie motionless on the water.
The guards, apparently stupefied at
this appalling calamity, ran helplessly
about the deck, while the officers seemed
to have disappeared.
Maurice and Phil joined with the rest
in their desperate rush against the grating,
but as the stout iron refused to
yield and the smoke and heat "became
almost unendurable they lost all hope
of escaping the flames.
At this moment of despair a hand
clutched Maurice's arm, and a voice
whispered in his ear: "Follow me.
Come this way."
Grodno?for it was he?had already
vanished, but the boys turned in tbe
direction he had taken and fought their
way tnrougn tne ireuziea crowa.
The opposite side of the pen, strangely
enough, was almost deserted, and
here they found Grodno and Hamid
fumbling at the grating.
"All right," the Russian whispered
triumphantly, .and to their amazement
the boys saw that he had opened one of
the little sliding doors.
He darted quickly through, followed
by Hamid. Maurice, horror stricken at
the thought of abandoning all these
poor wretches to a shocking death, was
about to attract general attention to
the open doorway when, with a terriflo
orash, the entire grating on the opposite
aide of the pen gave way before the desperate
efforts of the mob and toppled
over on the astounded guards.
"Come quick," shouted the Russian,
and without further delay the boys
darted out on the open deck. Not a soldier
was in sight. They were all on the
other side.
Grodno had laid his plans well.
On the edge of the bargo lay a rude
boat, belonging to a peddler who had
como on board with provisions a few
days before.
^ J rx u ?: J IL:- I
uroauo una numiu seizcu mis uy iu?
bow olid stern and dropped it with a
light splash into the water. It landed
fairly on its keel, and, turning to the
boys, Grodno shouted: "Jump in now
quick. Don't delay."
CHAPTER VI.
A MUUDEROUS AMBUSH.
With a hasty glance at the sluggish
black water, Maurice and Phil jumped
together, landing fairly in the boat.
Hainid followed instantly, but Grodno
in the very aot of leaping was confronted
by a soldier, who presented his ride
at the convict's head and pulled the
trigger. The weapon missed fire, and
before the guard could recover from his
surprise Grodno sprang furiously upon
him and bore him to the deck.
From the boat the boys witnessed the
whole affair. It was a very brief Strug
gle, for tho desperate convict, endowed
with more than ordinary strength,
choked his antagonist into a state of
helplessness, and hastily plundering
him of his sword and revolver sprang
to his feSt. He tossed these weapons
down to Hamid, following them with
the soldier's gun, and then made a desporato
leap for the boat, just as half a
dozen guards rounded the corner of the
nearest deckhouse.
Had the fire made sufficient progress
to throw any light on the scene, escape
would have been impossible, but the
water was shrouded in darkness, and
by a skillful use of a paddle which was
lying in the boat Grodno drove it some
distance ont in the river before the soldiers
reached the spot.
"Stoop down," he whispered, and as
all obeyed half a dozen rifles cracked
from tho deck of the barge, and a storm
of bullets pattered around the boat. A
straggling fire was kept up for two or
three minutes, but the guards were
Bhootiug wildly, and none of the bullets
struck the boat
Grodno continued paddling with all
bis might, and just as the shoro loomed
up darkly ahead a burst of flame shot
aloft from tho barge, illuminating tho
water for rnauy yards around. The
tumult was now tcrrifio. The steamer's
shrill whistle mingled with the cries of
the frightened couvicts and the hoarse
command of tho soldiers. Tho flames
were long since beyond all control, and
the barge was doomed. The steamer had
dropped alongsido and appeared to be
taking the prisoners from the burning
vessel.
~ J- X ?k,.i1Knn
ueepiy imeresieu m mo wiuuu^
eight, the fugitives in tho boat almost
forgot their own peril.
They waited until the barge was a
mass of flames from bow to stern, and
then Grodno drove the boat on shore.
As soon as Humid and tho boys were
out he turned it bottom up and sent it
adrift with the current.
"Captain Stanisla thinks we're
drowned," he explained to Maurice.
"Maybe he won't look for us. Hurry
now; wo must get uway. They'll soon
miss us."
With a last look at the stcnmer lying
motionless on the water and the blazing
hull of the barge, they turned up
tho steep bank and plunged into a thick
forest.
Grodno assumed the leadership, nud
he hurried tho partv along at a rapid
rate of speed, picking his way with
wonderful skill among tho trees. Hour
- fr
Qrodno sprang furiously upon him.
after hour they pressed on untiringly,
pausing once for a brief rest, and when
at last the gray light of dawn shone
through the forest the river was miles
to the rear.
Hungry and exhausted, the fugitives
threw themselves on a mossy glade. A
dense forest of poplars and silver birches
was all around them, and close by
was a babbling brook flowing over a
bed of pebbles. Here they quenched
their thirst, and then, reckless of the
consequences, they slept for an hour or
more until the sun was well up and
shining brightly through the trees.
Maurice knew that St. Petersburg
was many miles away, but he was hardly
prepared for the Russian's statement
that the actual distance was about 2,500
miles.
"St. Petersburg lies to the west,"
explained Qrodno, "but to the Russian
frontier it is not more than 1,000 miles.
That Is the point we must strike for,
and we stand a good chance of reaching
it, for the country to our west is much
of it wild, and we are hundreds of miles
norm or me greui oiueriuu ruuuo wuoia
captnre would be certain."
"And what will we do for food?"
asked Maurice in dismay. "How are
we going to live through such a journey
as that?"
' 'There are villages scattered through
the country," replied Grodno, "and
the people are always willing to aid escaped
prisoners. Our first necessity is a
change of clothes. We must rid ourselves
of these convict garments."
"But won't we be pursued?" asked
Maurice. "How can we hope to escape
the soldiers?"
"We must take the chances," replied
Grodno coolly. "Our escape was discovered
lone aeo. of course. It is possi
ble that when the empty boat is found
they will believe that we are at the
bottom of tho river, hat it is more than
likely that the Cossacks will sconr the
country. We must stay in hiding for a
few days."
Grodno turned aside to converse with
Eamid, and Maurice explained to Phil
what the Russian had told him. In
spite of the discouraging outlook the
boys were now hopeful.
"Everything depends on reaching St.
Petersburg without being retaken," said
Maurice, "and once there, Phil, I shall
try to see this Colonel Jaroslav. If we
succeed in that, we shall be saved, and
Vladimir Saradoff shall pay dearly for
this outrage."
To Maurice, comparatively ignorant
of tho tremendous obstaclos in the way,
the chances of reaching St. Petersburg
seemed very good, and his cheering
words brightened Phil considerably.
The conversation was cut short by
Grodno, who announced that it was
time to Btart.
The Russian was armed with the gun
and the sword, while Hamid was in
possession of the revolver. They traveled
on through the forest until long past
noon, nud then, worn out by long marching
and by hunger, they halted by a
small stream. It was impossible to proceed
farther without food. A close
search revealed a few stunted raspberries,
which were eagerly devoured.
Birds wero chattering overhead in the
trees, but Grodno refused to use his
wennnn. for fear the Cossacks would
hear the report aud be attracted to the
spot. They succeeded iu fiudiug enough
raspberries partly to satisfy their hunger,
and with fresh hope they struggled
on for three or four miles.
Toward sunset a glad sight met their
eyes. In a small clearing amid the forest
stood n roughly built log hut. Grodno
advunced boldly to the door and, after
two or three unanswered knocks,
flung it open and entered. Ho reappeared
in a moment, beckoning to his companions,
and they hurried eagerly forward.
"Some woodcutter's hut," said Grodno.
"The owner has gone away, but he
was considerate enough to leave this
behind him," and he pointed to a couple
of hard loaves of bread and a quantity
of dried mushrooms. A careful
search revealed nothing else that could
be of uso save a few matches, and leaving
the hut they pressed on through the
forest With sunset came a chilly
breezo, but this caused the fugitives
littlo inconvenience with thoir heavy
woolen clothing, and when it became
too dark to gravel they camped by the
side of a big rock and pulled branches
from the birch trees to make a bed.
"It was a very encouraging siRn,"
Grodno said, "that 110 trace of pursuit
had yet come near them."
He conversed awhile with Hamid,
and then both went calmly to sleep.
Maurice and Phil remained awake
for some time, listening to the rustling
of the breeze in the tree tops and thinking
over their dreary situation. In spite
of their weariness they were unable to
sleep.
"I wish it were possible to make our
way back to Russia without our companions,"
said Maurice. "They are both
hard characters. I am certain of that,
and they may intend to commit other
crimes. We may find ourselves in a
worse plight than we were in before."
"I agreo with you there," replied
Phil, "and, what is more, I have a
dreadful suspicion that it was Grodno
and Hamic! who 6ct the barge on fire."
"By Jove!" exclaimed Maurice suddenly.
"Why didn't I think of that before?
You are right, Phil; you are certainly
right. These two scoundrels
started that fire in order to escape and
ran the risk of burning all those poor
wretches alive. What bloodthirsty fiends
they must be! I declare I'm sorry we
left the barge at all. Why, Phil, if we
are caught now they'll probably shoot
us. We are equally guilty with these
two villains. Grodno says he can procure
us other clothing, and as that is
absolutely necessary we will be compelled
to stay with them for a few days
yet, but at the very first opportunity we
will leave them and strike out for ourselves.
It i.. a mighty slim chance, but
anything is preferable to keeping company
with such men."
"Hush!" said Phil. "I believe they
rn owiilra "
The boys had barely time 'o lie down
and feign sleep when Grodno sat up and
looked around him.
He fell back in a moment, and after
lying awake for nearly an honr longer,
not daring to resume the conversation,
the boys finally fell into a restless slumber
that lasted until daybreak.
Enough food still remained to make
the fugitives a breakfast, and after
hunting up a small stream, where the
boys washed their faces and quenohed
their thirst, the march was resumed to
the westward.
So great was the aversion which
Maurice and Phil felt toward their companions
since the mutual discovery
made the previous night that it was impossible
to avoid showing it. Grodno
perhaps realized something of this, for
his repulsive face wore a sullen aspect,
and he turned his whole attention to
Hamid, carrying on an animated conversation,
not a word of which the boys
understood.
A few hours' march through the
same monotonous forest brought them
to the edge of a vast open plain carpeted
with waving grass and numerous
wild flowers.
Along the edge of the woods ran a
well defined road, on which recent wheel
tracks were plainly visible, and less
than two miles distant towered from
the plain a couple of gilded crosses
shining in the morning sun and a cluster
of low, gray houses. '
As they stood gazing in consternation
on the distant village and the open
country Grodno fiercely motioned them
under cover.
Along the very side of the road lay
dense timber, with high grass and scattered
rocks. Crouching down in this,
the boys could see a vehicle of some
sort approaohing rapidly from the direction
of the village. As it drew nearer
they saw that it was a small wagon
oovered with a leather hood and drawn
by a pair of black horses.
A peasant in a red shirt was driving,
and behind, with folded arms, sat a military
looking mun in a blue coat.
Grodno, who was under shelter of a
Dig rock, slightly in advance of the
boys, turned round and fiercely commanded
them to lie low and make no
noise.
He deliberately drew baok the trigger
of his rifie and thrust the muzzle out
through the branches, whispering as he
did so to Hamid, who at onoe cooked
bis revolver and crept a foot oloser to
the path.
The wagon was now within 80 yards
of the spot, rattling smoothly over the
grassy road, e>nd still the boys failed to
realize the dreadful significance of
Grodno's preparation*. When the awful
truth did flash into Maurice's mind, the
next instant, it was already too late.
Taking careful aim, Grodno pulled the
trigger, and a sharp report eohoed over
the plains, followed by a puff of white
imoke.
CHAPTER VIL
RECAPTURED.
Through the wavering curls of smoke
Maurice saw tho nearer horse plunge
heavily to tho ground, dragging his
mate with him. and that samo quick
glance showed him tho crouching form
of Hamid in the act of pulling his revolver
on the officer seated in the wagon.
With Maurico to think was to act,
and like a flush ho sprang on the Turk's
back at the very second that the man
fired.
His aim was spoiled, however, and
the ball from the weapon whizzed over
the officer's head.
In an instant all was confusion.
Hamid with a cry fell back into the
copse struggling to tear loose from the
brave boy's hold, while Phil, quick to
grasp tho situation^.threw himself on
Grodno, and they rolled together into
the road almost to the wheels of the
wagon.
Grodno's shot bad killed the one
horse, and his mate in frantic alarm
broke from his fastenings and darted
like a streak over tho plain, leaving the
wagon and its two occupants to their
fate.
The cowardly driver, frightened out
of his wits by the shooting and by the
sight of the gray convict garbs, left the
wagon at a leap and ran in a zigzag
course toward the distant village, uttering
a howl of fright at every step. The
officer was a man of quite different caliber.
Without the least appearance of
fright he leaned forward, and opening
a black box in the bottom of the wagon
drew out a pair of revolvers. The
eigilC 01 ine two convjms nuu^imts iu
the roadway must have puzzled him
considerably, for he looked on without
attempting to make any use of his
weapons.
Phil was no match for Grodno. The
burly convict twisted him over and
over, and finally dashed his head against
a projecting stone with stunning force.
Phil's grasp loosened, and Grodno was
free. Seeing that the game was up, he
made a sudden dash for the woods, but
the officer, concluding that the time had
come for him to act, raised one of his
revolvers aDd fired.
A sharp cry of pain followed the report,
and Grodno, lunging heavily forward,
vanished iu the undergrowth.
Meanwhile, under cover of the bushes,
Maurice and Humid were struggling
desperately. The enraged Turk fought
like a_demon, tryin?_in_vain_to _make
use of the revolver which he still clutched
in his hand, bat Maurice held him
in a firm embrace, and they rolled over
and over through the grass, neither
gaining the ascendency. At length Maurice
got his antagonist just where he
wanted him?underneath?and, clutcning
his throat with one hand was about
to wrest the revolver from nim with
the other when the bushes parted almost
beside him, and he glanced up to
see Grodno's evil countenance glaring
at him. The convict's left arm hung
motionless at his side, stained with
blood. Maurice released his hold on
the Turk instantly and darted into the
woods, intending to circle round and see
what had become of Phil and the offi
cer. He made a snort uctour wnicn
broagbt him to the edge of the road,
some 20 or 80 yards above the wagon.
Peeping cautiously from the fringe of
bushes, he saw Phil lying motionless in
the path, and the officer apparently
bending over him. Theu came a startling
interrnption. Grodno audHamid
burst from *he forest with loud shouts,
the former swinging the ride around
his head with one arm, and dung themselves
on the officer, who staggered to
his feet just in time to meet the attack.
Shouts of anger were heard, but the
combatants were so enveloped in a cloud
of dust that Maurice could not tell how
the buttle w.s going.
"If I only had a weapon of some
sort," he exclaimed half aloud, and just
theu his eyt ? fell on a stout cudgel lying
close at hand, a stuff dropped probably
by some peasapt. Seizing this, he
He saw Qrodno's evil countenance glaring
at him.
harried quickly down the road, intent
on rescuing the imperiled officer. As he
drew near a pistol cracked sharply
above the din of voices, and Hamid's
short, chunky figure spun round for a
brief second in the cloud of dust, and
then dropptd heavily in the roadway.
Maurice had barely time to see Grodno
and the officer struggling over the
possession of a revolver when a sharp
trumpet blast echoed through the air,
a clash q?_ steel seemed to shake the
ground, am. then round a slight curve
in the road came at full tilt a squad of
Cossacks, brandishing their naked
ewords They surrounded the wagon
with a circle of men six deep, and when
Grodno gave up the fight in despair
and turned to flee he was hemmed in
beyond all hope of escape. A fierce expression
passed over his face, and then
he calmly folded his arms as a sign of
submission.
Hamid lay motionless on the road,
his greasy garments stained to match
the scarlet of his fez, and close by was
Phil, his face pale and corpselike.
Tho rescued officer saluted the commander
of the Cossacks and conversed
with him for ten minutes or more,
pointing from time to time at Maurice
and Grodno and the two motionless
rorms on tne ground. tie wan piuiuijr
much puzzled over the affair. From the
few words of the Co.ssuck's reply which
Maurice was uble to uudcrstand, such
as "escaped prisoners, burniug barge
and Tomsk,"he inferred that these soldiers
had been in pursuit of them since
the time of their escape.
Fearing lest Phil was badly injured,
if indeed not dead, he moved toward
him, but was roughly ordered back. At
tho same moment the conversation
ceased, and two of tho soldiers came
forward with the runaway black horse,
which they attached to tho wagon,
dragging the dead animal to the side
of the road.
Grodno, whose arm was apparently
broken by tho officer's bullet, was
placed on the back seat unpinioned.
Maurice was put behind, his arms
bound behind his back, and Hamid's
limp body was 6towed away at their
feet.
Phil, to Maurice's delight, now recovered
consciousness and sat up, looking
about him in a dazed, stupofied
manner.
He was hastily bound and placed on
the front seat beside the officer, wh?had
volunteered to drive.
By this time people were in sight
coming across the plain from the distant
village, but instead of turning
back in that direction tho officer drove
straight ahond, and the wagon rolled
smoothly over the grassy road, surrounded
on all four sides by the stem visaged
Cossacks.
An hour later uuother village started
up from the horizon, with its same monotonous
Greek crosses, and presently
they entered the long, straggling street,
with dingy, gray houses, and halted before
the posting station, a very unpretentious
structure of logs. The people
of the village flocked out to see the new
[ arrivuls, but the presence of the Cossacks
kept them at a respectful distance.
A brisk little man with piercing
black eyes arrived presently, whom
Maurico rightly divined to be a doctor.
He glanced curelessly at Phil's bruised
forehead and prescribed a ilose of vodki,
which fiery potion was at once produced
and poured down the patient's
reluctant throat.
He shrugged his shoulders at Grodno's
arm and deftly enveloped it in
splints and bandages, an operation
which the convict submitted to without
a murmur of pain.
When he came to Hamid and saw the
ugly wound in the breast, his countenance
became more grave, and he directed
the unconscious man to bo carried
into the station. The Cossacks dismounted
and took tbeir prisoners iusi_dOi_placing
them in different corners
of the room, where conversation was
impossible.
A big samovar was steaming on the
table, and the soldiers were soon gulping
down cups of hot tea and devouring
cold meat, pickles and salted cucumbers.
The officer and the commander of
the troops were doubtless taking their
refreshment in a private apartment.
Phil, hidden by a couple of burly Cossacks,
was invisible to Maurice. Grodno,
a few yards away, glared at him
with a look of hatred. Ho might as
well have spared himself the trouble,
for Maurice paid him not the least attention.
He was thinking very seriously
over the events of the past two days
and beginning to realize what a foolish
and reckless thing it had been to accept
the chance of escape offered by these
fviTA ooniMoto Un ntiri Plii 1 n*r\nlrl r>rnh.
b?TU wutiv<ia. uo uuu jl uii nvuiu puw
ably be held equally guilty with Grodno
and Hamid, and the penalty for the
crimes committed by the two ruffians
would be under Russian law?death.
This Maurice realized with a shudder.
He was amazed with Grodno's audacity
in attempting to assassinate a Russian
officer on a public road and actually
within sight of a village. It could only
be accounted for by the dire necessity
for procuring money and a obange of
clothes, and since the officer had baggage
in the wagon with him the undertaking
seemed to offer both. Had not
Maurice interfered when be did the
officer and the driver would undoubtedly
have been shot
It was a clever ruse of Grodno's to
shoot the horse first, and thus put the
wagon and its occupants at his mercy.
There was one hope?a very slim one.
If the rescued officer could only be
made to understand that he owed his
life to the boys, he might extend them
valuable aid, but just there was the
trouble, as Maurice told himself. Did
the circumstances justify the boys' story?
The struggle between Hamid and
Maurice was absolutely unseen, while
the scuffle between Phil and Grodno
might be easily misconstrued, and, as a
clincher, would the officer believe that
Maurice was hastening to bis aid when
he hurried down the road with his club?
These reflections lert him in a very unenviable
frame of mind, which was not
at all relieved by the scant supply of
food which the Cossacks at last condescended
to give him.
About noon he and Phil were taken
to another room, where the officer and
the Cossack captain were seated at a table
smoking pipes. The officer, to Maurice's
great satisfaction, was able to
speak English fairly well, and he cross
questioned the boys very closely, demanding
first of all to know what their
share was in setting fire to the oonvict
barge.
He treated them with a certain consideration,
which gave Maurice oourage
to relate the whole story in a frank,
straightforward way which seemed to
oarry conviction with it He saw that a
favorable impression had been made,
and, quick to seize the opportunity, he
turned to th> officer and said imploringly:
"I beg f you, sir, the privilege of
saying a fe words more. You addressed
us as Cummings and Burton. I assure
you that those are not our names;
that an awful mistake has been made.
a fearful crime committed"? "atoprinterrupted
the officer sternly. "Not a
word on that subject, or I shall change
my intentions regarding you. I have
beard of your audacity in accusing a
prominent and influential Russian of a
most absurd charge. For your own good
I advise you to cease. You surely must
be aware of the convincing proofs arraigned
against you." Hie face was so
grave and his tone so severe that Maurice
lost all hope of obtaining a hearing
and mado no further attempt to speak.
"As for your complicity with these
two assassins," continued the officer in
a calmer voice, "I believe your story,
and for the service you have done me I
shall afford you what aid I can, though
I assure you that you are in a most serious
position. Your two companions
will undoubtedly be shot, and the
chances are that you will meet the same
fate. I am Lieutenant Brosky, and I
happen fortunately to be connected
with the government at Tomsk, whither
I am now bound. I will therefore
be present at your trial and will state
what facts I possess in your favor."
TO BE CONTINUED.
Lending Bicycles.
A bicycle dealer is reported as saying
that it costs a generous man or woman
CO per cent more to keep a macliino in
order than it would cost a dealer. Of
course a borrower is always supposed
to make good any damage done, but no
two riders ride alike. Each strains the
machine in a different munner, and a
bicycle which ia ridden by every girl in
the street or by half a dozen friends is
subjected to enormous strain. The truth
of the statement may be proved with so
simple an instrument as a steel pen.
Rapid writers and all professionals will
refuse to use a pen which is not kept
exclusively for them. One writes with
one side, the other with the point, still
another with a greuter angle and a
greater dip of ink. Multiply such little
differences 10 or 20 times, and you have
the variation in riding a bicycle or in
running a sewing machine.?Brooklyn
Eagle.
Lottt Opportunity.
"I wish't I'd been hero in Amoriky
in the time of the war," remarked Mr.
Herlihy to his wife, "l wouldn't oe
drivin a coal cart now for a livi:. if I
had."
"Ah, well, Michael," remarked Mrs.
Herlihy in a soothing tone, "if you'd
gone to the wars you might have been
kilt, man, like as not."
"And fwhat if I had?" said her husband,
refusing to be consoled. "Fwhat
if I had, Nurah Herlihy? There'd have
been my piusion comin regular ivery
month, and it's ourselves could have \
lived on it for the rist of our lives instead
of goin out scrubbiu and drivin
coal carts."
"Sure, I niver thought of that," said
Mrs. Herlihy, and a melancholy silence
fell upon the pair. ? Youth's Companion.