The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-06-11
/" A friend p replied the stranger, in

Advance then, and give the coun-
tersign,'' the Sergeant mechanically
said.
Just as the figure approached Pat, the
moon broke out from behind cloud
and enabled him to see the woman's fea-
lures. The most astonishing feature was
the immense grey beard the figure wore.
Pat, as a traveller, was accustomed to
strange sights, but this surpassed all. In
a second the truth flashed upon him, and
he made ready for action.
Come here, my darling,' Pat said,
artfully, but the woman did not seem in
clined to obey The moonlight had ev
identity destroyed the strangers calcula-
tons. She turned back step or two,
and then turned to fly. But it was too
late Pat was after her with tigers
bound and impeded by her petticoats,
she stumbled and nearly fell. In Sec
ond, however, she recovered, and turned
on the Sergeant with most uncomfort.
able looking yataghan.
"Tear and 'ouns'," the Sergeant
shouted, The woman's the devil. l
can stand nails but these are too sharp.
A low mocking laugh burst from the
strangers lips, as he tried to get between
Pat and his musket. But the Sergeant
was on his guard pretending to fly, he
managed to bear down In the grasp of
the woman, and caught her at the capote
The next moment the yataghan had pas
sed through the heshy part Of his arm,
but he did not relax his hold. lie Crap
pied with the stranger, but meeting with
an unexpected resistance he drew his re-
volver. The stranger clutched at it with
frantic energy, and a terrible struggle
ensued, which terminated by a pistol
suddenly exploding and the stranger
fell to the ground with groan, while
Pat, weakened by the loss of blood fol-
lowed the example. The quarter guard,
aroused by the shot, hurried 10 the spot
and both were borne into the camp. The
stranger was placed in hut and sur
geon fetched, and and it was evident
that the ghost in grey was fine looking
old man. He was, however declared to
be in dangerous state, for the ball had
passed through his lungs. His condi
ton was kindly explained to him, and he
told his story readily enough.
His name was Constantine, and he was
by birth Pole. Having been engaged
in the revolution of 1851, he was saved
from the death that fell TO the lot Of his
comrades, 10 endure n worse fate. He
and his family were transferred to Rus
sia, and he was forced to perform the
most degrading duties in tie secret po-
lice. For twenty three years he had en-
dured the humiliation for the sake of his
wife and child, but he little reekoued
what was in store for him. When the
war with the allies became eminent, he
was ordered with his family to Sebasto-
pol, for he was a perfect French and Ger
man scholar and when the campaign
commenced, he was compelled TO risk
his life nightly, by going out to see what
progress the enemy made. Death stared
him in the face either way; if he refu-
sed, the sentence passed upon him at
Warsaw still remained in force, while if
he obeyed, he was in hourly risk OF de-
lection. Why not desert, you will ask !?
but the Russian police were Machiayels.
HIS daughter Eudoxia, lovely girl of
three and twenty, was taken into the
governors house, ostensibly TO protect
her from the horrors of the siege but
Constantine was given fully to under
stand that her life depended wholly up
on his fidelity. The poor father was
sorely distracted his hatred of the Rus
slams was counterbalanced by his love
for his daughter, the only treasure he
possessed in the world, for his wife had
succumbed under the priyations and ex-
posures of winters journey across the
steppe. Need say that the father tri-
umphed over the man Constantine
was nightly visitor to our lines, and
by the cleverness with which he played
the character Of French or English
linesman, long escaped detection.
A length a dreadful ordeal was offer
ed him he was told that il he could on
ly induce an English soldier to desert
from whom some valuable information
could be obtained. his sentence should
be reversed, and he would be at liberty
to so whore he pleased with his daugh
ter
Maddened by the thought of freedom,
Constantine attired himself in feminine
garb, hoping thus TO attract some send-
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