The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-02-05

with nervous contraction OF the count
enance. He began to suffer.
"You will not quit playing, hope,
Prince. A Russian never abandons the
field of battle"
"Never, Sir James, as I told you
But shall we not change the game p
The air is sitting here. Let us go into
the garden. You have reputation as
marksman, suppose we try shot,"
Rally, who saw the feverish agitation
of his passion, readily accepted. Be-
sides, custom required that he should be
at the disposal of his adversary.
In moment the hall was empty.
"What shall be the stake" Sir James
Rally ?"
"Two hundred thousand rubles."
Agreed but l have no more gold,
and | must exhaust my credit at the
bank of Vienna, which is quite indispen-
sible to me-"
"Then 1 will wager 100000 rubles
against one of your estates"
"Do you wish to become a Muscovite
proprietor ?"
at is mere whim, like any other"
And one which l am not disposed to
thwart"
81 have something of that value near
Moscow. 1t is on the declvity of hill
from which you can see admirably the.
yet smoking ruins of the holy city. l
have also at two miles from Volonda-"
Rally shrugged his shoulders. 1T
is too cold," he said.
q have something else which may
suit you, a charming little village near
the Volga,"
" Here it goes for the Volga, then
And you estimate this property
"At something more than 100000
rubles.''
Then l add $4,000 to my stake"
agreed i" but have not the title
deeds here
j." Pen ink and paper can easily supply
them"
Writing materials were brought, and
the Prince engaged in writing to trans
fer to Sir James Rally, if he were the
winner, the title Of his domain upon the !
Volgs.
The bet was TO be decided by ten shots.
They drew lots for the first fire, and the
Prince won, and took his place.
About seventy feet before him were
placed, in circular line, FIVE small ca
ges twelve feet apart, each containing
pigeon. Cords were attached to the !.
trap door which closed the cages. and
were sufficiently long to reach the spot
W here the marksmen stood, which was
called the post.
You might have heard pin fall upon
The turf when Rally and the Prince had
taken their positions, and the signal was
given. The cords were agitated and a
door fell on the left The Prince turned
his weapon in that direction and fred
Down !" cried directly the voice OF
the official
The same stiffness prevailed, when it
was Sir James turn to fire. The trap
fell The shot followed instantly.
Down !" exclaimed the voice again.
The strife continued, with success on
both sides, till the sixth shot, when Rail
y failed.
Missed |" said the crier.
At the eighth trial, tho Prince having
failed and Rally succeeded. they were
again equal, and the two sportsmen took
, moment for repose. The Prince again
.ook his place. fired, and missed. Rally
was more fortunate. The bet was APP
its solution.
What passed then in the souls of the
Prince and Sir James 1t was mys
cry beyond human intuition. To some
he approach of some important event is
by low, inward voices, to
others presentiments seem mere follies
md chimeras. But it was remarked
hat when the Prince took his carblne
again it was without the naughty look
which was natural TO him.
lie fired. The bird, which had flown
n a straight line, suddenly turned.
Wounded !" said some.
Dead /" said others.
"No, no !" cried several voices.
Every eye was fixed upon it; but it
its flight became stronger, and
1 disappeared, while Rally calmly whis-
led . God save the King F"
Rally having killed the ninth bird, the
bet was decided by single shot, for the
Prince failed again.
The two adversaries were superb at
his moment. each in his fashion the
Prince by the courage which raised him
above his loss, and Rally by the deep,