The mountain Democrat., 1864-07-16

how to profit by It when Duroche shouIC
come in and engage the count in conver
sation but he did not come, and while
WAS wondering at his delay, tsp ct tht
door and whisper from a servant tool
Clementa out Of the room. She stayeC
about n quarter Of an hour. The ole
count kept talking to me about my sur
veys and the weather, but his eyes KEEP
wandering to the door. At length Gle
menta came back with very discomfitcd
look
"Mr. Hawkins" said she to me in En-
glish, ".l am sorry we must lose you fol
a while; messenger has come from Mon
sieur Duroche to say that your chief is ir
the tent, and wishes to see you"
Mr.. Evans come all the way from vii
ma at such an hour, and wanting to see
me Something prodigiouslv wrong OF
right must have happened in our bust
ness, and the great opportunity, for thi,
time, had to be lost. Up I got with hasty
apologies and leave-tsking. and down
stairs | went, to my great delight accom-
panied by CIementa. She was sorry
had to go-just when their pleasant even.
ing was beginning a distance
through the dark night; "it rains, too, >
said she, as We approached the door
"you will be drowned, Mr. Hawkins, OF
chilled to death IN that thin cloak oil
yours; do take my COUSINS" and she
plucked it down from the pin with her
own hands.
81 really don't want it, and your cousin
may think it is making too free" said.
hah hn. t,l, I nil
plain matters, and you will take it for my
sake, not to get cold"
Clcnrnta threw the cloak about me as
she spoke. Had it been the Cars robe
Of state, or the worst convict dress in
Russia, would have worn it; and trying
to say so, while she urged me to make
haste,for my chief was waiting. pressed
her fair hand to my lips and dashed out
into the dark night. There were no lights
to be seen, but the courtyard gate was
open. ! had just stepped ont and closed
quietly behind mr,and was thinking what
path through the forest would be the
shortest, when a CLEAN Of light was
thrown over my shoulder, there was q
rush Of men from all sides. and | found
myself surrounded and seized by some
score of Russian soldiers. Before could
resist or remonStrate, my hands were
firmly bound, and was half dragged
halt carried to large rough carnage
into which they flung the, while four o
the company. armed with swords, pistols
and lantern, sprung in too, secured tn,
door, and off went the vehicle. 1t was
fearful speed, considering the nature O
the ground; deep retS and projecting
trees made it jolt and roll every minute
but on we went through the thick nigh
and thicker forest, and there sat my es
cort with their pistols at full. cock, tn,
lantern fixed between them, and thei
eyes fixed on the. / could not speak
f word of RuSSiac, but tried my best il
English. French, and German, to inqnir
why was arrested, and where they wer
taking me.
The Count JaSin>ki knows verv vel
why he is arrested" said the sterneS
but most civilized Of the party, in an
Swcr to my seventh attempt, and in very
good French.
:" am not the Count Jasinski, but al
English engineer" cried
Monsieur JaSin>ki has been a goot
while in Lundon,and speaks English we'll
believe" said the Russian.
But inquire Of Mr.. Evans, my EN-
ployer, and one Of the contractors for tn
Warsaw and St. Petersburg Railway or
if he be too far IF Send for my friend mt
. fellnw-engincer. will tell your peOpi
where to find him." | cried in despera
ti0n.
Monsieur Durochc is not far off W,
are passing the engineers tent, and shall
soon see what he has TO say, said the Rus
sian with most triumphant assurance, 4
the Samc time ringing small he'll. whict
brought the carriage to a stop, and a sal
der presented himself at the door Tht
| man in authority spoke To mm in RuSsiac
r he disappeared, and in few minute
great was my delight to see Duraehe Ian
= tern in hand, accompanied by our tw,
chainmen: Let rie premise, that a wore
Of thcir language. | did not upderstandr- -
My friend had always acted as intcrprett
. between us, and now the two stared a
me as il they had attended my funeral only
the day befnre; but the Frenchman's lool
was. if possible, more diSmayed.
You can testify to these gcntlemer
lbdl ! dul tOl NOuut OdNIuNht Sdlu.
Durochc shook his head. ~ am very
. sorry cannot"
"You can't say that | am Charlie!
! James Hawkins, the English engineer
who has been for the last six months il
the tent? Where is it ?" and made :
move to look out The Russian cooked
his pistols to my head, the soldiers OF
either side flung me back into the car
riage, the word was given to drive on, ,anc
Duroche vanished
tewas clearly the victim of n conspiracy
as foul and treacherouS as the annals o
crime conld show. The Russian Coun
krouzof wanted to get me ou: of the wav
, and DurOchc, the man who had been my
friend and companion for many n month
, was his jealous instrument. Between
. them, they had contrived to get me kid
mapped by company Of Russian soldier,
their officer, the man spoke French
knew very we'll what he was about.
was to be transported to Siberia, set t
work in fortress or a mine, called by ;
! number instead Of name, and neve
heard of more by my anxious friends !
Had not such things been done to othc
strangers in Russia. and there was M
chance Of escape? All the bribrd official.
would insist that | was Count JasinSki
ard knout me for not believing il.
cursed my fate-I cursed the whole CALI,
and Sclav"nic races-all but Clemcnta.