The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-11-13

carries his life IN his hand knew you t
be on visit at the BarOn's, yonder. Hes II
no danger, but woe to every castle from tn
Dnieper ferry to Boguslaw and Skudra, TO
they will be, one and all, in light flame be
fore moonrise!"
There Is rising, then, among the sert'"
asked the young Englishman, eagerly:
There is answered the man called Isaac
with nod 1.-THE people OF twenty village
have sworn the great oath on the Gospels lt
root out all these Sobieski and Jagellons, ant
the rest of the unbaptized Polish counts and
princes that wiring the withers OF the poor,
ado you mean Count Nicholas Gaitzin, o
Czerngorod =" asked the young man, growing
pale as he spoke. -,
THAT do" replied the oujik. "A heavy
account he'll have to settle, the proud
Bot before the sentence was concluded the
Young Englishman had slackened the reins
of his impatient steeds, which darted of al
once like arrows from the bow, and, to the
neflable surprise of the garrulous Isaac, the
whole equipage rapidly disappeared along
the road leading to the very district TO which
his warning had reference
| In the course Of three years residence In
Southern Russia Edgar Marston, who was
manager of the Land Bank at Vasilkof-a
post of trust to which he had been appointed
| through the influence Of relatives OF his,
wealthy members of the British Guild of mer.
chants at St. Petersburg-had gained a thor
ough insight into the condition OF the pro-
vince in which he lived ant knew the bitter
hate which the Ruthenlan peasants entertain.
ed toward the land .Owners, most OF whom
were polish MOBILES who had won their estates
when Poland was u widespread Kingdom.
He knew, too, that Count Gaiitzin was per
sonaly obnoxious to his late vassals for a
hundred arbitrary acts and petty exactions,
and he trembled lest he should not reach the
lonely manOr-house in time to give warning
to its inmates Of the approaching peril.
"And Annette is there" said the young
man to himself half unconsciousy, as he en-
encouraged the melted horses To 40 their
best. Yes, that was the secret OF Edgar Mar
ston's eagerness TO give timely notice OF the
coming storm to those beneath the roof of the
Galitzin castle. He had fallen deeply in love
with the Counts young and pretty daughter
the Countess Annette, as she was called, in
compliance with that courtly Russian rule
which bestows titles on all the members Of an
arstrocratic family-a and he knew that his
love was reciprocaed, He had, indeed, been
formerly on terms of intimacy with Count
Galitzin's household, although, on proposing
himself as a sutton for Annette hand, he had
been met by a decided refusal.
Count Galitzin, whose large but ill-culti-
waited estate lay on the banks OF the BoIys-
themes, but IA lew miles from Nasilkot, and
who owed money TO the financial corporation
OF which MarstOn was the representative, had
other views tor his daughter than to bes,ow
her on young foreigner who was neither
rich nor titled, and the visits Of Edgar, form
erly welcomed guest at CzerngOiod, had for
some time wholly ceased. He was however
aware that Annette, with her parents, had
for several weeks been residing at the cha
teau, and his first impulse was to hurry thith'
er and preserve her whom he loved from the
blind vengeance OF the half barbarous Seris
now on the eve Of revolving
The shor, winter day was nearly spent,
and when Edgar reached the outskirts of the
village OF CZerngOrOd the sun had sunk be
meath the black screen Of sullen black trees
that marked the boundary of the forest;
while thro' ii those trees glared an ominous,
Tuddy light, and shouts shots and Il roar OF al
excited crowd came confusedly TO the ear.
Heaven help them! the castle must be al
ready on fire." exclaimed the young man as
he saw a tall column of smoke, streaked by
frey shower OF sparks and burning flakes,
rise high in the air "What by tins, may be
the fate of those Within
His appTchensi0ns were, however, destined
to DC promptly relieved, since, as he drove
past the low boundaryience OF the Counts
gardens, he heard his name called and saw
Annette Galitzin herself come running to-
ward him from amidst the darkling clumps
of shrubs. Her dark hair hair was hanging
loosely over her shoulders and her little feet,
in their dainty Paris shoes, sank at every step
in the deep snow, making it evident that, in
her alarm, she had dared forth from the
iur hpuSp HAVING merely timp IN
snatch up the short hooded cloak, lined and
trimmed with costly fur, which she wore.
"Mr. Marston-Edgar" she exclaimed,
with Il terrific earnestness, ooh, pray save me
Take me with you before they seek me out 10
kill me. feel half dead already, at the very
sound of their savage shouts and tramping
feet Papa, thank Heaven, is safe at Vasilkoi
where he and my dear mother went but yes
terday, leaving me here alone with the Ger
man governess; and when the peasants broke
In, Mdlle. Herzen thought Of nothing but her
own safety and fed to the woods, and"
BY this time Marston had sprung to the
ground, fastened the reins to a projecting
bougn, and by vigorous effort had succeed
ed in tearing away portion OF the ill-kept
fence, so as to establish a gap through which
a slender figaro might pass. Yet a minute,
and Annette was seated beside him IN the
sledgc, speeding rapidly away from the pill
LACED castle
The road, which had hitherto travelsed a
cultivated district, at tins point plunged into
a dreary tract of forest land, so that the black
pine trees soon barred out the light of the dy-
ing day, and little could be seen but the white
snow that cleaned between their boles.
A chilly breeze sprang up, and the evening
grew perceptibly colder; but the sledge was
well provided with wraps, and Edgar was
careful to draw heavy furred peisse around
the trembling form of the young Countess,
while, in fond and soothing words he Strove
10 calm her agitated nerves. She was safe. |
Within an hour or two he should be able TO
place her on their arrival AT Vasllkof, under
the care of her parents, and that before the
alarm of the revolt of the serfs should have
spread itself The horses went well the dis. |
lance was trifling, and
What interrupted Edgar's speech was
fierce, snarling cry, accompanied by the quick
paitering of feet among the withered leaves
and the snow, aud then a long drawn whining
howl, while dark objects began 10 glide, |