Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-10-27

courtly Russian rule which bestows I'll
ties on all the members of an aristocrat-
ic family-and he knew that his love
was reciprocated. He had, indeed, been
formerly on terms of intimacy with
Count Galitzin's household, although,
on proposing himself as sutton for An
niette's hand, he had been met by de-
cided refusal.
Count Galitzin, whose large but i'll
cultivated estate lay on the bank OF the
Borysthenes, but a few miles from
I.Vasilkof, and who owed money to the
financial corporation of which Marston
was the representative, had other views
for his daughter than to bestow her on
a young foreigner who was neither rich
nor titled, and the visits of Edgar, for
merlv a welcome guest at Czerngorod,
had for some time wholly ceased. He
was, however, aware that Annette, with
her parents, had for several weeks been
residing at the chateau, and his first i'm
pulse was to hurry thither and preserve
her whom he loved from the blind ven
gean of the half barbarous serfs, now
on the eve of revolving. t.d
| The short winters day was nearly
spent, and when Edgar reached the out
skirts of the village of Czerngorod, the
sun had sunk beneath the black screen
of sullen pine trees that marked .he
boundary of the forest; while through
those trees glared an ominous ruddy
| light, and shouts, shots anu roar as of
an excited crowd came confusedly to
the ear.
'Heaven help them /! the castle must
be already on fire !" exclaimed the
young man as he saw tall column of
smoke, otreaked by fiery showers of
sparks and burning fekes rise high in
the air. "What, by this, is the fate of
those within?' ~
His apprehensions were, however,
destined to be promptly relieved, since,
as he drove past the low boundary fence
of the counts gardens, he heard his
name called, and saw Annette GaliSzin
herself come running toward him from
amidst the darkling clumps of shrubs.
Her dark 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 darted forth
from the burning manor-house, having
merely the time to snatch up the short
hooded cloak, lined and trimmed with
costly fur, which. she wore. s
!" Mr.. Marston-Edgar p she ex-
claimed, with a terrific earnestness,
sob, pray, save me Take me with
you before they seek me out to kill me.
[ feel half dead, already, at the very
sound of their savage shout and tramp
ling feet. Papa, thank heaven, is safe
at Vasilkoff, where he and my dear
mother went but yesterday, leaving me
here alone with the German governess;
and, when the peasants broke in, Made
moiselle Herzen thought of nothing
but her own safety, and fled into the
woods, and -"
BY this time Marston had sprung to
the ground, fastened the reins to pro
jecting bough, and by a vigorous effort
had succeeded In tearing away a por-
ton of the ill-kept fence, SO as to es-
tablish a gap through which aslender
figure might pass. Yet a minute, and
Annette was seated beside him In the
sledge, speeding rapidly away from the
pillaged castle. BIZ 80 eea blHys ~
The road, which had hitherto trav-
ersed a cultivated district. at this point
1 plunged into dreary tract of forest
land, so that the black pine trees soon
! barred out the light of the dying day,
and little could be seen except the white
snow that cleaned from between their
! boles. !. .u .,,ss. "a.
"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 a
heavy furred pelisse around the tremb-
ling form of the young countess, while,
In fond, soothing words, he strove to
calm her agitated nerves. She was
safe, Within an hour or two he should
be able to place her, on their arrival at
Vasilkof, 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 distance was
trifing, and - --s7a eaw sessfisd ass lias
/ What interrupted .Edgar's speech
was a fierce snarling cry, accompanied
by the quick pattering. of feet along
the withered leaves and the snow, and
then a long drawn whining howl, that
seemed to issue from fifty throats, while
dark objects began to glance, phantom
like, between the trees. .s.b ~
| g Wolves !! wolves !" cried Annette
with shrek of terror, but already the
afffrighted horses had set off at a mad
i gallop, swerving from side to side of
the road in manner that threatened to
upset the sledge. Again there burst
4 forth that horrid CRY; and Marion ex-
erted his skill and strength in maintain
/ ing mastery over the snorting horses.
Annette, looking fearfully back, an
nounced the unwelcome tidings that
they were pursued.
/ "You must be cool, dearest one, now,
for both our sakes-for mine," said the
young Englishman, as he cast a glance
at the dark specks dotting the snow.
"You can drive well, I know. Only
keep the horses to the road and all will
yet be well. 80 rs
AS the young countess took the reins,
Edgar stopped for his trusty rife, and
leveled it with deliberate aim at the
-