The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1876-07-26

, along the narrow road, which fortt
nately at this part of its course beeam
straightsr than it bad hitherto beer
and the light sledge WIS hurried aIpn
as if it had been a feather weight owe
! the frozen snow. a whirl Of confuse,
thoughts passed through the. girl
brain as with relentless speed th
sledged darted on, further and iurthe
from the spot where Edgar Marstol
had sprang out to confront what ap
pcared to le inevitable death.
"t0r mel for mes Anniett,
murmurcd, MS after last despairint
effort to rein in the unmanageabIt
i stoo1s she Gust n glance at the whit,
road, now cleaning, as the sledgC
emerged from the woodland into thu
open .oennttyi In the first rays Of /
heWly risen moon.
The scared horses needed no urging
to strain every sinew in the race, as
snorting and gasping for breath, they
dashed into the wide, struggling main
street of Nasilkof.
III the spacious market-place or pub
lie square of the town a crowd had
collected, in tho midst of which the
light Of u number Of terUhcs fell on
the glistening bayonets of steel and
the bright brass mounting of military
accoutrtments. A column Of the fiat
capped, grey coated infantry of the
Russian line was preparing to march,
while cavalry escort enCOmpassed
two or three carriages mounted on
sledge-runners, and to each of which
three or more horses had been har-
messed.
Halt, there halt, sayI" called
out a sentry, roughly, rs the sledge
that bore Annette swept like a whirl-
wind across tie market-place, scatter
ing to right and left in dismay all who
barred its frantic course. Among
those who had been present when the
sledged had crossed the square had
been the old count and countess Ga
litzin. They had recognized their
daughters pallid face as she was hur-
ricd past, and within few moments
the halEIainting girl was in the arms
of her parents, and surrounded by
friends and well-wishers, who seemed
disposed to welcome her ms one risen
fron the dend.
"We are about to set out for Czsrn-
gorod," the Count explained, when
Annette appeared to be sensible to
her mothers Caresses and endearing
words, with the escort with which
the kindness Of his Excellsncy, the
Governor, had provided us, hoping
but hardly daring TO hope, my lamb
that you would have been spared in
the first outbreak of the fury Of those
serfs of which the news reached us but
b9r raj Rg9 f,l Ige9ps .,.s are E. about to
since YOU are safe though through
what marvellous piece of good tort"ne
cannot conjecture"
at was throug no such fortune,
interrupted Anniette, piteously; "it
was his life, his gallant, noblo life,
dearer to me than my own, that he
pave to save wrctchCd me! Yes,
i am safe, but at what a price"
And here a darkness came before
her eyes, and her voice failed, as she
sank fhinting into the arms of her
mother; but soon, ms if perved by the
recollection of her lovers danger, she
reused herself TO tell, in broken ac-
cents, what had occurred, TO Indicate
the place where she left him, and 10
impiore that rescue might be sent
thither without delay.
In spite of dismal forebodings, IT
was determined that not an instant
should be Lost in carrying help to Ed,
gar Marston, If human help could in
deed avail; and about thirty gentle
men. some in slcdges and some on
horseback, set off'at rapid pace, escorted
by twice as many Of the mounted Cos
sacks. the Governor having decided TO
delay the marching of the column tn-
til some tidings should arrive as to
Edrnr's tate. The distance was rapidly
traversed, and as the exploring party
entered the forest, wild, mournful
sound came floating on the night
wind.
"They are there yet, the pack OF
them" cried old Baron Jagellon, spur
ring his horse and handling his gun.
Push on and let us pepper some OF
their grey hides at any rate.
But wolves are cunning as well as
fierce, and when the reEcuers came m
sight Of the huge beach tree around
the foot of which che pack had gath
cred, bowling and whining over some
object at first indistinctly visible, their
auerilous cry changed into q note Of
alarm, and they huddled themselves
together among the ehestnuts and
birches, with their bushy tails droop-
inr. and their bright eyes shining
through the darkness like points Of
flame. An irregular discharge OF
musketry succeeded, while the Cos.
sacks lowered their lances, and dashed
forward with their shrill hurrah rs
though charging against human foes.
Neither lance nor bullet did execution
among the wolves, who. fairly cowed,
skunk off into the recesses of the woods,
while the headmost horseman checked
his wiery sfeed but just in time to pre-
vent horse and rider from falling
headlonr into a deep narrow pit dug
at the foot of the huge beech tree.
What wizards work have we
here p exclaimed the soldier as he
wheeled bis horse, !" My name isn't
Dimitri If / did not hear 4 groan from
yonder open grave z
" Grave, forscoth !" returned the
Baron Jagellon, hastily dismounting
cit il 9 bear trap, such as peasants set
IN likely spots, near where the honey
of some swarm of wild bees that dwell
!