The New York herald., 1879-11-16

laager and then we found we had lost l61 men killed
wounded. The enemy must have lost 1000. among
the slain being son of Noul Berdi Khan. and re-
nowned warrior. Kara-Batiri. On the 29th August
we received intelligence that Noul Berdi Khan had
left Askabst with 5000 cavalry to reinforce the
Tekkes at Dengil Tepe."
THREE AMNESTIED NIHILISTS
HOW THREE NOBLE CoNsPIRAToBs WE'RE Ex-
lied TO SIBERIA AND THEIR RELEASE At
TEMprED-THE ATTEMPT AND THE DENoUE-
MENT.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.]
Through the intercession of some kindly courtiers,
who have gone to work through the proper chan
nels an amnesty has been obtained for three stu
dents whom we may call Ivan. Serge and Paul, who.
six years ago. conspred to reduce tho Holy Russian
Empire to nothing and were transported in conse-
quence to Siberia The amnesty not difficult to
procure when once the application had been made
in the right quarter; but it took FIVE years
to discover this quarter, and when the young
Countess Kismikwik, sister Of the eldest student
Ivan, had got the pardon of her brother and Of his
two friends. nobody could tell her for certain
whether these three lads were alive. The Countess
had to go from State Office to another to make
her inquiries. and she fair to look upon the
chief clerks and other high functonaries constantly
requested her to call again. In the course of these
peregrinations the Countess managed to pick up
some other things besides the pardons; got
eral Invitations to Court and ministerial parties q
government contract in shoe leather for her aged
father and a deputy provincial governorship for
her husband whom she had left establishing q vodki
distery his estate. Having thus gathered little
influence in st. Petersburg theCountess length
able to ascertain that her brother and his friends
were alive; and an order was signed ut the Third
Section under her eyes, for their instant hbera-
ton. 1t takes about three months to get such an
order conveyed to the convict colony Of Ortslav
yond Tomsk, where the three students were EN-.
ployed in the labor Of road cutting. and the Coun-
tess was informed that another three months would
possibly elapse before her brother came home by
one of the ordinary conveys of released prisoners
unless. indeed, she chose to deposit sum Of money
his conveyance by special seighs. The Countess
was to intrusting any Russian officials with
money and SO said, with smile that she felt con-
hdcnt the best would be done for her sake to
bring back her brother soon possible. She
got promises enough to fill both ears. and thereupon
went about her business. She did not care enough
about her brother to be particular to whether he
returned month or two sooner or later tor she
had not much of him during her girlhood, and
sympathized little with his ideas; but she hought
1t "bad form" to have brother IN Siberia. and on
that account had abored to get him amnestied along
with his two friends whom she did not know at
all; but then she feared they might accuse her
brother OF being spy unless they were included in
his pardon.
THE PARDON SECURED.
The order for the release of Ivan, Serge and Paul
was duly forwarded to Ortsav. But here 1t was
committed mistake; for the three young men were
dead. They had died Of road making. The COM
mander OF the convict depot. however, having
make use Of it. So he separately summoned three
of the richest nihilists under his charge-a young
general. Polish Count and old merchant OF
Odessa-and sounded them to what they would
pay for their ransom. The sum they mentioned.
though large. appeared to him to SAVIOR of parsi-
length three handsome checks were signed. and
the commander sent them to st. Petersburg
by q trusty messenger, promising that
the cash returned the three prisoners should be set
free under tho names of Ivan. Serge and Paul. The
general and his comrades pleaded hard to be dis
charged at once, but the commander made 1t rule
to do kindness tick. He cxhorted his three
charges to be patient, and during the three months
that passed before the money was brought he fro
quently soothed them by the assurance that they
might trust to his honesty To do him Justice. he
was almost as good rs his word. for on getting the
money he straightway liberated the general and
the count who. being on the right side of mid
die age, might easily be taken for young men
Of twenty-five prematurely aged by exile; but
his conscience smote him about the Odessa
merchant, who was ffty and looked seventy. Not
to shock the feelings Of this veteran. who had paid
the biggest ransom Of the three. he caused him to
be taken of in the night and relegated to the mines
The merchs mt never suspected that 1t was the
mander who had played him this trick, and he died
soon after with his confidence in human nature
MeonWnlle Q
pecuniary arrangement with another exile, dis
tant connection of his own, who had not been trans
ported for political offence, but for some error in
financial affairs. This middle aged youngstcr a
Jew banker OF Kiew and IL was lie who received the
passport in the name of Ivan the Countess brother
PAYING THE RANSOM.
The Countess had procured full liberty for her
proteges--that s to say. she had obtained for them
permission reside where they pleased instead of
being nr7is under police surveillance in separate
towns The first two OF them, who went by tho
names OF Serge and Paul. and had bcen discharged
rnaEa h1fn f.fn Ivoy ftn..l
turned up in st. Petersburg; and their rst visit
for their benefsctress. The Countess received them
afably, and was much struck by them both but
especially by The General. who at madc love to
her. The General had q wife somewhere; but
ho was too much OF man OF honor to go and
betrayed his friend the commander of Ortslav
His business was to lie quiet for tho present.
enew his relations with tho nihilist lodges. who
hal paid his ransom. and then go of on whatever
secret revolutionary mission he might be entrusted
with. He did not propose to trouble his relatives,
who. he knew. were snugiy enjoying his property
and would quickly get him packed of to Siberia
again II he ventured to claim their embraces. The
Polish Count was luckier, for he had vito and
friends who were fond Of him. he lost no time in
sinking out OF Russia and going to join these be-
Petersburg. became assiduous visitor Of the
Countess Kismikwik. and he taking tea at
her house one afternoon when the sham Ivan walked
in looking old, and shabby that the Countess
was quite appalled, at having to kiss him. The
Israclite, however. acquitted himself of his oscula
tory duties quite enthusiastically and seemed hurt
when his supposed sister failed to recognize him.
"Oh, Satcha Is It my nose that appears to you
altered since six years agof But you must know
that all our noses lengthen in Siberia" 'weil but
Paus nose hasn't heightened" signed the Countess.
pointing to the General. "Ah but don't think you
knew him before no started. He had scarcely any
nose at sll then," answered the ready wittcd Jew.
and 80 saying he winked at the General. Tho
latter fnmcd inwardly. but he was not
consprator for nothing, and no knew how
dangerous II would be to intrust any part
OF his secret to his fair hostess. SO in tho upshot
the party finished their tea together, and by and by
Ivan was conducted to n cosy bedroom IN kismi-