Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-06-29

TWO Weeks CndC no ml8nJ 20 uOIue.
The merchant did not like 1t at all
but as Damian had been faithful and
asked but little, he got leave and start
ed that night. He was stout young
fellow then and did not mind the cut
ting wind and the snow. Moreover
something burned within him like a
fire that seemed to defy any cold or
wind.
by the evening of the second day he
reached Karporov and went straight
to the house of Boris Stepanovitch. 1t
was closed and dark. He kicked the
door open. The room was cold and
empty. He rushed to the brandy
farmers, where he found, as he knew
he would, half dozen villagers lying
on the stove, half drunk.
IF he had asked them at once what
he was crazy to know, he would have
only got laughter and evasion; so he
first ordered three measures of vodka
to celebrate his return, but tasted none
himself. Then he asked the news.
This one had died, that one had been
logged, and at last the bad luck of old
Boris was told, and how he was now in
prison at Jodeno, six versts away.
Eyes, drawled one, and 1 did hear
that the old fellow is about going un-
der, and was allowed to send for his
daughter. Our noble young boyar Of
fered to lend her horse and see her
through the forest, as the wolves are
plenty enough this year, Damian.'
''Ha! hap laughed another, my wife
says that Grishka got as far as the
boyar's residence and no further
Damian had heard enough. He
hurried from the room and to the boy
ar's house, which stood at one end of
the village, between it and the forest.
1t was already dark when he entered
and asked to see his Excellency. He
was admitted to a room where hand.
some young man was seated at a table.
Damian kpelt and kissed his hand as
our Russian custom is, and said:
"Your Excellency, l am the serf
Damian Sidoroff, working with a per-
NIT with the wool merchant Ivan Pc
trovitch. / am affianced to Grishka
Stepanovna, and have come to ask
leave of marriage
The young officer looked at him a
minute and said;
"You're the beggar, then, that's in
her head. I'll teach you manners.
How do you like this?' With that he
picked up his riding whip and struck
Damian across the face such a blow
that it started the blood, and with kick
sent him sprawling on the floor. Take
that. and go back to the wool merchant
at once; and if you show your face
again in Karporov you'll be knouted
within an inch of your life
'Damian had with him one of those
short axes which our peasants use. 1t
is an ugly weapon in strong mans
hand, and the temptation to use it was
fearfully great. But he resisted, and
FASTENED from the room. The saints
rewarded him. In the dark passage
way person stopped him and whisper
ed:
81 have heard all; save me, Damian
SidorOff, and take me with you. am
your Grishka, and as pure as l ever
was. But save me. Take me with
you
Damian knew how hopeless it was.
Where could they go? At night the
wolves, at daylight capture, then the
knout; this was what he saw before
him. There was no kind of chance of
really escaping. For all that he did not
hesitate an instant. Come he said,
and they ran together out into the dark
ness.
There was no danger of immediate
pursuit, as the servants would all pre-
tend ignorance for fear of getting into
some scrape. They FASTENED to the
forest and on the road determined that
they would seek refuge in a deserted
hut known to Damian, and the next
day go on to lula. The hut was a
solid one of logs and offered them some
protection, but the air was bitterly
cold and neither dared sleep for fear of
freezing. 1t was not fine chance for
love making, though they were alone
in the woods. They had enough other
things to think about. They had not
been in the hut an hour before chorus
of bowls told them that a pack of
wolves had scented their track. This
did not add much to their fears, as the
heavy logs and Damian's axe would
keep the beasts at bay.
AT early dawn another sound fright
ened them more than the wolves, and
that was the baying of hounds. They
had been missed and followed. Moth
Ing seemed before them but capture
and the knoutl But how the saints or
der these thingsl
AS the boyar rode in sight the
wolves left the hut and attacking him
and his dogs with ravenous ferocity
sprang, half dozen at time, at his
horse.
The boyar was a brave officer and
was ready for them. Snatching his
pistols he fred rapidly, killing several
of the furious beasts; bit one caught
his horse by the throat and dragged it
down. The boyar sprang to one side
and fired his last shots, doing good
work but not enough, for before he
could escape to tree wolf seized