The Brookhaven leader., 1888-04-12


skobelefT, hating fired bullet through q
mirror at an aristocratic party, had been de-
pr.ved of his command, and knew that he
had got to do some daring deed at the be-
ginning of the war with Turkey, then Just
coming on, to get himself reinstated in the
royal favor. In order to succeed, he would
need some comrades skilled in horseman-
ship, and of untinching courage, and he at
once thought that the American cowboys
would Re Just the men for him. He was
about TO speak to them, when loud cry
arose, and the scenery and stage We're seen
TO be on fire At once, from every quarter,
arose the shrieks of women and the shouts
of men.
Within fiji seconds the front of the
parquet was absolutely empty, save for
the three Americans and the two officers.
Skoleleff and Krapotkin, who had retained
their seats with imperturbable GOODNESS
Little Bricks said to Macy, in a quiet way:
Reckon thar mint much show tor Us,
Buckaro, unless thar's door under that
stage" Then, as he glanced around at the
demoraized crowd beh md them, he added,
with some wonder Well, swar, ef thar
aintt two real men at last"
He referred to tho two officers, who now
rose slowly from their seats and came to-
wards the strangers
SkObeleff was as cool rs q cucum Der as he
hel out his hand to Little Bricks, and said
in excellent English, or rather shouted int
his ear:
You are a n,olodyctz-a brave fellow {!
How came you here? What brought you to
Russia. l meany"
Little Bricks, grasp;ng the hand extended
US if it had been that of comrade, yelled
back his answer in the others ear;
Game to see the Grand Duke AlexiR
Met him on the plains We three helped
him his first buffalo hunt Asked us to call
on him, If we ever came to Roosha. Got on
a tear and came Here wc air. Know any
thing about the Grand Duke, stranger"
The Grand Duke is at Sebastopol. You
know he is in the navy not the army. You
will not be able to do any thing with him in
this war, gentlemen You had better come
with me Here is my card. If we get out of
this fire alive, call at that hotel in the morn
ing. Is that understood?"
Little Bricks nodded, and Just at that
moment Rrapotkin touched kobeleff ON the
arm, and pointed out that, under the stage,
the door by which the orchestra went ont
and in. was wide open, ana looked black,
as il there was no fire, in that direction.
The gesture was sufficient. and Skobeleff
touched the three cowboys successfully,
and pointed them to the door.
Then Jacques Dardevllle screamed into
Skobeleff's ear:
go and find if it leads out anywhere,
and Wen bring some girls out that way"
Skobeletf nodded assent. and darted
down to the opening. In few moments
he came back to shout in his companions
ear:
1t leads into an open court If there is
no jam we can get quite number
Then the five men left their place of safe
ty, and advanced to the back of the shrek
ing struggling mass of humanity. that was
nows urging around the foot of the bal .ony.
The fire on the stage had spread by the
curtain, over the roof Of the theater, and
was already licking at the curtains of the
boxes.
Skobeleff, surveying the scene with I'M
diminished coolness pointed to the great
entrance door, which could still I've seen
through the smoke, and rOared into Darde-
ville's ear:
Blocked tight! Get them back"
So saying, they began to pull at the terror
stricken ones that they saw running to and
fro in the rear of the crowd, and pointed
ont, by gestures the dark door under the
stage; but by the time they had escorted
about score OF ladies off in this way, the
fire had crept so near the stage door that
the next-comers shuddered and shrank
back from the apparent danger. Skobeleff
yelled in Macy's ear:
We've saved all we can. Take another
girl apiece and let us go wh9e pe can"
The Americans nodded silently, and each
man looked about for woman TO save,
when they heard great cry behind them,
which was followed by a crash Looking
round, they saw that part of the roof had
fallen in sparks on the crowd, and that all
hopes of escape seemed to be cut off; but
they heard Skobeleff say aloud. in English:
Courage, my friends If we get out of
this, you are the boys want to have with
me-" The continuation of this thrilling
historical narrative of The Cowboy Co.'S
| sacks is given in number thirteen of the
New York Ledger, the great family story
paper, which Is always full of the best and
choicest reading matter, and every number
| of which contains something to amuse, to
entertain and TO instruct the reader. The
subscription price of the New York Ledger
is SO year; for six months, 81, so, and for
four months, 81. all postage free. Sub
scribers can begin with No. IS, containing
O continuation of the great story of
The Cowboy Cossacks" Address Robert
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