Wichita eagle., 1888-01-12
A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.

When the Peninsllar war was at its height
Gen. Murat who was in command of ths
French troops at Madrid, desired to send 6
dispatch Of the gravest Importance to Gen
Junot at Lisbon. The distance was not
great, bat the country through which
the messenger would be Obliged Il
travel was infested by band Of guer
rlllas who carried Oh an irregular war
fare on their own account. much to the an.
noyanoe and detriment of the French army,
These lawless volunteers fought from their
ambuScades in the forests and mountain
passes with unparalleled ferocity, frequently
surprising detachnents OF the regular army
ana capturing their stores and ammunition.
The heroic deeds of Cen Castanos, the guer-
rllla commander in chief, were echoed
throughout Europe, and it was well known
that be gave no quarter TO French prisoners.
Therefore Gen. Murat could find no soldier
DESTROYS of undertaking an errand so fraught
with danger
In his dilemma ne sought the advice of
Baron Stroganoff the Russian Ambassador,
who was friendly TO the French cause
The baron, being we'll aware Of the gravity
utes; the result was the following suggestion:
Send one of your most reliable Polish lancers
in Russian uniform" he said, with a verbal
message to our admiral, now in Lisbon har-
Dor. He, in turn, viii communicate with
Junot without arousing the slightest suspicion
on the part of the English. No doubt Your
courier viii be arrested a score of times EN-
route: but my country has maintained
trial for &c, ,l,,I L.
that the result will be fatal. Castanos is too
much of a diplomat 10 risk the displeasure of
Russia, and, by observing the proper eau
ton, it viii not be difficult TO deceive him.
Gen. Murat was charmed with this cle7er
proposition, and at once ordered the captain
of the Warsaw lancers to select from his
company a brave, reliable fellow who could
be trusted to undertake the important mis-
sion
Early on the following day, Lieut.. Lackin-
sky, young Pole, Is years of age. sought
audience of the French general, who ex-
planned the nature of the service he required
of the youth, without concealing the rerils it
would entail. Lackinskv, nothing daunted,
declared with 4 contemptuous smile that be
eagerly awaited an opportunity to prove how
little he feared the guerrillas, and that he
ney.
Pleased with the young Poles enthusiasm,
as well with his evident desire to distin-
guish himself, the general repeated with pre-
ciSion the message to be carried to Junot
Baron Stroganoff7s Russian dispatches
having been duly secured, the courier started
for the coast. completely armed, ard dis
guised in the uniform of an officer of the
cars guard.
Nothing If Importance occurred until tho
afternoon of the second day, when our hero
entered a defile in the mountains near Tala-
vera BE had not advanced more than q
quarter of a mile when he was met by half
dozen guerr'llas, who, without waiting to
parley. roughly dragged him from his horse,
seized has weapons, and LED him to chapel in
a cave hard by, where he found himself face
TO face with the terrible Castanos.
"Who are you7' asked the guerrilla chief. in
French, while he angrily scrutinzed the
prisoner.
Alive TO the danger Of his position Lackin-
sKy's heart failed him for an instant, hut,
quickly recovering his presence of mind. he
fixed his eyes on his interlocutor's face with
meaningless stare. Presently he answered in
German: Il 10 not understand"
ouested him to continue the examination in
the prisoners tongue. Observing the utmost
caution lest by an inadvsrten5 expression he
might betray his knowledge of French the
Pole replied to all the officers questions in
Russian or German.
During the examination the chapel had be.
come crowded with guerriias, attracted there
by curiosity and desire for excitement
-l,, ..fe IL
TO Detect the slightest eSidepce of~-oeoep5ion
on,his part.
Suddenly there was an interruption. caused
by the appearance of Castanos, leading by
the arm a peasant, whom he placed before
the Pole. saying:
Look carefully at this man and tell us
whether he be Russian. German or. as 1
strongly suspect, q cursed French spy"
The peasant obeyed, and presently replied,
in a loud, decided tone:
"He is a disguised Frenchman. A few
weeks ago, when | took load of hay to
Madrid. this was the very officer who signed
my receipt
Lacklnsky betrayed no sign of fear and
the expression of his countenance did not
vary as he looked from one 70 the other Of
the excited soldiers who surrounded him.
They would have torn him to pieces had not
their general, discouraged by the failure Of
bis test, interfered.
My friends" he loudly exclaimed. "noth-
fng is Vet proved against orr prisoner, and be
has certainly proved beyond a doubt that he
does not understand French This peasant
might easily make a mistake, for it would be
difficult TO recognize man whom he saw
only once. and then in different uniform
from the one he now wears The prisoner
looks like a Russian. his papers are addressed
TO the cars admiral and think we had bet
ter allow him TO proceed
"No, no." was the cry that arose from
hundred voices at once; 1--WE are not vet sat
iSfied and he shall not go until We are"
"But are we to take the risk of offending
the Russians by interfering with one Of their
dispatch bearerss"
The euerrillas agreed that they did not
dare to act IN OPPOSITION 10 the car, Al the
same time they were not yet convinced of the
nationality OF the man; they suspected he
might be French spy, in spite of appear
auces. Accordingly he was conducted TO a
valIi: beneath the chapel, and lociIe,i IN
4 HARD ride of rlany hours over rough
roads. added to tine agony of mind which he
10 endured during ais examination. had 50