Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-08-24

mar, told mis- name ana rank. Nicholas
started slightly, as IL that name were fa-
miliar to him, and then he said coldly:
Follow mel
So saying he led the young subaltern
(who followed with as firm step as II
ho were going TO court ball instead Of
TO apparently certain death) away from
the main front Of the palace through
low side door and up a winding stair
into small room which seemed to have
no furniture beyond q chair, o writing
table and lamp suspended above Il.
Tho czar seated himself, md, looking
kecnly at the young Russian, said, in the
deepest tones Of his commanding voice:
"Now, what have you to sayr'
"Nything," answered the guardsman,
with the reckless courage OF despair. IL
might say, indeed-and truly--that I
knew not who her imperial highness
was, but will not plead even that ex-
cuse. My life is In your majesty's hands
do with II as you will"
Their eyes met, and for moment the
two men gazed fixedly Mt each other in
silence. Then the car turned round to
the table and began to write.
Was it death sentence that was being
written 80 quickly and coolly?
Suddenly Nicholas rpse and handed
him sealed letter, addressed to the vice.
roy Of tho Caucasus.
"Takc this letter." said he, land stop
not by day or night till you deliver IT,"
The young officer bowed and departed
without word upon a journey Of sew
cral thousand miles, which might very
possibly have violent and shameful
death at the end of 10.
- Meanwhile Nicholas went back to the
BALL room, with the very ghost Of a smile
PLAYING over his marble features, like
moonlight upon a statue. He thought
that he had merely got rid Of n pre-
sumptuous lad, and was doubtless well
pleased TO have done SO. What he had
really done dhough he himself never
knew iO was TO decide the event OF n
mighty war and TO open new chapter
in the history of Russia.
Twenty years had passed since that
night, and all st. Petersburg was In a
fever Of JOY and triumph. The long war
with the Circassian mountaineers Of the
Caucasus was ended at last, and the ter
rible mountain chief, Schamyl, the life
and soul of that desperate struggle, was
entering the Russian capital as a prisoner,
side by side with his conqueror, the great
Prince Bariatinski. And Prince Baria-
tinski was no other than tho grand
duchess former lover, the young officer
of tho Imperial guard.
Many changes had occurred since he
left st. Petersburg on that memorable
night, expecting to see 1t no more. The
Car Nicholas had died by his own hand
with his iron heart broken by the disas
ters Of tho Crimean war. His daughter
was far away, reigning over loveless
home and crumbling kingdom; while
her lover, the unknown subaltern Of the
guard, was now governor general Of al
southeastern Russia, knight OF tho Order
of st. Alexander Nevski, and, for the
moment at least, the most famous mar
in the whole Russian empire.
"IIa, Eagle!" cried familiar voice In
French, calling him by his regimenta
nickname, show goes it, old comradc
We never could find out why Nikola
Pavlovitch (Nicholas, tho son Of Paul
sent thee to tho Caucasus in such {
hurry; but, anyhow, it was the luckies,
event Of thy life!'
$50 it seems now," answered Prince
Bariatinski, with momentary clout
upon his handsome face; "but can tel
thee that at the time thought other
| wise!'
And probably the grand duchess ha'
thought otherwise, too; for although SIN
and Bariatinski never met more, it wa
whispered that she never wholly forgo
tho handsome young officer who ha,
como so strangely into her life, and hat
been SO suddenly taken out Of 1t.
DAVID KER.