Milford chronicle., 1889-09-20

great swallow Of brandy commenced to dig
the first trench, grooming as she worked tie
words Of an ancient grayediggers song.
The sad melody, monotonous and slow as
behtted the song Of the dead, was accompa-
MED by the dull ringing Of the iron upon the
frozen ground, the distant bowling Of the
hungry wolves.
Another swallow Of brandy, another swing
Of her muscular arms, and 30 4 went till the
trench was DONE and Milana, waiting a mo
nent to regain her breath, gazed on the
corpses.
"'Twas doubtless you" said she to an old
man with long white curls, clad In a rich
cloak trimmed with dbeline, and In whose
girdle sparkled a superb yataghan, "'twas
doubtless you who led the band Well, this
time, too, you shall go beforeIn
And she took him In her arms like a little
child, descended into the trench herself and
gently laid him upon the ground With the
others she was not 50 ceremonious; an arm,
leg, shoulder, anything, in short, that
helped to lift and toss them to their bed In
the ditch, served her purpose.
''But God help mel" she cried out sudden
~, as before her in the snow lay stretched a
bleeding trunk, 'God help me, Il 1t isn't the
lord Of Kamiez, that cursed Turk and op-
pressor Of the poorm
And she struck the face Of the bead that |
lay beside the trunk blow which sent 1t roll |
ing like a ball to the depths below.
Another swallow Of brandy, new body in /
the hole, then, the tomb securely closed, Mi /
lena was ready to begin a second.
In the mean time, the moon rising higher
and higher in the heavens, wrapped In its
wan light the silent graves, the crucihx, the
matched roofs Of the now sleeping village
and the vast and soundless plain
And again, the second trench ready, Mi
lena approached another group Of dead; the
face Of the first ono was covered with blood
which had run from a cut In the head. At
the same instant she heard a sigh-a long,
shuddering breath, that came from this body.
MLlena drew back hastily; courageous as she
was, she felt h,r hair rise upon her head;
and soon she saw that rigid body begin to
stir.
He still lived, then There was no longer
a doubt Of It'll She caught him IN her arms
in order to succor him, rubbing with snow
that face begrtmed with blood and powder, {
and chatting his frozen hands In a moment $
his eyes Enclosed
"Valerian" his name upon Milena's lips
was half a scream and half acry Of menacing
anger.
She shook her head brusquely, thrust him a
from her, and rose to her feet t
"Save your said she, with a calm more
errible than either rage or the joy Of glut- a
ed vengeance; when It Is God that has de- [
ivered you into my handsl You betrayed =
ne; you now belong to mel Pray to your s.
rod, Valerian, perhaps he will be merciful, Il
'ut from me expect no pardonn t.
"You have forgotten, then, Milena, for o.
often how loved you'll" b
mo, have forgotten nothing; but you, q
THAT have you done with all those vowsl "
1ou, who ruined me, who then, in spite Of Oh
verything, left me for anotherl / shall not IA
pare you, be sure of thatl" y
you viii not kill mef" murmured the un- W
Apply one. Sc
xiii youl Mop She smiled with a glacial pc
ony which made him shudder. al shall of
My do my duty-I shall bury you, as have OF
eceived the order~ IN
Bury mer cried Valerian; "bury me XII
vingr' sa
why notF' responded Milena, with a "a
lrst Of cruel laughter; 81 must earn the u
eepskin for my back, which the mayor ag
'omised mel"
"Have pity, Milena, for Gods sake, have
tyr
Ibid you have pity upon me9n she an. loc
~ ooSAAAgi 1Oui WIZ nave vowed me Nv
sorrow and to shamel This for your beau. mt
'ul love, behold It'll" me
And she seized him by the shoulders and the
1ght to thrust him in; but he, with that in
ghtful death before him, had risen to his els
It, and furious struggle began between be'
EN-; hopeless struggle, too, for soon Va hrl
ian renowned all thought Of wrestling him is {
from the embrace of this savage creature; enc
om loss OF blood his strength was gone from lad
n-he was but child In her cruel handsi SCI
Mercy, Milena, beseech you, mercyP' ite
She responded with disdainful foot thrust cir
itch sent him rolling into the gaping hole. pla
last time he struggled to his feet, his arms 1t
stretched and clasping her knees with sup Bel
eating gesture. Yo
BUT his prayers only rendered her more mo
ocious still She caught up her spade and my
uck his hands; their grasp relaxed; she haV
uck again, second, a third blow-he fell the
And Mienai the
dilena, with one hand clenched upon her dog
de, the other doubled upon her hip, stood see
re and heard him groaning; stood there side
contemplated him with cold, fierce eyes dow
/ voluptuous pleasure oun
Now" said she, at last, "now, Valerian, Ono
you minel" blaC
hen she began to crumble tho earth be- run
zen her fingers and to ill in the ditch, to hail
1t In and stamp it down, as she had filed chal
stamped the first, her voice, firm and sam
'r as ever, rising always in the chorus of
sinister song, and always accompanied by
sound Of the elods falling one upon the 81
er, by the ring Of the spade, by the cav ney,
Of the crows circling hungrily above the Il S
p Of yet unburied deadl lake
nd, in the east, the first gray lights of the like
ing morning slowly spread themselves cool
is the heavens, pale and cold as the smile adm
n the faces Of the frozen clayl-Trans- frier
d for The ArgonAut from the Russian of for t
her-Masoch by E. @. Waggener. vast