The Wahpeton times., 1890-10-23
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5Ethe eravest Importance to General
Junot at Lisbon. The distance was
Z not great, but the country through
which the messenger would be Obliged
TO travel was infested by n band OF
guerrllias who carried on an irregular
warfare ON their own account, much
to the annoyance and dctriment of he
French army. These lawless volun-
teers fought from their ambuscaaes
IN the forests ana mountain passes
with unparalleled feroc:ty, frequently
surprising detaehments OF the regular
army and capturing their stores and
ammunition. The heroic deeds OF
General Castanos, the guerrilla com.
chief. were echoed through
out Europe, and it was we'll known
that he gave no quarter to French
prisoners. Therefore General Murar
could find no soldier tlesrous ofunler.
taking an erran1 so fraught with dan
ger.
In ms dilemma he sought the al.
vice OF Baron S.rosunolf. the Rassiaa
Emhnssadoy, who was friendly to the
French cause.
The baron, being we'll aware OF the
gravity OF the situation, deliberated
Tor several minutes; the result was
the following suggestion: "Senu one
OF your most reliable Polish laucers
III Russian nn;iorm," he said, with a
verbal message to oar admiral, now
In Lisbon harbor. He, in turn. will
communicate with ,Iunot without
arousinS the slightest suspicion Oh the
part OF the English. No doubt your
courier Will be arrest Cd as core OF times
en- rcU1e; but as mNcn;ntry has main
tanned neutra! Gro,ia,l thus; far, it is
not probable that the result will be
fatal. Castanos is too much OF Il dip.
lomat to risk the Gisplcasure OF Rus.
sia. and, by ohserv;n. the prone, eau
ton, it wlli not be difficult to deceive
him."
Genera! HIuiat was charmed with
this clever proposaiol ard at once
orde,ed the Captain III the Warsaw
L"ncers to select from his company q
brave, reliable fellow who could be
trusted to undertake. tile important
mission.
Early on lie following day. Liauten-
ant Lackinsky. IL young Poe, eighteen
years OF age, Sou9ht audience of the
French general. who explained the
nature of the service he required OF
the youth, without concealny the
perlls it would entail. Lnckinsky,
nothing daunted declared with Il con.
tcmptnous smile that he eagerly
awaited an opportunity to prove
how little he feared the gl,errillas, and
that he was prepared to set out at
once on his journey.
Pleased with the young Poles ell
thusiasm, as we'll as with his evident
desire to distinguish himself. the GEN.
eral repeated with precision the Mes
sage to be carried to Junot.
Baron S,roganoifs Russian dis
patches having been duly secured, the
courier started for the coast, COM
pletely armed. ana discussed in the
unifosm OF an officer O: the Cars
guard.
Nothing ci Importance occurred I'M
til the afternoon OF the second day,
when our hero entered a GeIiie in lie
mountains near Taiavera. BE had
not advanced more than quarter
o. IL mile when he was met by half /,
dozen glerrillas, who, without waiting
to pa,iey, roughly dragged him from
his horse, seized his weapons, and led
him to a chapel in n cave hard bv,
where he found himself face to face
with the terrible Castanos.
WHO are you?" asked the guerrilla
chief, in French, while he ansriIy
scrutnized the prisoner.
Alive to the danger OF his position
LackinslSy's heart failed him for an
instant, bUt, quickly recovern, his
presence Of mind, he fixed his eyes on
his interlocutor face with a mean
ins.ess stare. Presently he answered
In German: 81 DO not understand" "
Castanoa called one OF his officers,
and requested, i,iH to continue the
examination i'll the prisoners tongue
+ Observln. the utmost caution lest by
an lnadvertent expression ne might
betraf his knowledge OF E,rnch, the
Pole replied to all he officers u,les-
tlons either in Russian or German.
Durin. he examination tbs chaDe,
had become crowded with nnerrii.as,
attracted there hy u,ioSity and u
desire for excitement. Each bun. up
on the prisoners words. eager to de-
tect the slightest evidence OF deception
on his part.
Suddenly there was an interruption,
caused by the appearance OF Castancs,
leading by the arm Il peasant whom
he placed before the Pole, saying:
"Look carefully at this man. and tell
us whether he he Russian, German,
or as | strongly suspect. cursed
French spy
The peasant obeyed. and presently
replied, in IL loud, decided tone: "He
is disguised Frenchman. A few
weeks ago, when took load Of hay
to Madrid, this was the very officer
who signed my receipt"
Lackinsky betrayed no sign of fear,
and the expression of his countenance
did not vary, as he looked from one
to the other OF the excited soldiers
who surrounded him. They would
have torn him 70 pieces had not their
general, discouraged by the failure OF
his test. interfered.
"My friends" he loudly exclaimed,
''nothins is yet proved against our
Sprlsoner. and lie has certainly shown
beyond u doubt that he does not un
derstand French. This peasant might
easily make mistake, for it would be
difficult to recognize n man whom he
saw only once and then in q different
s,pif0rp1 from, rta r,na ha rnw wear.