The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-07-16

''They must be arrested at all haz
ards!' he cried. "They left st. Peters
burg with forged passports. 1t was dis
covered only yesterday"
and who are these mem" asked.
"They are Shamerin and Kharkoff +,
replied the messenger, ''the assassins q,
Gen. Orloy."
1t was of grave Importance, indeed
that they should be captured. and mount.
ing in haste we dashed awav at full
speed, leaving the cars messenger to
ENJOY the comforts of the station, for he
had been riding all night and badly
needed rest.
Our course led eastward to the Vistula
ana then turned off to the south, follow
ing rugged and little travelled road
through the hills, which led eventually
TO another bridge over the Vistula, some
twenty miles further down the stream.
1t was bad enough for horseman; for a
sleigh it was terrible.
rode in advance, side by side with
Capt. Karaman, the commander of the
Cossacks.
We Numbered at headlong speed over
the frozen ground, sure Of our prey-for
on the road before us, fast freezing up
in the morning air, were the tracks of
hoof and runner imprinted in the slush.
AT intervals through the hill gaps we
caught sight of the Vistula, a turbid,
yellow mass, swirling past with its bur
den of floating ice.
We must travel still faster. The up-
per bridge was heavier, more solid
structure, little likely to be carried off
by even such food as this. We must
overtake them before they reached it.
We drove the spurs into our painting
horses and the forest and barren hill
sides shot past us in one flying piano.
rama as we galloped like the wind over
the frozen ground, rounding bend after
bend, only to see the same empty, gilt
tering stretch of road fading in mock
cry into the frosty atmosphere.
Furlong on furlong, mile after mile.
and still they kept ahead with speed
that seemed incredible.
'Lookr' cried Capt. Karaman under
his frosted beard. '',The tracks are still
soft. We shall soon see them"
Struggling houses came in sight, and
the people ran to their doors in wonder
as we swept past like whirlwind-Kara-
mans Cossacks Of the Volga, somber and
stern in their great black cloaks and
shakos; my dragons a trifie more pictur-
esque, with their green uniforms and
waving plumes.
We galloped through the little village
of Kaban-only five miles now to the
bridge-and as we swept round the brow
of hill in the distance we saw black
speck on the frozen road.
Even as Karaman pointed it out it
vanished over a ridge. We Numbered on
in hot pursuit, losing sight of it some
times, but all the while steadily gaining,
until, from vague dark object, it as
sumed shape and form, and we could
plainly make out asleigh and two horses.
With fierce joy saw it drawing closer
and closer. They were lashing the horses
with furious desperation, but the poor
brutes were fast giving out.
Barely quarter of mile lay between
US now, and that distance was diminish
ing very sapidly. We were going down
a gentle slope, when suddenly Capt.
Karaman cried: "The bridge! Do you
see the bridget"
Crossing the road far ahead of us was
a cleaning bit of water spanned by a
narrow wooden bridge. It was not the
Vistula. but a puny mountain stream
one or the tributaries of the Vistula
whose existence had forgotten.
1t was possible, I thought, to overtake
the assassins before they could reach it;
and even if we failed it mattered little,
for the Vistula was still mile or more
away. We swept over the icy ground at
dangerous speed, and felt like shout
ing out with triumph, for the sleigh was
running slower and slower and the capt
ure of the men seemed certain.
l called to them to surrender, but they
made no reply, though they must have
seen how hopeless their situation was.
The bridge was very close now, and 1
saw at glance that it was giving way,
for the stream was high and swollen,
and great cakes of ice were crushing
against the wooden piles.
"Look out, they are going to fire."
cried Karaman, suddenly And as he
spoke the smooth faced man half rose in
his seat and, turning round, pointed a
gun directly at us. l heard the report
and felt the whiz of the bullet past my
ear. Then came puff of white smoke
and a second shot; and with cry Of
pain the Cossack behind me sprang up
from his saddle and rolled down on the
icy road, while his riderless horse reared
with fright.
''The scoundrels" Kissed Karaman
through his set teeth. ''If we only dared
fire on themw
But this was exactly what we dared
not do. They must be taken alive at all
hazards. In the excitement l had for
gotten all about the bridge, and closing
up we dashed on in rapid pursuit.
The assassins had nearly reached the
edge of the stream now. The bearded
man was plying the whip savagely. and
his companion was standing, gun in
hand, holding his fire apparently until
we should come little nearer.
Faster and faster-and now the stream
was before us, raging, roaring torrent,
flashing by with terrible velocity, and
still the fugitives madly dashed their
jaded horses.
An instant more and the panic strick-
en- brutes dashed upon the swaying.
trembling structure; and then, with a
mighty crash and binding cloud Of
spray and snow, bridge, sleigh and all
crumbled into the torrent; and with a
terrible effort we checked our trembling
horses on the very brink
For moment l could see nothing,
and then Karaman pointed out the two
assassins huddled together on a great
cake of ice that was whirling rapidly
down the stream. The horses and sleigh
were nowhere to be seen.
A peasant was speedily found who led
us through the forest to the shores Of
the Vistula, at a point close to the
mouth of the tributary stream.
On the other side rose the Austrian
military station, but no trace of the as
sassins could be discovered; and, from
the swollen condition of the river,
believed it impossible that they could
have been saved. Capt. Karaman was
of the same opinion, so we gave up the
search, and rode back to the station. The
cossack who had been shot was not IA
tally injured, and gave promise of re-
covering in few weeks.
| made out my report and forwarded