DeSoto times. (Hernando, Miss.) 1879-1898, 1890-03-20

stanko his face disfgured with a
hldeous sneer.
Toma' now thoroughly enraged, was
about to turn upon his rival, when
Mlnko lnterferod and restored peace.
Let there be no quarrelng," he said,
IN a conciliatory tone. ''The deed we
nave to-day committed was perhaps
rash and ill-considered, but it can't be
helped now, and we shall have to stand
together, and the best thing we can do
Is to consider how we car avert the evil
consequences Of our act. For when the
Aga is missed the Turks over yonder in
Trebinie will commence an investiga-
ton, and if they discover the real state
of the case We'll have to pay dearly
for it."
The long consultation which followed
brought the friends to no other conclu-
sion than to quietly await develop
ments.
The disappearance of the Aga was soon
remarked in Trebinie, and his friend
became uneasy Learning I'M neighbor-
ing village that he had set out for W.
1ece and had never returned the Turks
directed their march to that place. The
approach of one hundred troopers natu-
rally awakened the greatest alarm in
the hamlet. There was no doubt that
the Turks were coming to ayenge the
murdered Aga. The terrified villagers
were on the point of flying across the
Roumanian border, but MinkO urged
them rather to draw the Turks into am-
bush and receive them with bullets.
His counsel prevailed, anG all the able
bodied men in the place, about twenty
in number, hurried out to meet the
enemy,
About quarter of mile from the vii
lage the peasants secretGd themselves
behind the rocks which lined both sides
of the road, and, as the Turks APP
preached, opened upon them with a
deadly volley. Before the Moslems had
recovered from their astonishment the
Christians had reloaded and fired a
second time, then followed two yolleys
from their pistols and finally the attack
ing party rushed out from its ambush,
and with drawn scimitars tell upon the
thirty Turks who We're ye. able to fight,
In the hand-to-hand conflict which fol-
lowed our three friends fought side by
side. Toma, after cutting down three
of the Turks, was shot while closing
with the fourth. With secret Joy Stanko
saw him fall, for he was now rid of a
rival whom he had begun to fear. While
in this moment he thought of KOsara he
saw directly in front Of him Turk
springing forward to strike Minko from
the rear One quick blow from Stanko's
flashing steel and the Turk would have
fallen before he could accomplish his
deadly purpose, but Stanko never dealt
that blow He waited until the Moslem
had given kosara's father mortal
wound, and then avenged his comrades
death on the body of his destroyer
He glanced furtively around to see il
there had been any witness to his treach-
cry. aud breathed more freely when he
perceived that the few remaining Turks
had taken to fight and that the villagers
were all occupied in pursuit.
After a moments reflection Stanko
turned and hastcnCd back TO the village
and to Kosara.
"Where is my father" cried the girl
in an anxious voice.
Stanko forced his evil countenance
into a grimace, which he intended should
express deep sorrow, and sighed, IN re-
ply, ''Poor Kosara"
''Father's dead" shriclled the unfor-
tunate girl.
"He fell like hero after he had wit
messed the destruction of the enemy,
Kosara broke into hearS-rending la
mentations, and Liubica, sobbing bit
terlv. threw her arms around her elder
sister.
After pause Stanko continued; "He
died in my arms. We fought side by
side. Three times l parried the deadly
blows suspended over his head, but at
last wretch coming upon him from be-
hind cave him deadly wound, from
which | was unable to defend him. After
7 had struck down the murderer l bent
over your father, who thanked me with
his diving eyes and kissed me, saying:
Give this kiss to my dear kosara, ana
sall her it is my last wish that she take
YOU for a husband: and do you be to her
husband, father and protector. "
As he uttered these words Stanko
threw his arms about the weeping gIrl
and gave her the parental kiss with such
fire that Kosara tore herself III 'error
from his embrace.
The scales fell from her eyes IN
She remembered that her
father promised her that he would never
force her into marriage with any one
least of all with the man Stanko, Whom
he knew she thoroughly detested'
"You lie, miserable man. she crleo
in a storm of indignation. you nave
killed my father yourself, and now you
are trying to deceive me because you
think 7 am a forsaken, detenseless glrl,
dependent upon your protection l Will
find Others who will protect me 1roln
you" ,n ho,os on
Toma I shall have to destroy 0helil.
Toma fell few minutes before your
father breathed his last co4
..You probably killed him. 100 ueU
out of my sight and never dare TO CROSS
this threshold again
..1,rLot Won will not then be my