The Dickinson press., 1892-12-31
Il shall 20 'orward." said Rachel, lilac
ing great cmlhasiS on the words.

['5LLLN N
HALF DREW HIS SWORD.
Then we will go together" answer
ed Ivan, scarcely less emphatically
the same air as YOU, and look upon
your lace sometimes" and then he added
with n concealed meaning, and Struggling
his shoulders with a Eonchalant air, land
who knows, since we 'annot live together,
we may die together
"r,rhap>," was Rachel's only answer.
Aud so. when the time came. they re
sumed their journey eastward. 1t was .
bright and glorious morning when the
bu les warned those who were al the roll
for the further march to fall in. so that
they might he mustered in the prison
| square.
1t was not a pleasant scene, when Nature
was full OF promise, and hope seemed TO
fill the air, TO seethat ragged, starved-look-
ing, while-iaccd crew gathered together in
the square, and 10 hear the harsh clankine
OF their chains whenever they moved; and
the extended double Gordon of soldiers
wit, loaded rifles Keeping v~isilant watch
and ward, and ready on the instant tc
speed a bullet after any man who might be
tempted in his despair to makea bid Tor
the freedom that the birds sang o.
Nature hcrselfwas singing apran of praise
To the Creator, but men made aftei
Gods W image were treating their fell
low-men worse than they would lave treat.
ed the beasts ofth fields.
When all were mustered, and the women
and children who were to &c forward had
been placed in one corner f the square.
with scntrieS guarding them. though lleav-
ell knows why. tile prison doctor and the
convoy officer began to weed ont the sick
and intirm in order that they might be con
veyed in the telagas.
One man. who looked wretchedly ill and
w%oe-hegonc, pleaded that he was unable to
walk, and begged to be allowed to ride.
This man wa. Paul petrovna. But his
prayer was unheeded, and when he bee me
more importunatc the officer. with all oath,
babe him hold his noise, threatening him
with the knout ii lie did not. Then. unable
ings, Catherine rushed from amongst the
women, and darting past the s%entries, she
flung herself at the ..otlicer's feet. and ex.
claimed:
"Be good to my Paul. In Gods name !
plead. Behold him. He is sick and i'll.
Look on his white face and sunken eyes. Il
you make him walk you will kill him, and
The officer, as he looked al
the knceiing, weeping woman, hal
drew his sword. l}ut thrrsting
it back in its scabbard again, he called out
llertely 10 ms SoiulerS:-
Take this raving idiot away"
And at this stern command two soldiers
hurried forward, and, without tile slightest
ceremony or ~compunctinn. they seized her
dragged her up, and with brutal rough
ness thrust her back amongst the women
For a moment Paul looked like a wild
fierce animal driven to bay and about to fly
at the hunters. But his eye caught Cathe'
rlne's eyes, and there was something i'll he
expression that restrained him. Ifthe Off
Ger OF the convoy, however, had rot beer
obtuse. he must have recognized That sh,
was Il lotent factor that would have 10 b,
reckoncd with, for the convulsive working
Of her hands, her closcly-set 'cclh, and til,
fearless, flashing eyes spoke too surely of
out and commit havoc. And presently
she whispered savayely to RACHEL
God iurgetmeitI forget this wrong"
And now. all being ready, every
man having answered to his name
the telagas titled with their load
OF suffering humanity. and the soldier
drawn up III marching ORDER, the. office
"Stroisa" CORN my Ready; march.
Then the clained convicts moved il
close column, thanked on either side by tn
soldiers The women who were able tt
walk ollowed; then came the telagas, AM
bringing up the rear were more soldier
uul 1 ctloSlid Nld lob lluct IOl dlo Iia
Catherine. But occasionally as they halte'
on the road Tor rest they were enabled t,
exchange IL few words, and Catherine bad
him be of good cheer, for all artel& woul,
Gan aItel is a secret union, formed wit
the vowed object OF carrying out some &C
OF vengeance. 1T will be explained NOR
FULLY later on.) be formed, and then I'll
hour of vengeance would strike. Pau
smiled grimly at thi>and he muttered i
response
'Ycs; there shall! be a day ofreckoning.
OF course Ivan AleXietf accompanied tn
party; and as he was under no restriction
save such as applied to every individua
found ample opportunity to converse wit
Rachel, and he renewed his protestations {
love. She no longer CHECKED him, n
longer told him there Guild be no rec
procity. She knew how useless it was t
do so. He would not be Influenced b
tried i'll vain to draw from her some e.
favor, he exclaimed:
"Ah, how cruel you are! What sacri
! fees would l not make for you, and we
you give me no sign that l MAY hope"
AS she turned and looked at him she lai,
, her hand upon his arm and said.
t all that l have suffered has mad
I me SO. You say you would max
any sacrifice Tor me. DO you remembe
: your oath in st. Petersburg?"
l 81 do"
"You promisedto make a sacrifice shoul
l demand"
n 81 did"
$ She turned away from him for a few mo
; ments as if some passing emotion had owe
= come her. And when she looked at hil
U again her eyes were moist, and, in asolem
tone, she said this to him
u Ivan AlcXietl, we are approaching til
end OF u long and trying journe.A al
9 about to enter upon another act OF the sti.
ring drama in which we have taken par
BEFORE 1t is too late, l would bcseech yo
d to accompany me no farther. l cannot
~ indifferent to your feelings, insenslble
your future happiHess; therefore it is that
le ask you now, plead to you, to leave M
le lest the sacrifice / may demand of yo
brings a curse upon both of us. Therefor
instead of sailing with us down the Amo,
to NikoluevSk. strike south, and in q lie
SIS days you can reach Nladivostock, ar
as thence proceed to any part you like"
We II should. indeed, be a poo
pt fool" he exclaimed, 'if, after all
r: have gone through and endured on yol
a, account, l turned craven now at the 10
ly hour and deserted you. No, Rachel, l {
on even though death, with uplitted spea
II, stands in my halfway. know not, CO
ne not, what the end is so long as l am wi
10 you. Perhaps this is madness; but if it
l prefer to remain mad rather than b
id come sane again.
ut must be SO; it must he SO then" 81
at murmured rather to herself than as if a
w ! dressing him, end signing deeply. Thu
- clio o1Gnl Att e., {nta n,,I tata So yot n