The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-24

hated uniform of the army of occupation.
Besides this. as l have said before, was
very romantic in those days, preferred
not to expose any fellow creatures To the
bullets and yata gans Of the dreaded Mon
tenegrins, who were known to be always in
ambush In the mountain passes.
After having succeeded 10 persuading the
general OF my perfect safety, l mounted my
black charger. Dare Devil and WIGS about
TO start of at brisk canter, when the dear
old gentleman, putting his band on the
pommel OF my saddle aud coming close TO
me, whispered: Take care, my child. It
would never do for you to be caught carry
ing dispatches" Taught gayly to reassure
him, but nevertheless / knew full well how
true his words were, for, indeed, it would
very likely mean death to me- The fact was
that, seeing me determined to ride back to
camp alone, the general, who felt certain
shat a woman protected by the "brassard"
of the Red Cross stood better chance of
passing uuharmed through the dehle than
any membec of his staff, had intEusted 10
me dispatch OF the utmost Importance. 1t
was written in cipher on tiny scrap OF
flimpsy paper, and, rolling it tightly, had
inserted it in the woodcock quill which was
so jauntily stuck in the band Of my military
cap.
As l rode along in gathering gloom I
glanced once or twice at the two revolvers
for was a neat shot and knew that was
perfectly capable of defending myself if
attacked. The trouble, however, was that
those terrible 'Montenegrins lay In hiding
behind jutting rocks, and that their mode
OF procedure consisted in shooting the unsus
pecting travellers who ventured the mounts
ain passes like SO manyFabbits in q warren,
or sometimes in swiftly pouncing upon
them from their places of copcealment aud
making them prisoners before they had time
TO defend themselves.
The road was frghtfully rough and IN
even, for it was nothing else than the dried
up bed OF mountain torrent. full Of sharp
stones and bits or yellow quartz. l picked
my way carefully in the fast decreasing
evening light, much to the disgust of my
fretful young horse, who curveted from side
to side In a most uncomfortable manner.
Fortunately, as l reached the beginning of
the defle, the moon, like a huge silver
lamp, rose from behind the mountains,
lighting up the path with dazzling brill
fancy, but leaving the steep rock walls and
densely wooded precipitous slopes on both
sides in inky darkness. The road was less
difficult now, but could not take avail of
this favorable circumstance to give my i'm
patient horse his head, for 1 realized that
should any Montsnegrins be lying in wait
behind these dark ramparts anything like
fight on my part would surely hasten my
fate
Never had 1 before this noticed how loud
a noise is produced by the hoofs of horse
on hard ground. 1t seemed to me as IL all
the mountain echoes had been Weakened
by Dare Devils really elastic step; again
and again peered first on one side and
then on the other, imagining that this un-
earthly ra-ta-ta would at every moment
bring something peculiarly undesirable
about my ears. L can never say that was
precisely frightened. l never was much of
a coward, but felt a certain tigh tening
around the heart which l scorned and for
which was very angry. with myself.
had reached the middle of the pass,
which was very narrow at that point, and
/ was beginning to think that nothing was
likely to happen to me after all, when,
without the slightest warning, four gigantic
figures rushed upon me, two from each side
of the pass. and before L could even dream
of selling my revolvers Dare Devil had
been brought 70 a sudden and most dis
agreeable standstin by an iron grip, and
myself felt that both my hands were being
dexterously tied behind my back. This
was a shame indeed for so brave little
soldier in pettlcoats as l fondiy imagined
myself to be, and at the consciousness of
the indignity to whi:h l was being sub
jected all my courage revived. Luckily l
spoke half dozen dialects of this part OF
the world well enough to make myself IN
derstood
"What do you mean by making a woman
prisonerp cried l. Then as it flashed upon
me that my address was hardly Of Q con-
ciliatory nature, l added more gently:
''Since when have the brave sons Of Monte
negro sunk so low as to go to war with
girls" The moon shone so brightly that
could see a smile flicker on the superblY
handsome bronzed features OF the huge fell
low who was holding on to Dare DEVILS
bride.
eve do not wish to harm you, he replied
very softly, provided you mean no tricks"
"Tricksw exclaimed indignantly. Fine
tricks am able to play when you have be-
gun by putting me horse de combat. Shame
on you'll DON'T you see the red cross on my
arms lam" Here l slightly hesitated.
81 am sort Of Sister of Mercy-do you
understand And many are the men of
your race whom l have nursed back to
health during the last few months"
1--WE know it WELL and also that you are
Prin cess F., wife Of the commander Of
those devils OF White Lancers down yonder
We are not ungratetul for what you have
done, and if you are ready to swear that
you are carrying no dispatches, we will take
your word for 1t and let you go free; other
WISE" continued the man, who seemed,
Judging by his gorgeous costume, to be a
chief, I'VE will make you prisoner in good
earnest, and" he finished his sentence
with gesture by no means reassuring.
This was a pretty mess, foPsooth! | col
leeted my wits as best could and, glaring
furiously at him, I replied, drawing myself
up 80 far as my pinioned arms would allow
me to do: " refuse TO answer your impu-
dent question. If you think that am
likely object to be iutrusted with dispatches,
execute your threats make me q prisoner;
it will be an easy job and glorious vic
tory r'-this with a derisive laugh. Search
mel kill me if SO be your pleasure, bait pray
put an end to this disgraceful scene"
A queer little creature l must have looked
on my struggling sUeed, with my short
scarlet kilt, spurred boots, white doIman
and dashing military cap, through which
the ominous wookcock's quill seemed to
burn hole into my thick crop of short
curls! My captors looked at me for a mo-
ment. then at each other. They were a
long time making up their miuds-at least.
it Appeared so to me. Finally, at a sign
from my interlocutor, one OF them united
my hands.
you are right, princess. we do not fight
women, >" said he, barring his head, land es-
pecially not whom they are brave like you.
Go in peace. Had you been afraid of US,
things would have turned out differently;
but we admire virtue Of which above ali
others, we pride ourselves. This pass is not
.. A.l