The Press., 1893-09-21
ALBA.


 A swirl of snow from the mountain side blinded the eyes of the convicts, and they wearily begged to be allowed to rest, but were told roughly to push on. Ragged and worn, the poor wom- en, who had left home and country to follow their exiled husbands, hugged puny, crying babes to their chilled bos- pms and dragged on resolutely. A pit iful sight, truly! Men and women, many of them reared in luxury, were now forced to march day after day in the most indictment weather, with scant clothing and only the poorest foods-a black bread made from the sweepings of mills. Even pebbles and other refuse formed the greater part of the ingredi- ents With this bread they were al- lowed cupful of water. That was all! | One of the convicts, a lad of IF, whose handsome face was smirched with blood from wound on his broad forehead, caused by blow from the fist of one of the guards, leaned wearily on the "var- pak" on his left, to whom he was chained. The chain depending from his right hand and attached to his foot seemed unusu- ally heavy, for he was weak from loss of blood, but kick from the guard nearest him forced him to make desperate eff fort to push on. His glossy black hair fell in matted locks over his brow. Doubtless his rank had induced the au- thorities to show him some marks of fa- yor, for he was more warmly clad than his fellow convicts, and his head had not been shayen. His face gleamed pale in the suns rays, but it aroused no pity in the hearts of the inhuman guards.
 Ivan Smoloff, the youngest convict in this detachment, was descendant of a royal family of Poland, now under the stern despotism of Russia. He had at tempted with small band of followers to defend his country against the Rus sian forces, but the courage of his coun- trymen soon weakened, and after the burning of Warsaw they gave up all hope. The emperor, fearing another out break from this fiery young nobleman, ordered his arrest and his exile to Si- beria. Hearing of this, young Smolof escaped to Germany, wandering over the continent for eight weary weeks, only to be captured at last and exiled. No fare well word with mother, sisters or sweet heart; no last look at his old home. Hurried off like common criminal for defending his country!
 q cannot go farther" These words force themselves to his lips, and he sinks down, dragging his comrade with him. The guards swear at him, kick him, and finally order him to be stripped and beaten. The women shriek with terror and cover their eyes, but the sounds of the lash ring in their ears, and long after the tortured youths lips cease to move they can hear his piteous cries. At last the quivering flesh is hastily covered with the coarse clothing, and he is chained again and told to move on.
 ''You have knife on your watch chain; sever the veins in your wrist and put an end to your sufferings," whispers the convict on his right.
 q cannot" he answers feebly. "I cannot take my own life."
 Better to be dead than suffer this liv- ing deathl Give me the knife; Twill soon put an end to my misery"
 Smolof detaches the tiny knife and gives it to the half maddened creature, who surreptitiously sewers an artery in his wrist and bravely bears up until forced to fall from exhaustion. The or der is given to fire, and all is over. An other convict is chained to Smoloff, and they move on.
 Ivan Smoloff envied the dead ''varnak" and silently prayed for death. It was we'll nigh impossible to add Eff it be thy will" There was no escape but by death. He had thought of many ways. Even if he could elude the vigilance of the guards he dared not hope to get out of the country, for the natives were paid rubles head for every ''varnak."
 At Tiumen the convicts were crowded into barge and carried across the Obi. As they neared Tomolslz, Smoloff was suffering excruciating pain, and in a frenzied moment twisted the chain which bound him to the next ''varnak'' and ran few paces. The cold air blew his hair from his forehead and sent the young blood coursing through bis body. He was free, if only for one moment! Running with all the strength he could command, he strained his ear to catch the order to fire.
 "One, two, three-firer' Six shots rang out on the wintry air. Then three more were dispatched at the prostrate body. One guard went up and kicked the stiff fening form outlined on the snow. Right about! Marchv' And they were gone.
 Night fell, and the stars came out one by one and blinked at the prostrate fig. tIo fo blood crimsoning the snow, and then beckoned the moon to see the pitifu] sight.
 x < Alba Senref, princess of Arnak, was considered proud and cold by strangers, but they little knew the tenderness of the young princess heart. Pledged from childhood to Ivan Smolof, only son of the royal house of Poland, she had lay. ished all her young love on her future lord. When the news of his banishment reached her, she did not faint as his mother did. They were at brilliant ball. The order was immediately given to drive home. Then with pale lips and white, drawn face Alba sat down beside her fire and tried to devise some means of escape for her lover.
 All night long she paced her room thinking, thinking, thinkingi She must do something. Six o'clock struck, and still no plan was made by which she could help him. Sinking on her knees she prayed for help. The servant, enter ing an hour later, found her asleep She seemed dazed when awakened. Then she said.