The Republican., 1893-12-07

opened my eyes Perhaps he h,s4 an
tended to rob me just like the dead
Turk, and If I had not regained con-
scionsness he would have robbed me
and left me to die alone in the road,
abandoned to the tender mercies of the
hyenas and the jackals.
And here l was tied to this man, and
our lives hung on the same thread
knew he was walking by my side.
could not see his face, but felt sure it
was horrible to look at He said he
knew that he had done wrong, and his
voice sounded sad; but l do not think
he was penitent for his sin. He may
merely have said so because he thought
that God had punished him now that
he had lost his way, but if he had not
lost it he might not have even given it
a thought.
"Hush! Stop!" suddenly whispered
the Cossack, interrupting my medita-
tions
what is it?" / asked, feeling scared.
| There are people here" he whis-
pered again "Do you not see that fire
over there? 1t must be bivouac."
Let us go there quickly"
stop, stop! Supposing it is Turk
ish post? Yes it is as thought-they
are Baschi-Bazoulxs."
could feel the blood freezing in my
veins.
What makes you think SOP" said l,
hardly daring to breathe.
II can tell what they are by certain
signs. What terribly bad lSieSswe
have. Get down quietly-I want to
kill the horse"
why should You kill itp" l asked,
wonderingly, at the same time dis
mounting.
Because he is still young, and sup
posing he were to neigh, why, we
should be lost" he explained, while he
helped me to get down.
"Who knowsp They may not be
Turks after all" said. trying to reas-
sure myself.
God grant it, only fear am right"
AT this juncture a loud neighing was
heard coming from the direction where
we had seen the fire. The Cossack
sprang like cat at the throat of his
steed, but just as he was going to cut it
the brute whinnied loudly and merrily
in answer. l sank down on the turf
helpless, while the Cossack remained
standing, with his hand raised as If he
had been turned to stone.
He has ruined us, confound the
brute" hissed he, angrily, between his
teeth.
what shall we do now?" asked l.
| He thought for a second, and then
said-speaking quickly, like one who
has no time to lose:
Listen to me. We shall be discov-
cred all the same whether they are
friends or foes. l have sinned and
must answer for my sin. Why should
we both perish If God will save you?
You hide here among the bushes and
keep perfectly quiet, while go straight
up to them with my horse. If they are
friends we shall come back for you, but
if they are foes-why, then, pray for
my soul, for am dead man."
"But couldn't we escape together?"
"Escape-where to, pray? They are
going to surround us presently. can
see them stirring already. If they see
me alone with my horse they will never
search for you. / shall tell them that
am all alone You wait here, and when
all is quiet creep back as far as you can
go-they are coming up-there they are
we have stumbled on an outpost.
Listenv He quickly drew from his
pocket and handed to me several gold
pieces. II found this money on him.
| 1, Il lot III
you the whole truth. He was alive
wounded, but still alive. He struggled
desperately, and that was how lost
my bearings; not when | found you.
Pray for me, won't you? Farewell,
carine! My name is Nicodyme. The
Lord grant that you may safely get
away from here, while / suffer for my
sin. Try to find my regiment ard tell
the men it is the" But he could not
go on, for the enemy was coming down
quickly upon us, and after repeating
once more in a whisper: pray for Mic
odyme," he took his horse by the bride
and went boldly up to meet the men on
horseback who were drawing near.
heard loud call-but it was in q
strange tongue-not in Russian. We
had evidently been surrounded, for
saw soon after two soldiers on horse
back riding past me in the direction of
the fire.
After waiting for long while l
crept back, straining the little strength
l had left to get as far as possible,
but do not know how far succeeded.
Two weeks later l awoke to con-
sciousness in the hospital. where l
learnt that had been picked Np the
next day by our battalion, which hav-
ing been joined by fresh forces on that
fearful night drove the enemy back
into the depths of Turkey
In two months l was once more at
home in Russia, in the bosom of my
family The gold pieces which / had
received from the Cossack were duly
handed over by me to the fund for
soldiers widows and orphans and my
dear mother still prays for the soul of
Nicodyme, the servant of God, al
though we do not know what NAV
have been his fate.
/ Where are you now, my Cossack? If
you are still alive, answer me.