The herald., 1893-09-03
THE COURIER.

| George will adorn your breast Now go.
and God be with you in all your perils. y
The young courier knelt and swore to
protect the life of the czar with his own,
and then he pushed the curtain aside,
leaving the general alone.
The evening was fair, cold and beau
tiful. AS the general leaned from the
balcony Of the palace he Thought what q
farce this ball was when his heart was
full of terror for the czar and all Russia.
In the adjoining room, near marble
pillar, stood young girl covered with
magnificent satin and jewels. Looking
at her with flashing eyes was man of
about 40, with coal black hair and cruel
expression.
"Nodine, this must be your work"
She shivered as he spoke, but Otaroff,
the traitor, had no mercy.
"And to it at once!" he said.
"What is my task?" she asked him, and
again she shivered.
San easy one, my beautiful queen.
Merely to throw yourself in his way, and
this courier will forget the czar and all
Russia"
II doubt it," she answered.
"You must not doubt it," he cried
fiercely and held her wrist SO tightly that
the pain made her face white to the very
lips.
sour scheme must go through this
time, and the courier will arrive too late.
You hear, my beautiful daughter?"
81 hear YOU" she answered and
wrenched her wrist from his grasp.
"But. father" she said pleadingly,
"you have never used me as decoy be-
fore. Oh, beg of you not to do it nowl
cannot do it. cannot"
"Foolr' he Missed at her. "You little
know your power. With your beauty
you can do anything"
"And would you sell it?" she asked.
He hesitated, then said:
eyes, for the cause"
"You are strange father" she said
slowly, looking at him with no spark of
love in her eyes, "but may prove traitor
too. What, then, father?"
He bent his head and whispered in her
ear. II will shoot you, my beautiful
queen; SO take care. For the first time
tonight doubt you, but tits an insane
idea. Go into the ballroom and dance
an hour, then return to your house and
prepare for your journey"
She went from him down the marble
steps into the room beyond and never
once looked back. Her heart was sad
and heavy. Many noticed the beautiful
woman, but wondered why her face was
I so tragic.
1t was about the next night after the
ball when the courier of the czar arrived
at the first posthouse and asked for a
change of horses.
"Stop little?" asked the worthy post
master.
mo-" answered the courier in tone
which silenced all other questions.
81 want horses and nothing else."
The Russian looked with much admi-
ration on this taA courier and speedily
went for them. With clap of the whip
the tarantass was off, and the little Rus
sian was alone, but not for long. Down
the road he saw another tarantass COM
ing at breakneck speed. "Ah, perhaps
they will stop" he said to himself. The
little man had to flee for his life, for the
horses dashed on, and he only caught
sight of very beautiful face in red
hood.
A dreadful storm broke upon the night,
and in the darkness flying tarantass
dashed blythe one occupied by the cou-
rier. "Some one else in this dreadful
Storm" thought he. "God help them. "
When the first dawn Of day came, the
rain had ceased, and they were almost
past the dangers. In the middle of the
road lay the figure of o woman, and
the horses almost ran over her.
''She is deadp cried the courier as he
laid his hand upon her heart. mo; she
lives. I cannot see mortal die like
this" So with the help of the driver,
he carried her to the tarantass and laid
her gently down. There he sat, looking
at the girls pale face and wondering
what he should do with her.
Suddenly she opened her large, dark
eyes and gazed into his face. Her Won
drous beauty captivated him, and he
forgot to ask her if she was hurt. He
only gazed and said nothing.
"You are courierr she asked at
length.
"No; am captain of the Fourteenth
guards And your"
II am going to meet my father at
Isham," she answered. Her voice was
wonderfully low and sweet, and he be-
lieved all she told him.
They journeyed on together, and the
time sped rapidly away.
At last they reached Isham, and the
girl looked for her father, but of course
he was not there. She burst into tears
and would not be consoled An officer
had taken the last horses an hour before,
and our hero had so wait for his own to
rest.
In the meantime Nodine, for it was
she, wove q subtle charm around the
courier. He was not proof against the
glances from her splendid, half yelled
eyes. Her red lips seemed to say, Come
and kiss me-" Her voice, her smile
seemed to make the air he breathed de-
Iightful, and his nerves thrilled with
Joy. How could he help loving herr
Seeing her in all the glory Of her youth
and beauty, he forgot the czar and all
Russia.
They were standing beside high rock,
and with an impulse prompted by his
great.passion he knelt at her feet, kissing