The Yale expositor., 1894-09-21
A SENTRY'S LOVE.

been found guilty of the crime of aid
ing the escape of prisoner No. go
from the mine of Gorkaya-Balka. Be
fore sentence is passed the court de-
sires to hear from you your version of
the circumstances of the prisoners es-
cape, and the motives which induced
you to be false to the trust imposed on
you. We understand that you dispute
the correctness of some of the wit
nesses' statements. We warn you to
speak the strict truth. Stand at at
tention."
AS the president finished. n slim
young fellow, standing between two
glittering bayonets, drew himself up to
attention." glanced at the spectators
and faced the court.
Go on" said the president.
Your EXcellency," began the sol
dier. II don't want mercy, and L don't
expect it; but you have asked me to
tell the truth. and 1 will tell it. 1t was
on Saturday night, showing hard and
bitterly cold. Sergeant Petron march
ed me up to the entrance OF Gorkaya-
BallSa mine and l relieved the sentry
on duty there. | was TO remain until
midnight, and l received the usual
orders to stop anyone who tried TO
enter or leave the gallery. and TO shoot
them if they persisted. / was Shiver-
ing with cold, and kept tramping about
in front of the entrance to keep warm.
After the barrack clock had struck 10,
j noticed some one crouching in the
shadow of the old toOl-house-a woman,
/ thought. Ii seemed darker there than
out in the open. The snow was driv-
ing in my face. | felt queer and timid
that night. Turning sharply round at
the end of my beat farthest from the
house, / saw approaching me the figure
of Il woman in black. l got opposite
the entry into the gallery, and stood
silent. i don't know why | felt scared.
There was nJ one else about or nearer
than the Overseer's house She came
swiftly over the snow, and her face
was covered with Il veil. l couldn't
speak; il was as if my tongue was
frozen. She put her hands on my
shoulders, and looked up into my face"
What was she like" demanded the
president
Your excelency, l cannot describe
her. l only saw her eyes, then, and
they were on fire and went right
straight through me. She told me
much that i can not recall, for l was
looking. not listening. But at last l
understood her to be talking of her
brother in the mine. She said she had
had come all the way from Russia to
see him, and that he was dying.
she said that if wauld let her into
the mine for a few minutes she would
always pray for me- and devote her
whole life to make me happy.
Her great black eyes bewitchcd me,
and | believed her l said nothing,
but pointed TO the mine. and in mo-
mcnt she had fed into the dark open
Ing to the gallery. / never thought Of
what l was doing. l was dazed and
stood stock still, and the snow kept
falling all the time, and the night was
growing darker. l had my eyes fixed
on the entrance, and saw the figure
emerge ana run toward me-
Soldier she said, YOU have made
me happy for life. Make yourself
happy and fly with us. Let my bro
ther pass. will lead you and him
TO Il place where we will be happy to-
gCTher Re good Ia me, soldier.
and l will give YOU all you ask from
you and die for You
Don't smile, EXcellency. l was in
toXicated with her words. / believed
her. Her arms were around my neck,
and her face was lovely ms the Madon-
mas. l seized my rifle and flung it
with all my strength out into the snow.
She put a file into my hands and
followed her to the gallery. There
the darkness was thicker still, but we
gropcd our way to where a man stood
chained 10 Il thick wooden stanchion.
/ knew what / had to do. The man
said nothing but the woman kissed
me-kissed me, EXcellency, So | work
cd like madman RE was soon free.
We reached the entrance as the bar
racks clock was striking II. There
was Il whole hour yet before the guard
would be changed. We ran through
the little wood and crossed the frozen
river, and away beyond n wide, open
space, where the snow was very deep.
we entered the pine woods
The woman knew where she was
Seading us, for we came to n hut where
&e found clothes and food. / buried
my uniform in the snow All that
night we moved rapidly through the
WOot'%, HdfulN SpSlhliis W Ohc NhOili'l
at FIRST. But the man and woman went
IA In front, walking arm in arm, and
often they kissed one another, Laughing
and crying in turns. When l was
close to them they sometimes spoke
French. AS soon as It was light
never let my eyes leave her face Her
eyes were large and dark, but her hair
was like gold and hung down her back
wet on her black cloak"
stand ut attention. sir;' said the
president, sharply.
The prisoner stood erect again S1d
resumed his story.
THE morning was clear and frosty.
The man had fallen several times dur
ing the night. His strength was gone.
j saw he was pale as death, and blood
oozed from his mouth. The woman
grew frautic with fear that he would
be caught The man. however. could
20 10 ft:rthcr He lay down on the
snow just us we were leaving the
woods and coming ont on the sterpe.
l thought lie would have died. l took
him in my arms and carried him verst