National Baptist world., 1894-09-14

another at first. But the men and
woman went on in front, walking arm
in arm, and often they kissed one
another, laughing and crying in turns.
When was close to them they some
times 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 at attention. sir!'' said the
president, sharply.
The prisoner stood erect again and
resumed his story.
THE morning was clear and frosty.
The man had fallen several times dur
/ saw he was as pale as death, and
blood oozed from his mouth. The
woman grew frantic with fear that he
would be caught. The man, however,
could go no further. He lay down on
the snow, just as we were leaving the
woods and coming out on the steppe.
I thought he would have died. / took
after verst until my strength was gone,
and | felt fever coming over me. But
the woman never noticed me, and
once or twice, when ! turned to look
at her from under my burden, I saw
that her eyes were fixed on the face Of
the man | carried. | could hold out
no longer. I fell on the snow and
tainted. How long ] lay there [ can
not say. Whether or not | dreamed
I am unable to tell the court. don t
think it could have been a dream.
thought / saw troika come noise
lessly over the snow and heard the
breathing Of horses"
do you mean to tell the court this
was dream? Can you give no further
particulars about the troika or its
driver?" interrupted the president.
No, your excellency: the horses
were black. l thought, and l know
their eyes shone brightly; the sledge
also seemed to be black. 1t came 81
lently, it went away with gently-ring
ing bells, like silver bells. When |
came to my senses it was showing
hard. The wet flakes woke me, !
think. I gazed around me on all sides.
I was alone l thought Of my dream.
There were no hOOf marks, no traces
of sledge runners, nothing but the
level, trackless snow. Perhaps the
show had filled up the track, perhaps
perhaps there was some other rea-
son. Your excellency, l felt myself
forsaken. ] could not understand it.
! was mad and cried aloud. Suddenly
I noticed, pinned to my coat, scrap
of paper with pencil writing on it. 1t
was taken from Inc when | gave my
self up, but I'll never forget the words:
We cannot take you with us further.
Save yourself as best you can. My
husband and will always pray for you.
Oh, excellency, / saw it all then and
sat down in the snow and wept and
cursed / loved that woman. Yes,
was a fool"
And a traitor" interpolated the
president, scOwling
And a traitor, if your excellency
says so. but I did not think of that
then. | thought only of my love, OF
how I had been betrayed, Of my hurt
pride. Your excellency knows the
rest"
THE sentence Of the court is that
Private TrOfm StOyan take the place
of the escaped prisoner in the mine at
Gorkaya He will remain there
during the pleasure of his imperial
majestry."
That evening the young soldier was
chained to the stanchion.
Three years later man and a woman
on Ellis island suddenly encounter
each other.
She starts and gasps:
The soldier!'
NHi&a he eXclaims;
THE womanr'
There is no time for more. She has
passed the inspectors and hurried tC
the little steamer that is to convey her
to New York. He is pushed back, for
the inspectors may not reach his case
for a day or two.
But be lands at last. Where shall he
find her? He finds employment, and
then for six months spends all his leis-