The old Abe eagle., 1894-02-15

tUCCn IUTd8 ana nun.
my poor girl" he said smiling as he
drew out his handkerchief, "a couple OF
shots from that practiced hand would kill
you both"
at may be so," faltered as sank into
a chair overcome with sense of my help
lessness. But he shall kill me first, please
God"
He knitted his brows and turned away
wiplng his hands with the handkerchief as
If they were wet When he turned again
there was perspiration on his brow.
"You talk of death, he said, "as If there
was no chance of escape, no hope Of happi
ness In all the years before you."
There ia no chance of escape If what you
say is true; no hope of happiness If Taras Is
taken from me. It's useless to 90 on talk
ing Do you think I'd give in at the first
sight OF danger2 Not l. I've got to think
how Pm to face this other man now"
"Some way of getting out of the difficult
ty," he repeated In slow, reflective tone,
and then he added eagerly, "Who knows
but that your woman wit might find an
outlet where my senses are at faultf Why
should not we-you and try to devise
some scheme by which we may outwit the
police, Rudersdorf, the whole lot2"
regarded finn with mistrist, his eager.
ness, some crafty expression In his half
closed eyes, quickening my suspicious,
slough these signs were not inconsistent
with an ardent wish to save Taras by de
| ceiving his enemies.
I'VE will see what Taras says"
Great heavent' he exclaimed, with ex-
treme agitation. "Taras must never hear
a word of what has happened tonight. II
you will not promise me that upon your
oath, LIP
| A look Of dismay-aq quick outward move
ment with his trembling hands, as If he
were abandoning everything the
sentence which his lips seemed powerless &c
finish.
"If am to believe you," said after q
minutes reflection, "Taras will believe
you, and IL what you have told me is not Q
lie he will forgive you"
II do not doubt that. His faith is great
er than yours. But 1t Is his duty to report
this to the society, and because it is Il dut!
he will do it, despite the mercy in his heart
The society will judge me by the letter o
the law, and my sentence will be death
This IL what exposed myself to by the at
tempt to save Taras from the hand of Ru
dersdorf This is the fate to which yot
condemn me the moment you betray th
secret have given you. You are bound Il
respect that"
~ secretl have promised nothing.
did not ask you to confess, and nothing
binds me to conceal your explanation"
"You forced me to explain-to confes
everything-to rely upon your feeling 70
TaraS, II not on your mercy, for maj
whose judgment has been betrayed by Al
excess of affection-the moment yol
stopped me, and there WIS question of you
charging me with an indictable ofIense
J The merest rumor would suffice to dra,
down the vengeance of the society upo
me- You must promise to keep my secret
IF cannot promise"-
"'rhen ! must leave the country befor
you can betray me- My life will not b
safe here for another day. You force m
to abandon Taras, and you take upon youl
self all responsibility for what befalls hir
after. This Is what will follow. Whe
the police at st. Petersburg discover wha
has happened-and the telegraph will tax
! the news within few hours Of my flight
Rudersdorf will be dispatched to Oil m
place, and all the precautions you ma
! take will fail to ward of the blow whic
| his relentless hand will surely strlk,
Within week-aye, less than that-Tarf
will he n dead man, and you Will have
! answer TO God for his death"
. IL was now who trembled.