The morning call., 1895-01-13

Perhaus he had intended o rob me Just IKE
the dead Turk, and if | had not regalned
consciousness he would nave Iopoe Gu me
and left me to die alone in the road, abaD-
doned to the tender mercles Oh lne nyehaS
and the jackals.
And here | was. tied to this man.. and
orr lives hung on the same thread knew
he was walking by my side. L conid not
see his face, but felt sure II was nofriDie
to look at. He said be knew that ne nao
done wrong. and his voice soundeu eau
but do not think he was penitent LOT MS
sin. He may merely have said so because
he thought that God had punlsneu Nun
now that he had lost his way, but II ne
had not lost it be might not have even
given il a thought.
"Hushl Stopp' suddenly whispered the
Cossack. lnlerrupting my meGitations.
what Is it?' l asked, feeling scared.
"There are people here" he whispered
again.
"Do you not see that fire over there? 1t
must be bivouae."
LET us go there quickly"
"Stop, stop! SuppOsing it is a Turkish
post? Yes, 1t is as [ thought-they are
Baschi- Bazouks."
/ could feel the blood freezing in my
veins. o.,
! hardly daring to breathe.
81 can tell what they are by certain
signs. What terribly bad luck we have.
Get down quietly want to kill the
horse." ~
wonderingly. at the same time dis
mounting. 49,
because he is still young, and sup
posing he were to neigh, why, we should
be lost" he explained. while be helped me
! to get down.
"Who knowsp They may not be Turks
arter al.'' / said, trying to reassure my
self.
"God grant it, only / fear l am right"
At this juncture loud neighing was
heard coming from the direction where he
had seen the fire. The Cossack sprang
| like cat at the throat of his steed. but just
as be was going to cut it the brute whln-
MED loudly and merrily in answer. /
sank down on the turf helpless, while
the Cossack remained standing with his
hand raised as If he had been turned to
stone.
"Re has ruined us-confound the BRUTE"
Kissed he angrily between his teeth.
"What shall we do now? asked /.
He thought for second, and then said
speaking quickly, like one who has no
time to lose
Listen to me. We shall be discovered
all the same whether they are friends or
foes. / 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 il they are foes-why, then, pray
for my soul, for a m dead man."
but couldn't we escape toge bel? ?"
'sEseape-where to, pray? They are go
ing 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 l 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 aTe-we have SUM led OF an
outpost. Listen!" He quickly drew from
his pocket and handed me several gold
pieces. Il fouD0 this money on him. Do
With it what you like | must tell you the
whole truth. He was aive-wounded, but
still alive. He struggled desperately. and
that is how lost my bearings; not when
! found you. Pray for me. won't you
The Lord grant that you may safely get
away from here, while l suffer for my sin.
Try TO find my regiment and 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 Nicodyme," he took
his horse by the bride and went boldly up
to meet the men on horseback who were
drawing near. / heard cail-but ii was
in strange tongue-nOt in Russian. We
had evidently been surrounded, for / saw
soon after two soldiers on horseback riding
past me in the direction OF the fire.
After waiting for long while l erept
Understanding the little strength / had
left to get as far possibIe-bur lido not
know how far | succeeded.
Two weeks later l awoke to conscious
ness in the hospital, where | learned that
l had been picked up the next day by our
battalion, which, having been Joined by
fresh forces on that fearful night. drove
the enemy back into the depths of Tur-
KEY,
In two months was once more at home
in Russia in the bosom of my family. The
gold pieces which had received the Cos
sack 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 may have
been his fate.-Pittsburg Dispatch,