Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-28

fnca ,orucbody missed Nacinsyrc.
| During the sl.i.idy of the kid game''
n had caught Nl-ie's eye fer mo-
menr and had ncoided farewell to her.
She had smiled back TO him Good
luck. rather wistfully, and then he
had edged off behind the yourts, strucl,
into the scrub and by the time he was
missed was safe in the tree geranium
with Yermak
There he donned the Kirghiz dress,
from the WOODEN shirt. which made him
itch all over. to the baggy trousers and
boots; the kalal and tibetka he laid
read-, but it was too hot to put them
on yet. Then Yermak produced some
venison cut up into pieces about the
size of 4 domino. and looking as eat
able. which he roasted over the ashes.
With these and some corn brandy fla
vored with cranberries the two men
made Real. So did the mosquitoes.
After that the fugirlyes lay and swell
tered. Macintyre doing his best to forget
his troubles IL u pipe. The only sounds
Were the buzz Of the mosquitoes and the
champ Of the horses except low and
then for a sharp slap when che of the
russians became too intimate with
Macintyre, CT. for the quick jingle Of
buckle and bit when one of the horses
f1icked his tail and shook himself to be
rid of the flies.
At last. when the sun began to de-
cline and the long shadows to creep
over the plain, Macintyrc got up into
u willow that grew near moist patch,
and from there kept Il bright lockout
for the Russians.
Presently out of the red haze he
caught the flash of the low sun upon
FURNISHED steel, and soo, made out the
whole party-the governor and his staff,
ard then, at an interval OF perhaps il
hundred yards, a gay group Of Ladies'
and officers. MacintyTc could almost
fancy that lac heard the ripple Of the
laughter and the jingle Of the accouter-
ments. The CoSsack guard was not to
lie seen. Possibly it was hunting about
for him.
Horses and men grew larger as they
came on, till The cavalcadc was about "A
quarter Of q mile from Macintyre's hid
ing place.
Suddenly, like pack of gray wolves,
| &
kirShi.: smGc &c strong. With ii rush
they rode down the little party OF ladies
and officers, undressing several and scat
tering the rest right and left. Then two
of them seized the hoIsc upon which the
balishIa was riding, and the whole
troop, sScrvirg II. the right, gallopcd
madly back il TIE direction Of the
yonrts.
: For several minutes the widest con-
fusion prevailed among the Russians,
mcn and horses driven hiiiiCr and tllith-
err, some never to rise again. One poor
fellow lay. hand under head, as if
aslecp-with his neck broken
But the habit Of discipline corstrain-
ed. Two OF the freshest men galloped
ahead 10 call ont the guard. The injured.
with the ladies. moved slowly onward
The rest Of Inc party drew IL belts, look
cd to cirth and stirrup leather, ami then
dasIied after the flying Kirghiz
Meantime these last. leaving the
track. began TO bear toward some low
hills. behind which the sun was fast de-
Ginning in a glory of cloudy color. But
whereas the Tartars, knowing the
ground, made rapid way, the Russians
, became hopelessly embarrassed i'll the
scrub.
1t was all the work Of few minutes
and looked like Il scene in some realistic
drama. Macintyre was 4 man of action.
Yermak had had ali his wild blood fired
by the sudden rush and the thunder OF
! the gallopinS horses.
. Karen Issyk,'' lie shouted in his
gross voice, ard waved his hand toward
D the kirghiZ. Macintyre recognized The
name Of the elan which had been de
. featcd in the kid game. Almost at {
, moment Tie two men sprang to the sad
: dc. and, Ycrmak leading. rode as hard
as the nature OF the ground would per.
4 nit after The flying baranta. The scrul
4 seemed alive with men. Macintyrc'
L one desire was TO come up with tie two
$ who had the lady, and he felt under his
g kalal for his revolver.
{ Presently the scrub began TO thin
. luckily. for riding in the heavy Kirghi.
dress was hot work. \ minute or tw,
i moro. and Macintyre saw three figure.
u break into the open; they We're Mari,
:. Boriscv;tch and her captors.
:. Forgetting his dress, he shouted
/ Courage, barishna. We are comingr
/ She turned, recognizing the voice, bu
S seeing only Kirshiz as she thought
:; sank together again upon her saddl,
and made 10 effort.
;, The cry was, however, fatal to Mac
d intyrc. In u moment he was surrounded
by yelling tribesmen and borne onward
:. III their rush, Il prisoner. He Looked
Il aronnd.. Resistance was hopeless Yer
ii max had disappeared.
l. For an hour they rode madly on, n
d ways toward the low hills and the set
II ting sun. The air was full of the bite
l. sweet perfume of crushed bracken. TIL,
d white birch shivercd Shostly in the hal
q light. The chCriomka shed her SNOW,
= petals upon tllcm Still they swept on
l. deeper and more deeply, into the shadow
II of the hills.
At last Macintyrc saw the red twin
IL king Of many fires. Then came tn
4 yeiping Of dogs, and III few minute
z the party rode into the midst of 4 clam
= mcring crowd of men, women and chill