Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-18

He 8GlU GT0Gn0'S eDlt COunteHGHce gtuT-
ting at him.
hurried quickly down the road, intent
on rescuing the imperiled officer. As he
drew near a pistol cracked sharply
above the din of voices, and Hamid's
short, chunky figure spun round for a
brief second in the cloud Of dust, and
then dropped heavily in the roadway.
Maurice had barely time to gee Grod-
no and the officer struggling over the
possession of a revolver when sharp
trumpet blast echoed through the air,
clash Of steel seemed to shake the
ground, anC then round slight curve
in the road came at full tilt squad Of
Cossacks, brandishing their naked
swords. They surrounded the wagon
with circle OF men six deep, and when
Grodno gave up the fight in despair
and turned to fee he was hemmed in
beyond all hope of escape. A fierce ex-
preston passed over his face, and then
he calmly folded his arms as sign Of
submission.
Hanlid lay motionlcss on the road,
his greasy garments stained to match
the scarlet of his fez, and close by was
Phil, his face pale and corpselike.
The rescued officer saluted the COM
mander Of the Cossacks and conversed
with him for ten minutes or more,
pointing from time to time at Maurice
and Grodno and the two motionless
forms ON the ground. He was plainly
much puzzled over the affair. From the
few words Of the Cossack's reply which
Maurice was able to understand, such
as ESCAPED prisoners, burning barge
and Tomsk," he inferred that these sol.
diers had been In pursuit Of them since
the time of their escape.
Fearing lest Phil was badly injured,
if indeed not dead, he moved toward
him, but was roughly ordered back. At
the same moment the conversation
ceased, and two of the soldiers came
forward with the runaway black horse,
which they attached to the wagon,
dragging the dead animal to the side
of the road.
Grodno, whose arm was apparently
broken by the officers bullet, was
placed on the back seat unpinioned.
Maurice Was put behind, his arms
bound behind his back, and Hamid's
limp body was slowed away at their
feet.
Phil, to Maurice's delight, now re-
covered consciousness and sat up, look
ing about him in a dazed, stupeied
manner.
He was hastily bound and placed on
the front seat beside the officer, whS had
volunteered to drive.
By this time people were in sight
coming across the plain from the dis
tant village, but instead of turning
back in that direction the officer drove
straight ahead, and the wagon rolled
smoothly over the grassy road, surround
ed on all four sides by the stern visaged
Cossacks.
An hour later another village started
up from the horizon, with its same mo-
notonous Greek crosses, and presently
they entered the long, struggling street,
with dingy, gray honses, and halted be-
fore the posting station, n very unpre-
tentious structure of logs. The people
of the village fiocked out tn see the new
arrivals, but the presence of the Co.'S
sacks kept them at respectful distance.
A brisk little man with piercing
black eyes arrived presently, whom
Maurice rightly OWNED to be doctor.
He glanced carelessly at Phil's bruised
forehead and prescribed dose Of vod-
XII, which fiery potion was at once pro-
duced and poured down the patients
reluctant throat
He shrugged his shoulders at Grod-
nos arm and deftly enveloped it in
splints and bandages, an operation
which the convict submitted to without
a murmur of pain.
When he came to Hamid and saw the
ugly wound in the breast, his counte-
nance became more grave, and he d.
rected the unconscious man to be car
ried into the station. The Cossacks dis
mounted and took their prisoners in-
side, placing them in different corners