The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-01-26
being passed on from village to

 stantly being passed on from village to village.
 The Sultan Suliman was bent on de- vastating Moldavia, and in spite of his most vigilant efforts Prince Petru Ra- resh had been conquered several times by the enemy. Sutschawa, his capital, was in the hands of the Turks, who on their march to Piatra were burning. pillaging and massacring all they could lay hands on.
 With the remnant of his conquered army, Prince Raresch had to leave Pia- tra and get to Jesle, by the Bistritza, as he knew that there would be no pro- vision there for the soldiers and horses The prince had sent his three children to the fortress of Ciceu, but the Prin- cess Helena had refused to be separa- ted from him.
 "The Turks will not take me-" she said, and I will not leave you unless my presence should prove dangerous to you"
 A little farther on than Hangu, in the church of Calugareni, they had taken refuge. This little church is sheltered by colossal rock, which, so the legend runs, the devil once took from the summit of Tschachlau, in- tending to stop the course of the Bis tritiza with it. Under the shadow of this huge rock, then, the Princess He lena was waiting, all eyes and ears for any news.
 70! what a disgrace 1t is to be con- quered!o she exclaimed to the old monk with the snowwhite beard who had approached her
 There is nothing irreparable save death" he replied, calmly.
 The gallop of a body of horses was heard on the rocky slope, and in an- other minute Raresch appeared, tear ing along at full speed, handful of horsemen just behind him. He stopped just long enough to lift his wife up into the saddle, and then, without uttering a word continued the desperate flight along the bank of the stream. The Turks were following close behind, but suddenly, in the very narrowest part of the ravine, the old monk appeared In front of them, and their horses reared with fright at his apparition.
 'Halt!" he cried out. What is it that you want here?"
 We want Raresch! A hundred gold pieces are offered for his head. Show us where he is hiding or you are a dead man."
 The monk nodded his head, and, turning, lead the way up a narrow path between the rocks, and with great tri,rIrc of trooe rro iac4ipor ha,a o,,5 there. He went on and on, and the path grew sleeper and sleeper, until at last they came to an impenetrable wood.
 At last they found they could go no further, and in a perfect fury they turned on the old monk. They tore his clothes, nailed his hands and feet to a fallen tree, and then went away, leaving him thus to his fate.
 He closed his eyes, and without a murmur resigned himself to slow, ago. nizing death. The fugitives meanwhile had taken a narrow path which led to the forest of Brotscheni. : The princess horse was, beginning to give way under his double burden, and only answered to the spurs by a qulver like a spasm passing through it's frame.
 If your highness will take my horse" said one of the men to the prin- cess, "I will dismount."
 But what about you?"
 We must not lose a moment, or it may be too late!" was the only answer and lifting the princess quickly from her husbands arms, the man placed her on his own horse and then disap- peared quickly among the trees with out waiting for any thanks.
 Suddenly, just in front of them, they heard a terrible cracking sound and heavy breathing, and there, just by Helena's side, an auroch appeared with his horns lowered The next instant he had run his terrible horns into her horse and was preparing to make a second charge at Helena, but Raresch was too quick for him and seizing the two horns, with almost superhuman strength, he twisted the monsters head so that his neck was broken.
 Gan you wallS?" he asked, gently.
 'Yes, I could walk to the end of the world''
 "Then we will give up our horses, for
  these parts; and in order to throw our pursuers off the scent we must sepa- rate. Stefanitza, take the princess to the cavern and stay there with her un- til I come back
 He stopped down and kissed her, and then with whips and stones they drove the horses away in all directions and Raresch bid farewell to his young wife.
 Helena started to walk in the direc- ton of the two mountain tops, which looked like two vast domes. At length feeling of utter exhaustion came over her, and, standing still and supporting herself against a tree, she pressed her hand to her heart and listened for moment to the wild cries which came up from the valley
 '-Stefanitza," she said, T want you to take solemn oath"