The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-01-25

the blufr, and sitting down among the peonles looked back on the supposed
 Tartar farm lying below In the full
 blaze of a Crimean sun. Nothing stirred except some restless or fiea-bit
 ten dog, but in the strip of shade under
 the caves, on a bench which ran the
 length of the house, lounged yellow serge-clad soldiers in every attitude of
 heat and boredom. Along the glen, in
 the shade of rock and tree, stood sen- tries, as invisible to me when on the opposite bluff as I was then to them, but now as painfully apparent to me as T.. But l was in the middle of the peonies before this thought had had
 time to take shape. Unfortunately In moving l started a stone, which fell over the cliffs on to the rocks below, ringing through the still air like pis- tol shot. It was instantly answered by a hoarse challenge from the beach, re- peated few yards further on, and again further, until the file-Iire of Rus sian gutturals died away round the next headland and far inland up the glen.
 Well" thought I, they are certain l ly sentries, and evidently cordon. I wish Ishad never seen the countess. Better be convicted of poisoning a postmaster than arrested fo@ trespass- ing on the Czar. I shall surely be shot and probably sent to Siberia, for this Is the Livadia cordon, and am inside it." l carefully parted the peonies which screened me from the beach and looked down. A soldier was staudlng ankle deep in the ripple in an odd, con- trained attitude. I wo lde.sd what he was doing. until noticed that a little
 bright ''o'' under his cheek was rife barrel and that was looking down the muzzle. I withdrew to the depth of the peony bed. A half-hour, shoulG say, passed; held my breath all the time. was reused by a noise of clam bering below, and slid one eye toward the edge of the peony led. Close un- derneath the round red face of Rus sian rose over the rocks; he clambered steadily up, holding his rife over his head, and stopping occasionally to wipe sweat out of his eyes; for the rocks were steep and held the heat like furnace, and he was a northerner and man of the Plains At the foot of the 1 little cliff he stopped; hs looked at the 1 peony bed at the top, he looked at the twenty feet of steep rock below 1t. then picked up a pebble and threw it up as q deputy. "Hoosh!'' said he. I scu.hed among the peonies, 70 represent a stratled animal, and he sat down with his back to the cliffs, with the air of a lman who has done more than his duty and means to neglect 1t a little. I picked a bunch of ,he peonies and looked out again; he still, like good Russian, had his eyes fixed on Con- stantinople.
 crept into the woo,ls and through them, keeping a line which would take me out of the angle of t!le cordon with- in which'I was caught. In the woods I 1 passed the other two cordons without difficulty, for was on the lookout and | they were not. Presently ! came against holly hedge, broke through 1t i and found myself in t labyrintli of gar dens, through whien wandered tor l hours, feeling like b character in the | Arabian Nights" Never again shall [ see such sight as these acres of un- dercliff.
 frequently passed gardeners, but they disturbed me no further than by their profound bows; finally in Greek temple arranged as al orchid-house, came upon two young ladies cutting flowers My peonies appeared to draw their attention, and after little whis- 1 pering one asked in Russian, Pray, | sir, would you tell us where you found those peonies? My sister and have l looked for them in the park, but in vain. Oh thank you! Indeed, we did not mean to deprive you-put if they were really intended for us--at least you must allow us to compensate you!" and she handed me her basket of or- chids
 "The peonies," said I. "grow on the bluff inside the outside cordon, out they are difficult Of access, and If I might sometimes bring some"- ITO General V-'s q arters, in the left wing, said she. I've will ex- change them for some of these flowers l which-are also difficult of access" A harsh voice called sonya, Ma sha!''
 l That is the General; we must not stay; do svidanya," said they. l thought I must not either, and Ilur- ried away through the other end of the temple; but I now had a purpose. A bunch of peohies ha1 brought me into Livadia; a basket of orchids should get me out of it.
 I walked as quickly as dignity would permit toward a distant stone wall in which was gate and grille faced outside with sheet iron. Beside 1t stood & guardhouse, before it two sem i tries, and the great golden double- headed eagle sprawled and gaped above. As I came up the two soldiers crossed bayonets before the gate l Why haven't you opened the gate?" said I; shall positively nave to watt" 1 Your relationship will pardon" said one, none may pass
 "Absurd!" said I, You know who I am; open at once."
 "Your high-well- -bornship will deign to have patience; it is an order. His | Majesty arrives tomorrow"
 "Of course, but I hasten to her Su- preme Excellency the Countess W | with these flowers from the noble la- dies, the daughters of His Excellency the highly honored General V--." n fha Irat