The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-02

ceased, ana TWO or 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 ann 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 Hands
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, stupefied
manner.
He was hastily bound and placed on
the front seat beside the officer, who 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 houses, and halted be-
fore the posting station, a very unpre-
tentious structure of logs. The people
of the village fiocked out tn see the new
| arrivals, but the presence of the Cos
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 Pills bruised
forehead and prescribed dose of vod-
Xxi, 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 di
rected the unconscious man to be car
ried into the station. The Cossacks dis
mounted and took their prisoners in
side, placing them i'll different corners
of the room, where conversation was
impossible.
| A big samovar was steaming on the
| table, and the soldiers were soon gulp-
ing down cups of hot tea and devouring
cold meat, pickles and sailed cucum-
bers. The officer and the commander of
! the troops were doubtless taking their
refreshment in private apartment.
| Phil, hidden by couple of burly Co.'S
sacks, was invisible to Maurice. Grod
no, a few yards away, glared at him
| with a look of hatred. He might as
well have spared himself the trouble,
for Maurice paid him not the least at
tention. He was thinking very, serious
ly over the events of the past two days
! and beginning to realize what foolish
and reckless thing it had been to accept
the chance of escape offered by these
two conyicts. He and Phil would prob
ably be held equally guilty with Grod-
no and Hamid, and the penalty for the
crimes committed by the two ruffians
would be under Russian law-death.
This Maurice realized with shudder
He was amazed with Grodno's audacity
in attempting to assassinate a Russian
officer on public road and actually
within sight of village. 1t could only
be accounted for by the dire necessity
for procuring money and change OF
clothes, and since the officer had bag
gage in the wagon with him the under
| OF, bot InA nn
Maurice interfered when he did the
officer and the driver would undoubted-
ly have been shot.
1t was clever ruse of Grodno's to
shoot the horse first, and thus put the
wagon and its occupants at his mercy.
There was one hope-a very slim one.
If the rescued officer could only be
made to understand that he owed his
life to the boys, he might extend them
valuable aid, but just there was the
trouble, as Maurice told himself Did
the circumstances justify the boys story!
The struggle between Hamid and
Maurice was absolutely unseen, while
the scuffie between Phil and Grodno
might be easily misconstrued, and, as &
clincher, would the officer believe that
Maurice was Fastening to his aid when
he hurried down the road with his club
These reflections left him in very un'
enviable frame of mind, which was not
at all relieved by the scant supply OF
food which the Cossacks at last conde'
, scended TO give him.
, About noon he and Phil were taken
|, to another room, where the officer ano
the Cossack captain were seated at ta'
BILE smoking pipes. The officer, to Mau
rices great satisfaction, was able tC
speak English fairly well, and he cross
, questioned the boys very closely, de
, manding first of all to know what theil
share was in setting fire to the convict
, barge
, He treated them with a certain con
sideration, which gave Maurice cour
age to relate the whole story in frank
, straightforward way which seemed t.
|, carry conviction with it. He saw that
: favorable impression had been made
, and, quick to seize the opportunity, III
| &or,od to the officer and said imDlOrlng