The Portland daily press., 1898-05-04
YWILLIAM LIE QUEUX.

|
dirty grey caps covering their long hair,
surrounded me, talking exeitedly, be-
slowing opprobrious epithets upon the
man who lay wounded and groaning, and
as turned suddenly in wonder. | was
confronted by peasant woman in short
skirt of some dark stuff, an ill-fitting
striped bodice, with a dirty handkerchief
tied about her head
She uttered my name, and in an in
slant recognized her. 1t was Sonia.
II arrived only just in time to save
YOU, she explained, half breathlessly in
English. The shots attracted us. That
Villain Stepanoyitch whom l sent to
Skerstymore to bring you here no doubt
INTENDED to take your money and de-
camp, but Fortunately we caught him red
handed. He has long been suspected of
doing away with people entrusted to his
care Tor conduct across the frontier, but
never believed him capable of treating
any of our friends AS victims
He fired at me point blank" L said,
although l was unarmed.''
What shall we do with him, little
mother" cried the excited crowd of burly
malfactors, dragging the man before the
notorious woman with pleasant counte-
nance, sonorous voice, and lively man
ners, whom they acknowledged leader.
Tie him up to yonder tree, and let him
be shot, ;" answered Sonia, pointing out
a lofty pine. 'Piok marksman from
among yourselves, and do not shout so
loudly. Only one shot must be fred, for
1 believe the guards are lurking about to-
night, and more may attract them.
With yells of execration the crowd hur-
ried away the unfortunate wretch who
had SO treacherously treated the friend of
their leader, and ere couple of minutes
had elapsed he had been secured to the
| tree. Then they commenced haggling
among themselves as to who should fire
the fatal shot. 1t was weird scene, this
summary justice directed by woman
The choice fell at last upon tall hulking
fellow IN ragged coat and hat of dirty
shepskin, who, addressed by the nickname
OF 1.-THE goat on account Of the shape of
his beard lifted his gun with ieering
remark at the covering wretch and
stepped back to take more deliberate aim.
"No," cried. ''don't let him be shot
on my account, Sonia. ''Give him his
! life.''
She shook her head, saying simply:
Gle betrayed my trust''
81 ask you to forgive him. urged,
"At least grant me this favour"
She was undecided, and the outlaws,
hearing us speak in English, called to
their tall champion to stay his hand.
VERY well, I" she said at last. 81 for
| give him because you plead
| Without word | pushed past the men
+, surrounding US, and taking out my
pocket-knife severed the cord that held
the terrified wretch. The old scoundrel,
dropping upon his knee, kissed my hand
amid the jesrs of his rough brutal COM
panions, then regaiping his feet, took eff
| his cap, and looking towards heaven,
made uls sign Of the cross.
This, I hope will be a lesson, Stepan-
| ovitch," exclaimed Sonia sternly, in
Russian, advancing towards him. 1T for
give you only because of the request of
this Englishman. Remember in future
that the person of any friend of mine, or
any Of our brothers is saored.''
eyes, WILL matoushka,' answered
the old william, penitently. "That I will.
L owe my life TO his high nobility's inter-
cession. | will not aga-n offend, little
mother
Every well,'' she answered. abruptly,
then briefly explaining how they had just
frontier, during which they were detected
and followed by Cossack picket, she
gave the order to return home, and We
moved forward in single file along the
narrow secret paths THAI wound with so
many intricacies through the dark
gloomy forest. AS I walked behind her
we chatted in English, she telling me how
she had been compelled to leave London
unexpectedly, and relating how she had
| Jared since we had last met. She how
ever, made no mention of the nefarious
trade she had adopted, and l hesitated to
refer to it.
When at last we emerged from the for
est, the wounded man being assists
along by his companions, it was near
| morning The darkness had gradually
become less intense, the stars shone
more family, and streak of dawn
showed on the far-off horizon. The pale
light revealed grassy plains as far rs the
eye cold reach. and the fresh morning
breeze swept softly over the thick green
grass that promised an abundant hay
| crop. such as the jewellers on the broad
| hoyno plains had lOnged for for so many
years. Soon after leaving the forest, how
ever, the party separated, arranging as
meeting-place when the moon rose on the
morrow. the third verst-post out of
Wezajce, small village five miles dis
tant. All her associates, Sonia explained,
lived in villages in the vicinity, scatter
Ing themselves in order to avoid detection
by the authorities. The villagers them
selves, although well aware of their do
ings, ssaid nothing. To all inquiries by
Cossack frontier guards or police spies
they remained dumb, for the simple
reason that W lille contraband trade could
be transacted the village thriyed, each of
these small, wretohed little places receiv-
ing indirectly portion of the outlaws
profit. In summer there were no empty
barns or thistle grown threshing floors,
and in winter the stoves in the huts were
always burning, and the "bosrtch," or
soup, was never without it's proper pro-
portion of buck-wheat cruel.
Many were the rumours of missing
travellers and violent deaths in the neigh
borhood, but the villagers feared nothing
from this adventurous gang, who had
grown more bold now that they were led
by their little MOTHER From what
gathered from my fair companion as we
pushed forward together towards the dim
line Of trees that bounded the steppe in
the direction of the sunrise, it Seemed
that the band had been in existence for
several years, but that few months be-
fore, the leader, a weIl-known escaped
convict. was shot dead by picket while
creeping by day across the Zury steppe,
and that proposal had been sent to her
at Skerstymone, where she was hiding,
that she should become their head. She
admitted with smile that the men who
had just left us to return to their various
occupations were all OF bad character,
and that almost without exception all had
served long terms of imprisonment for
robbery or murder
But Is not the assassination of those
who have paid for guidance into Germany
n1 fr1ct Hal T