The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-12-21
fCoNTrNUED.1

tCONTINUED.1
They Joined the other two, and as
the dark of the pine woods began to
tighten before them Hilmar and DeS-
mond slipped unostentatiously behind.
Shortly the hustle of departure would
be in full swing. Romance babe them
linger a few minutes in the shadow of
the forest where their love had had
it's awakening and which they could
never hope to see again.
A few hundred yards ahead the
others stepped out into the growing
dawn light and strobe across the waste
of powders between the woods and
the shore. Above the rocks of the bay
showed the masts of the yacht, the
little r. Y. S. burgee still fiuttering
at the main. A sigh of relief went up
from 80 British throats as they recog
nized the familiar emblem. They
mounted the great stones beamingly
and looked down upon their floating
home Beside the taffrail sat an old
man, motionless and unresponsive to
their gladstone shout. His hand lean
cd upon the bulwarks. At his feet
lay a broken pipe. His whole attitude
betokened one tired to the limits Of
exhaustion.
They ran up to the boat that swung
idly from the stern, mounted to the
deck and went toward him. Overcome
with the WEAKNESS of long vigil, old
Stefan slept the sleep Of the just,
faithful to his post. They reused him,
nIonni1,U him hoo 1tilu thn chO11l-
der, and he stared at them drowsily.
Then his eyes dwelt upon the colonePs
face, and he bowed his head before
him in proud humility.
81 have promised, and 1 have DONE"
said he and led the way to the saloon.
Ranged round the floor six sleeping
Russians lay and snored their lustiest,
still deep in the influence of the lau-
danum with which the old man had
dosed their vodki.
1.-THE pigsv' quoth he. Hear them
grunt! All, the cunning little pigeons!
They thought they had a prize.
made pretense of hiding struggled
spirits for the Lapps, one of noble
birth, taking care to be in sight of
their watch. Ho, no! How they
laughed when they caught the poor
old man! And within ten minutes
they slept like the dead. Will the ex-
cellency throw them overheard? They
are but soldiers, scum of Cossacks."
The excellency declined these drastic
measures with thanks. However
righteously they might appeal to a
Finn, Englishmen could not bring
themselves to murder sleeping foes.
This was explained with difficulty to
Stefan and Lars while the unconscious
prisoners were being lugged ashore,
They freely expressed their disappoint-
ment and the opinion that vermin
should be destroyed wherever met.
The hard won spoil was taken
aboard, and a boat set out for the sea
opening, carrying tow rope. The
yachts bow was set westward, and
she glided slowly between the rocks
and waited in deep water for the
others on the sand, where the fate OF
the prisoners was still to be decided
Desmond and Hilmar were wandering
toward the strand as they unwilllngiy
left the forest Of mingled sorrow and
delight.
II feel it my duty to shoot the dog
said the colonel, looking to where Pau
Preobeslas stood between two sailors
Hes the relentless foe Of Poland
aye, and Finland too"
1--WE could hardly have him murder
ed in cold blood" urged Barr, how
ever much he deserves it."
"Murderedv shouted the colonel
'Tf ever there was a righteous execu
ton due, 1t is his. Do you know how
many innocent lives call aloud for hi
bloodY
THAT may be-" answered Barr ear