Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-14


tinct above the roar of the charge In
fancy the fugitives felt the hot nos
trils smoke upon them. With the furi-
Gus despair that has no hope they fed.
Another yell came from the yacht in
Jones stentoran voice. The thud and
rumble as he ran the little carronade
down from the bow to the stern made
bass accompaniment.
Duck, sir, duckp' he howled in the
unnatural falsetto of excitement.
drop behind bowlder while riddle
'emw
Desmond flung his arm about the
girls waist and rolled with her to the
ground at the foot of the bowlder
that screened the ship from him. With
heaving breast and bursting lungs the
fugitivcs lay face to earth and waited
seconds that reached into cons of
apprehension. The grinding crash Of
the squadron drew down upon them
with swiftncss horrible. The below
of the & FOUNDER filed the air. The
scream Of the flying grapeshot sang
over their heads. Behind them the
shrieks of men and the rasp of hoof
and sword on the stones made an in
ferno of devilish uproar.
They sprang to their feet and STUN
bed on toward the shore, with scarce
n backward look. One f1eeting glance
gave them only an indistinct impress
sion Of the crimson fecked tangle out
of which dismounted men were drag
gng themselves slowly. still, without
n word they met the colonel, and he
linked his hands TO theirs as they ran.
The shore at last, where the boats
prov charged in to meet them as they
reached the sand! Hilmar was aboard
ard the colonel following. Desmond
and the remaining sailors stood beside
her in the water for the last shove.
The men who were closing rank a
hundred yards away raised their car
bines. A sheet Of flame rolled from
end to end Of their line, and volley
belched out at the group. In their pas
sion Of hurry the Cossacks took note
of no difference between friend and
foe.
Paul Preobcslas threw ND his hands
and bounded forward with mighty
leap. A red blot stared upon his fore
head. He fell forward upon his hands
nor spoke again. To him had come the
vengeance of God indeed.
dozen of tho prisoners rolled upon
the sand calling their comrades to stay
their fire. One of the waiting boats
grew fell helplessly upon the thwart
he stood beside. Colonel Preobeslas
staggered, recovered and, pressing his
hand above his hip, sank down upon
his seat. TIE boat began to rush out
from the shore.
Before the first ramrod was with
drawn from the reload she shot behind
the protecting hull of the yacht, and
the following volley smote harmless
splinters past her stern. Nor did the
answer daily. Again the lanyard of
the carronade frightened in Jones fist,
and again her bronze mouth woke the
echoes.
AS the smoke cleared and the yacht
caught the morning breeze and went
smoothly out into the waste Of glanc-
ing ripples ashore a hideous sight was
manifest in the face of the growing
day. Piled, writing and in agony, lay
the soldiers of the cZar and tossed and
twined their torn limbs amid pools Of
blood. OF twoscore men not ten stood
upon their feet in sound body when
the echoes fell to silence. Verify, the
foray left a crimson trail to mark it's
path,
As the breeze swelled upon the can
vas in the larger ofiing the yacht
bounded forward and drew away from
the heaped horrors of the shore. The
gray of the stained uniforms mingled
in the gray of the powders. A few
scattering bullets frothed circles upon
the sea about her. and a chance ball
or two found her sides. AS she gained
way even these fell far behind her. and
the figures on the shore grew indiS-
tinct. The forest showed as a green
line above the sandy foreshore. Soon
the land crept under the haze that
lowered over the shadows. Forest
and rock showed rs one. The coast
died into a shadowy retrospect across
the widening belt of sea.
Down in the saloon they placed the
colonel, and Barr was busy about him
with impressive attention. Beside him
knelt his daughter and hid her face in
the cushions that pillowed his head.
Desmond white faced and haggard
with anxiety, stood at the sofa foot.
With firm, gentle hands the skilled
surgeon barred the red bullet hole and
probed the depths of the cruel wound.
Hlmar, raising her eyes tried to read
his verdict in his face. There was
stiffness unutterable in the little cabin.
A puzzled look crossed Bars face,
He withdrew the probe draggingly.
A spasm twitched across the wounded
mans temple, but he made no sound.
1t was tremulous hand, however,
that he laid upon his daughters golden
head, Then he looked up at Barr
with quick smile and nodded
Eyes" he said II had but a month
or two anyway. Sievnitz told me
when | was in Vienna last year. The
growth would have killed me. But
why should | grieve the child before
her time?"
Hilmar was staring at him with
wondering, desperate eyes.
Father" she cried. Father. What
is it? You knew, and you never told
me! And l am to be alone! You will
leave me!' And she threw herself