The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-25
THE LIEUTENANT'S FATE.

the right of her. showing heroic character
and the seven Of spades In the last three
showing that the sign was to be fulfilled
Immediately. / had always hoped
that I shouldn't marry heroine; CAM
stand your masculine women" He sighed
with Slavonic resignation. and added
"Roku ne minovat." which is Russian fol
Kismet.
1 pitied him from the bottom Of my heart
and was glad that the cards had no such
power over destiny in England as they have
in Russia.
We were marching along the white road
under Kislovodsk, down into the green val
ley, of the Terek. ! with my wanderers
wardrobe and sketching pack slung over my
shoulders. The six soldiers Of the lieu
tenants detachment tramped behind US,
softly singing; the big corporal was taking
his turn as soloist, the five privates join
ing in with a monotonous "Ay luli, luli, !"
at the end Of each line. The shadows OF
the hills were creeping slowly UP to the
white top of Mount Elbruz. which faced US
imperturbably over velvet forests from the
distance.
Colonel Orsha's house, on the lower slopes
OF the Okova, by nightfall, and hold 1t
against the rebellious Chechens; and !, the
peaceful landscape painter, had been swept
away protesting in the current Of his
march, sketching umbrella and all, from
my roadside attitude Of artistic unconcern
with the quarrels Of governments and sub
jects.
The trouble between the tribesmen and
the Russians had arisen from the invet-
crate incompatibility of their ideas as to
the right method Of acquiring property in
horses Arak, son of the powerful chief
| tain Feraz, was to be married to Bella Of
| Sizi-aul; and by way Of kolym, or dowry,
| the bridegroom was to present Belas IA
| Their with twenty mountain horses. Feraz
| had no horses to spare. What Chechen
| has? They must, be got. But in matters
of horseflesh Chechenian aristocrat can
not stoop to the sordid methods OF pur-
| chase; nor would a Chechenian BRIDE
groom be respected by wife who could
say of him: He bought horse" There
| fore father and son raided the War Office
| pastures. A hireling Waterman betrayed
| them; orders were issued for their arrest.
and six villages went on the warpath for
| the honor of the tribal custom. It~was
| plain that the tribesmen would try to hold
\ the Okova range, as they had done in 10:
| the business of the lieutenantS regiment
was to anticipate them; and Colonel Or
sha'3 house was one Of the first positions
to be occupied, for 1t commanded access
| to the hills from the Terek side.
The lieutenant and 1 stopped at the di-
vide and waited for the soldiers to come
up.
(which is the way, Pavel?" asked my
companion Of the big corporal.
"Up here" replied the giant. pointing to
narrow path which wound its way up
among the fir trees to our right.
Lead the way" said the lieutenant, and
the corporal joined US in the front.
He willingly impaired his large knowl-
edge OF the people and places about US.
He told us Of the exploits Of Colonel Or
sha against the hillmen in the days before
he lost his right leg in an aul OF the Cru
zians.
THE apple lies near the apple tree. as
the saying Is, masters: like father, like
daughter. Varvara Petrovna's fine
lass. tall and strong and as bold as
lion. When the Gruzians broke into the
empty barracks that day and the stable
men fed to their stalls. she faced the
rebels like a man and rated them for
their cowardice, till they skunk away
from before her with their tails between
their legs.5 A fine lass.
But you'll fudge for yourselves this even
ing when you see her. A heroine she is!
Everyone says SO: true heroine"
The lieutenant and l eyed each other
with wild surmise.' Were the cards
true prophets?
Half an hours climbing brought US to
Colonel Orshas house. a low white
building on a rocky promontory. Passing
the wall which cut off the promontory
from the hillside, we stepped on to a
fresh green lawn running up to- the
house. From the rocks to the right bub-
bied a spring whose water ran in a lit
tie stream across the lawn and flashed
down the sheer hillside to the left. Be-
yond the stream stood girl-a little /!
slender figure clad in pink and topped |
by broad straw hat. She was feeding |
a flock Of white Caucasian pigeons; some |
were picking the bread crumbs from the !
grass at her feet, others were poised in |
the air waiting for a morsel to be thrown |
them, and one was seated on her arm !
helping himself from the plate which she |
held in her hand. Her back was turned |
to US. and she did not notice our ep- |
preach. but as we stepped On to the !
planks which bridged the -stream, the |
pigeons flew up into the cedars, and she |
turned toward us-a bright oval face,
eyes. Her lips quivered in surprise at |
the sudden apparition of the armed band. |
Forgive our intrusion. mademoiselle,"
said the lieutenant. saluting her: Have |
1 the honor of addressing Mile. Orsha?" |
mo, that is my cousin: but |
what are the soldiers come for?"
ITO defend your house. mademoiselle, l |
regret to say that the hillmen are in re-
volt. And permit me to suggest that I'M
. will l.
you to retire within DOORS"
There was no need for the recommended |
ton. Before the lieutenant's sentence
was ended the little pink figure was in |
full fight for the house. Another figure |
appeared in the open doorway as the fu- |
gitive disappeared: tall. handsome young |
woman. with high aqulline nose and a |
commanding presence. came down the |
steps to meet us. She listened without |
any appearance of surprise, while the lieu |
tenant stated his mission.
pray send your men to the Kitchen"
she said. land follow me to the drawing |
room. My father will be glad of the OPP |
portunity OF putting his house and goods |
at the service OF his country" |
The evening passed without alarms. The |
doors were bar.icaded. the windows loop |
holed with mattresses and bags of sand. |
and sentinels were posted on the hillside |
and Waterman on the roof. At supper |
the colonel RECALLED us with stories OF his |
daughter and his family. The colonel was |
descended in 4 direct line from Boyarin |
Orsha OF Ivan the Terrible's time, and all |
his forbears had been mighty men of bat
tie. Naryara PetrOvna's great-grandmoth-
err was the famous Princess Ochtenski, |
who had seen her two sons slaughtered |
before her eyes at Smolensk rather than