The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-25

upon the lawn from behind the corner Of
the house and sped toward the spring: II
was Sonia with bucket In her hand. rum
ming as fast as her legs could carry her. 4
bullet from the enemy ploughed up tbs
grass at her feet, bit she ran on nnheed-
ing. We held our breath and waited.
The Chechenians had ceased fr-
ing. tall form arose and stood upon the
garden wall-a handsome young hillman.
dressed in fez-shaped lambskin cap and a
long Chechenian robe, with a belt full Of
silver-hilted knives.
| 1T is Arak himself, the son OF Feraz, -
said the lieutenant.
Varvara Petrovna slowly raised her gun
and covered him.
| Down with your gun. varvara!" cried
\ the colonel angrily: "the Chechens have
stopped firing" She lowered her weapon.
| The young chief jumped down and walk
ed toward Sonia, saluting gracefully They
| exchanged a few words; Arak took the
| bucket from her and filed 1t at the spring
AS she put out her hand to receive it from
him he perceived the bandage on her an
ger. He paused and questioned her; ques-
ton and answer were lost to US. Instead
| OF handing her the bucket he advanced side
! by side with her up to the house. She took
the water from him and ran round to the
door by which she had made her exit. Arak
came close under the windows and asked
who was In command; the lieutenant stood
| forward in the open window.
Il congratulate you, sir. upon the valor
OF the women OF your garrison" said Arak,
with polite little smile; but Chechens do
not light with women. We are disarmed
by the courage and devotion Of this lady:
the house which shelters her Is sacred. and
we have no more heart for the attack.
There are plenty of foes for us be-
yond the pass; we go to meet them Fare
Welt"
He bowed and returned to his men. In
few minutes there were no Chechens to
be seen on the hillside.
Some hours later detachment Of the
lieutenant's regiment brought US news CT
his father had both been wounded and
taken prisoners; the discontinue Of the
hillmen was so complete that the uprising
was practically at am end.
Sonia attended the corporal till the end,
which was not long in coming. AS she
rose from her place beside the couch
where he had been laid. she fell faintin8
on the floor; the excitement of action
ended, she had nothing to sustain her.
She was put to bed in a state Of high fe-
yer. After a thanksgiving service. which
Varvara Petrovna held in the drawing
room. the lieutenant and I left the house.
pursued by the hospitable injunctions CT
the colonel to be his guests as SOON as
our fortunes should bring US again to the
neighborhood Of the Okova.
I met the lieutenant year later at q
dance at Government House. Tiflis. We
talked Of the eventtful day we hal spent
in the colonel's house.
II shall always be grateful for that ad-
venture I said; sit supplied me with .
subject for q picture
"It did more for me-" said the 1ieuten-
ant, smiling. II spent a month there in
the autumn and found myself a wife"
Then the cards'-
Were true prophets"
Il congratulate you. my dear fellow;
varvara Petrovna seemed to me a woman
whom any man might be proud to-
Then go in and win her-she Is still
free. Here comes my wife. Sonia. you
haven't forgotten our old comrade in
arms 1.-The Cornhill Magazine.