The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-15

Wy sly tiiuilb up lIs hTiIlo anu Iell
crashing to;the2noor. The noise Of his
fall brought the women to the door.
Varyara Petrovnp stepped stately into
the room. and Sonia. appeared behind
her With u bandaged hand and tears
stained face.
Through the lungs!" calculated the
lieutenant. as the corporal coughed
heavily and the blood flowed from his
lips 4 W. y " NJ
Its all over.wlth, hlm!'.. murmured, a
soldier, wagsing his head as one who
knew. God rest his soul!,' {.
Ivan. take his place.. said the leu
tenant, "EphIm must have his window
to himsalf.@
Let Ivan stay where he Is, said
Varvara ,Petrovna, coming quietly for
ward and !oosenIng the dying mans
grip on his rifle, II VIII take the cor.
poral's place"
She walked TO the window, opening
the bresch with the air Of an expert to
see X the magazine was full. The dying
corporal lay grooming on the floor but
We could not stop TO attend TO him. So
MA knelt down, took his head In her
lap and soothed him as one might
soothe sick child her tears rained on
his face ns she kissed him and caressed
him and murmurcd words or comfort.
Water. water!' gloaned the corpor-
al
"Akulina. Mashn!" cried Sonia TO the
servants beyond the doorway; bring
water qulckly!"
There Is hone, Baryshnis,' answer
ed the frightened Masha; "the corporal
threw the last drop out Of he window
Sonia slipped cushion under the
wounded mans head, and went to seek
In the empty cans. With all her zeal
she could collect no more than q thin
bieful, which shc administered to her
patient. i5H
Narvara Petrovna stood at her post
In the window. tall and terrible, lavel-
Ing her gun and firing as II II were the
most natural thing In the world.
"Ay da Narvara Petrovna!" said the
soldiers approvingly; "molodiez; she's
q heroIne,"
The dying man soon renewed his pit
eous cries for water,
Narvara, uncle, lieutenant, for heav-
ems sake get some water!". cried Som
Ia. going frantlcaily from one to an.
other.
Hush" said varvara without turn
ing round. You disturb our aim"
There is no water but In the spring."
said the colonel.
Sonia disappeared from the room. A
minute later We were stupened with
horror. A little slender figure In pink
darted out upon the lawn from behind
the corner OF the house and sped to-
ward the spring; 1t was Sonia with a
bucket In her hand, running US fast as
her legs could carry her. 4 bullet from
the enemy plowed up the grass at her
feet, but she ran on unheedlng. We
held our breath and waited. :. -.
Tho Chechenians had ceased firing. A
tall form arose and stood upon the
garden wall-a handsome young hill
man, dressed in n fe:-shaped lambskin
cap and long Chechrnian robe, with i
belt full Of silver-hiltcd knives.
1T is Arak himself, the son Of Fer
az" said the lieutenant.
Varvura Petrovna slowly raised her
gun and covered him.
.Dowa With your run. Varvara."
cried the colonel. angrily; tho Chech-
ems have stopped firing" She lowered
her weapon.
The young chief jumped down and
walked toward Sonia. salutlng grace
fully. pheY exchanged few words:
Arak took the bucket from her and FILL
ed 1t at the spring. AS she put out her
hand to receive 1t from him he per-
ceived the bandagn on her finger. He
paused and questioned her: question
and answer were lost to US. Instead OF
handing her the buckle. 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
the windows and asked who was In
command: the lieutenant stood forward
In the open window. j.
Il congratulate you. sir, upon the
valor of the women of your garrison"
said Arak. with Il polite little smile:
hut Chechcna do not Eight with wo-
men. We are dlsarmcd by the cour-
age 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 beyond
the pass: We so to meet them. Fare
WE'LL"
He bowed and returned to his men.
In few minutes there were no Chech-
ems to be seen on the hillside.
Some hours later detachment of
the lieutenants regiment brought us
news of an engagement In the valley.
Arak and his father had both been
wounded and taken prisoners; the dis
comtiture OF the hillmer was so com.
plete that the uprising was practically
at an 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
fainting on the floor: the excitement Of
action ended. she had nothing to sus-
tain her. She was put TO bed In n state
OF high fever. After n Thanksgiving
service. which Varvara Petrovna held
in the drawing room, the lieutenant and
| left the house. pursued by the hospit-
able injunctions of the colonel to be his
guests as soon as our fortunes should
bring us again TO the ncIshborhood OF
the Okova.
net the lieutenant n year later ut n
dance Mt Government House, TiHs. We
talked of the evcnt!u day we had spent
In the colonel's house.
81 shall always he grateful for that
adventure" said, 1T supplied me with
q subject for n picture"
ut did more for me- said the lieu
tenant. smiling. 81 spent month
there In the autumn. and found wife"
Then the cards."
Were true prophets" g,
81 congratulate you, my dear fellow;
Narvara PetrOvna seemed to me u wo-
man whom any man might be proud
To-"
Then SO In and win her-she Is still
free. There comes my wife. Sonia.
you haven't forgotten our old comradc
In arms?'-Cornhill Magazine.