The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-12-14

and fell crashing to the floor. The noise
| of his fall brought the women to the
door; Varvara Petrovna stepped stately
into the room, and Sonia appeared be-
| hind her with a bandaged hand and tear
stained cheeks.
lieutenant, as the corporal coughed heav-
| lily and the blood flowed over his lips.
Its all over with him!' murmured a
soldier, wagging has head as one who
| knew. God rest his SOUL"
'1van, take this place." said the lieu
tenant te h;mze1f E q must have his window
Let Ivan stay where he is" said Var
vara Petrovna, coming quietly forward
and loosening the dying mans grip of his
rifle Il will take the corporai's place"
She walked to the window, opening the
! breech with the air of an expert to see
If the magazine was full. The dying cor
porai lay grooming on the floor, but we
could not stop to attend to him. Sonia
| soothed him as one might soothe sick
child; her tears rained on his face as she
| kissed him and caressed him and muir
INJURED words of comfort.
....Nater! water!,' groaned the corporal.
''Akulina! Masha!" cried Sonia to the
water quickly!'
the frightened Masha; ''the corporal
threw the last drop out Of the 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 a thimbleful,
which she administered to her patient.
Earyara Petroyna stood at her post in
the window, tall and terrible, levelling
her gun and firing as it it were the most
natural thing in the world.
LAY da Varyara Petrovna!" said the
soldiers ,approvingly; molodetz! she's a
heroine"
The dying man soon renewed his pite-
Gus cries for water.
"Varvara, uncle, lieutenant, for Heav-
| en- S sake get some WATER. cried Sonia,
going frantically from one to another.
''Hush," said Varvara, without turning
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 stupefed with hor-
ror. A little slender figure in pink darted
out upon the lawn from behind the cor
ner of the house and sped toward the
spring; it was Sonia with a ucket in her
carry her. a bullet from the enemy
plowed up the grass at her feet, but she
ran on unheeding: We held our breath
had ceased firing. A tall form arose and
stood upon the garden wall-a handsome
lambskin cap and long Chechenian
robe, with 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; 1.-The Chechens have
stopped firing.' She lowered her weapon.
The young chief jumped down and
walked toward Sonia, saluting gracefully.
They exchanged few words; Arak took
the bucket from her and filled it at the
spring. AS she put out her hand to re-
age on her finger. He paused and ques~
toned her; question 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 watcr
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 valorc
of the women of your garrison said
Arak. with polite little smile; ''but
Chechens do not fight with women. We
are disarmed by the courage and devotion
the attack. s. IS s. There are plenty of
foes for us beyond the pass; we go to
meet them. Farewell!'
He bowed and returned to his men: In
few minutes there were no Chechens
to be seen on the hillside.
Some hours later a detachment Of the
lieutenant's regiment brought us news Of
an engagement in the valley. Arak and
his father had both been wounded and
taken prisoners; the discontinue OF the
hillmen was so complete that the upris-
ing 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 faint
ing on the floor; the excitement of action
ended, she had nothing to sustain her.
She was put to bed in & state of high
@ sEGG yaf fSr tnsnhss Ia jSrvf ice
drawing room, the lieutenant and I left
the house, pursued by the hospitable in
functions of the colonel to be his guests
! as soon as our fortunes should bring us
again to the neighborhood OF the Okova.
s.
met the lieutenant year later at a
dance. at government house, Tifis. We
talked Of the ,eventful day we had spent
in the colonel's house.
II shall always be grateful for that
adventure" l sa id; lit supplied me with
! Il subject for a picture''
1T did more for me- said the ieuten-
ant, smiling. Il spent month there in
the autumn and found myself a wife,"
Then the cards.
Were true prophets''
Il congratulate you, my dear fellow;
\arVara Petrovna seemed to me won1-
an whom any man might be proud to-
Then go in and win her--she is still
free. = = Here comes my wife.
Is Sonia, you haven't forgotten our
| old conlrade in arms?''
Killed NV q nood Nh.