Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-04-30

SSNEk>SSss
element of peril; indeed, he wondered
that the very spot ON which he stood
was not held by n picket guard. Re-
treating from the place, he became
aware of men upon the north slope of
the hill ascending, but he eluded them,
passing around to the westward. He
encountered far less difficulty than he
had expected and was soon beyond the
reach of anything except some chance
scouting party. 1t seemed to him that
the Circassian outposts around Vladi-
kaukas could not be more than ten
miles away, yet he was SO lame from
his fall that even this short distance
Involved n great exertion and much
pain.
On the slender chance of finding any
beast that II man might ride he visited
several deserted farmhouses, securing
enough food for his needs, but no cat
tie. He was in such condition that
a sound OK would have seemed good
mount, but there was none to be had.
In one Of the houses he was greatly
surprised to discover n gun, almost the
last thing he would have supposed
that fleeing tenant would abandon.
1t was n muzzle loading weapon of the
type of many years ago; but, US there
was supply Of ammunition, Darrell
thought the gun worth taking.
During the day he made very little
progress, being twice compelled to lie
hidden while Russian scouting parties
We're about. Sunset found him far to
the west Of the highroad, uncertain of
his way and suffering both from ex-
haustion and the injury that he had
sustained on the previous night. He
came ut last to n road that was scarce
ly more than trail through the woods,
and by the side of it he sat down to eat
such food as he had and to rest. He
fell into doze, with his back against
the moss covered stump Of a tree, and
1t was dark when he awoke.
Something had startled him. He
felt a thrill Of vague alarm as he strug-
gled back to consciousness, and the
rusty gun that he had taken from the
farmhouse was in his hands without
an effort Of volition. He heard the
sound Of horses feet, and immedi-
ately the beast and his rider came into
view, dim in the starlight.
Without thought in his half waken-
ed mind, except that he needed horse,
Darrell sprang out into the path, with
the gun in his hands, and cried out,
Halt" 1t was the horse that obeyed
the order. The rider continued to adj
vance, by the law of inertia, and he
came to rest like sack of meal on the
soft moss by the roadside. Darrell in
stantly pounced upon him, but 1t was
wholly unnecessary, for the man did
not move. He was lying upon his face.
unconscious.
A hasty glance assured Darrell that
the horse would not run. The poor
beast was standing as If on wooden
legs driven into the ground. Satisfied
in this particular, Darrell looked again
to his prisoner and became suddenly
aware that he wore Circassian off,
GERS uniform under long and ragged
coat. In another instant he had turn
ed the man upon his back and was
| gazing into the face Of korna.
There was no sign of injury. Korna
had fallen limp as drunkard and
with drunkard's immunity from bro
ken bones. 1t was the mere shock
that had robbed him of his wits. OAR
rell was at loss to understand how
| SO good norseman had been SO easily
thrown, and yet the manner Of the fall
gave some hint of the explanation, so
that Darrell was not wholly surprised
when Korna had regained his power Of
speech to hear him mutter in Russian
Qor he fancied that he was addressing
Russian soldiers: "Don't make me
move. I'm too tired to stand on my
| feet"
1t required some minutes for Darrell
to make himself known and to explain
his act. Finally Korna sat up and
looked at the American with glance
Of comprehension.
"I've scarcely been out of the sad
die since l left you," he said, land I
was almost played out then. There's a
little village in the hills to the west of
Gredskov and the mouth of the pass.
1t is out Of the way Of everything, a
quiet and beautiful place. You wouldn't
believe there could be anything like It
in this region. There two years ago
l met the girl who will be my wife
some day. To that quiet spot when we
began this war sent my mother,
Knowing wnar reprisals are sometimes
made. My two younger brothers were
| with her, and she was safe SO far as
military operations are concerned, but