Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-06-07
a town, and it was represented by a

of death-a part of this strange plot?
It might be so, yet he did not hesitate.
There was little difficulty In follow
ing the clew. The house marked out
to be visited was easily recognized,
the other squares, Indicating other
houses, serving as guide. 1t was a
better house than that in which he had
been confined. There were two stories
and three rooms on the ground floor, a
hall leading back to the largest OF
them. which was in the rear.
Darrell walked along the hall some
what cautiously-for his mind was not
quite free of the idea Of snare-and
pushed open the door Of the large room.
He saw q table, upon which were
part of q roasted fowl. some bread, and
glass flask containing milk. A chair
was upset on the floor behind the table.
Darrell had heard it fall, yet he saw
no one.
He paused, with bis hand upon the
catch of the door, which opened In
ward.
"Who fs it?" cried a voice, sudden
and clear.
Darrell sprang into the room and In
stantly beheld the muzzle Of revolver
that looked as big as bucket. 1t fell
to the floor with ring Of steel upon
the hard wood, and there stood Vera,
white as a ghost, staring at him.
"You see," said Darrell, addressing
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Gordon in Paris
some weeks later. "the dear girl found
out what had become Of me, and she
determined to divert the course of my
destiny. which seemed at the moment
to be tending toward stone wall and
a firing party In Stavropol. Korna and
the amazon tried to restrain her, but
she slipped away from them at the
minute when they we're leaving Cred
skov, secured a horse somehow and
rode after Getchikoff like Valkyrie.
She overlook him at nightfall in that
village Of Meldek, surrendered to him
privately and demanded my release.
"Getchikoff was In a quandary. BE
was pledged to me for Vera's safety.
He could not take us both to Stavropol.
He could not put her out Of the way
either by death or captivity, for it was
in my bond that should have word Of
her, and he had certainly gone too far
to break faith with me, even supposing
that there had ever been q time when
he could do 1t.
Under these trying circumstances
he did the smartest thing ever done by
anybody. He made Vera promise that
If my release and personal safety were
absolutely assured to her she would
play her part as Motman Khan abso-
lutely according to his wishes. For my
life, she gave that promise. She was
put under guard in another room Of the
house where I was first detained. Then
under cover of the darkness we were
both transferred by men whom Getchi-
koff could trust. The bogus rescue
was easily managed through the aid
of q squad of Circassian prisoners on
their way to Stavropol for punishment
for various violations Of the Russian
regulations in Gredskov. Their free
dom was their reward, and Of course
they afterward dispersed beyond the
possibility of doing harm.
"As to Vera's promise. 1t was, Of
course, clear to her. though uneXpress-
ed in words. that she must follow the
line upon the chart, the line that led to
Paris.
"Getchikoff dared not trust me with
the news that Vera was in the town.
He feared | would not agree to his
plan. which put her so completely under
my power and direction, and | am
greatly obliged to him for his delicacy.
So was drugged. and with touch Of
the theatrical the dagger and the chart
were left for me. Vera also had a
sleeping potion with her supper and
was as much surprised as to wake In
freedom.
"There were horses for us In the barn
behind the house where found her, and
we rode that day to Botka, village
not far to the west. In the square de-
noting that village was little cross in
the southwest corner as one views a
map. Itdenoted an American mission
ary station. and there, my friends. Vera
and were married by fine earnest,
handsome young clergyman named
Perkins. who was born in the state Of
Maine. A quaint and beautiful little
wedding we had in that far corner Of
the world shall never think Of it
without tears of purcst happiness.
"And so we are here, Robert. after
our strange honeymoon journey. We
have heard Of Russia's great leniency
to the CrcasSians who remained under
arms after Gredskov's fall and Of the
restoration of peace In that country.
There is nothing we could do there
even were we not pledged to keep
away.
I'VE have heard Of KilZiar's death by
his own hand in prison and of the mer-
cy shown to his associates.
"As for Getchikoff. he has laid me
under such obligations that, though he
had forged my OWN name for every
dollar possess. though he had slain
LadiSlov in cold blood and Ladislov
had been a good man and my friend,
must still have shielded the fellow to
the limit of my power l will surely
do it, and, upon my word, after his
courtesy to Vera in Meldck, l almost
believe he Is worthy of forgiveness for