Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-05-28

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He thrust his head and arm into the
aperture.
l think you did not come at this late
hour for that alone"
81 came to tell you of discovery that
I have made, or, rather, hope to make"
answered Darrell. perhaps you know
more of it than l do, yet cannot as
sumo that you possess the information.
Let me not waste words. If this place
falls and you are taken, we may grant
that Circassia's cause Is lost, may we
notw
"The place will NOT fall" answered
Vera. "But, admitting your supposi-
tion, what fo1lowsT'
"If you, with your best officers and a
small picked force, could escape and
return to Circassia, there would still be
hope. / have learned that there Is a
secret way along the face of the noun.
tains"-
"And you would have me take it,
leaving my soldiers to be butchered,"
said Vera. "That Is not my idea Of
loyalty, which should have two Sides"
"Read the history of war;" answered
Darrell. "Have not princes and patri-
OTIS saved themselves when their lives
were essential to the cause they served?
Remember, 1 speak Of the last emer-
gency, when 1t has become absolutely
impossible to hold the place. AS for
the garrison, the Russians will treat
your troops as prisoners Of war;"
"I do not deny" she replied, that If
1 could put myself at the head of an
other army and continue to fight for
my country l should consider it my
duty to escape in case Gredskov were
taken by assault and resistance here
became useless. 1t would be equally
the duty Of the humblest soldier In the
army. But we cannot lose this fight
and yet continue the struggle. So |
shall remain and share the fate Of the
troops"
at Is what expected you to say" he
rejoined. "If you had spo:.en other
wise, you would not have been the wo-
man who danced and sang with me at
the students ball in Paris. | can only
wish that the prince were equally
steadfast."
"Kilziar% queried Vera. again you
wrong him, my friend. He may not
succeed, but he will die fighting. Of
that l am certain. He may not win
his way out Of the city, but he will at
least make the trial by the main gate
and not by any secret way. He may
be a man as selfish rs you think him,
but it is sure that his selfishness now
fights upon the side of our cause"
"For what reward?" asked Darrell.
with a tremor of cold fear.
Even myself" she replied. "My
hand is promised to the prince If he
can lead our army out of this city and
cut q way through the ranks of the be-
siegerS."
$50 good q soldier should win any
battle for prize SO exalted" answered
Darrell, his voice sounding to him as
If it were an echo in the corners of the
room. 1--WE may then surely expect a
sortie, and trust you will permit me
to wear sword when the day comes" !"
He stepped back toward the door, as
If to withdraw. Vera followed him
with so steady and searching glance
that he could scarcely endure it.
81 shall not be the first woman Of
princely rank" she said, "who has
torn out her heart rs a gift to her
country"
"Nor Kilziar the first scoundrel to
exact such pledge" he cried; then,
hastily: pardon me! am not myself.
If you have honored him even with q
promise thus qualified, my lips should
be sealed. Command me always"
Outside the rain still fell relentlessly.
At q corner of the street two officers,
meeting by chance, had stepped back
to the shelter of q projecting roof.
Darrell passing, recognized one or
them as Korna.
"This rain is help from heaven"
cried the colonel. "a few days more
of 1t, and those Russians will be In
such q condition that We can tear
through them as if they were wet pa
per-"
You have hope, then?" said Darrell
in cheerful tone.
"Plenty of it." responded Korna.
"The hills round Gredskov have a fe-
yer of their own that the rain nour-
ishes rs If 1t were grass. Half their
men will die of it, and, as it is particu-
larly hard upon all who are past forty,
their generals will all be flat OH their
backs, with coloncls and captains by
the dozen to keep them company. We
shall carve our way out of.this place"