Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-07-19

'It is Muse the TrGUcter."
of war. 1t was far beyond their wit to
suspect that the mans music proceed
ed from his own lips quite independ.
ent Of the apparent source of It.
Feed him and keep an eye on him."
was the officers order, and Darrell OBJ
tanned food of which he was really
much in need. Afterward he was al
lowed to sleep on pile of blankets in
the rear Of the une. where some off
GERS horses Were tethered. A fringe of
trees approached near TO this spot. a
spur OF the woods. In the latter part
of the afternoon there was a smart and
sudden shower. Some of the soldiers
sought shelter under the trees. and It
was remembered that the demented
wanderer went With them, but not a
man Of that force saw him afterward,
except n picket on the road toward
| GredSkov, who In the early evening
challenged n shadow fitting by in the
edge OF some bushes, fred upon it and
then decided that it must have been a
wild animal If, indeed, ii was not a
product of his own Imagination.
At daybreak a Circassian outpost in
| sight of the walls OF Gredskov halted
a grotesque and travel worn creature,
apparently demented, yet with wit
enough to know his own business, and
| after brief questioning sent him into
the city under guard Of single man to
find Captain Varnek, for whom he as
serted that he had an important mes
sage.
If Darrell had declared that his bust
ness was with Prince Kilziar. II might
have been looked upon as the custom
airy delusion OF a crank" and had he
shown the Princess Vera's order at
such an early stage of the proceedings
other hands than his would probably
| have delivered it. Therefore he had
named Varnek, the officer who had
been charged with his execution, whom
horna had described as a friend-cer-
tainly man devoted to the khan and
well suited TO be Darrelrs intermediary
| IN this matter.
1t appeared, however, when they
were within the city that Captain Var
mex was not an easy man to find. Oar
relrs guide was directed here and there
| with the greatest positiveness in each
case, but always wrongly, and Darrell
was on the point Of attempting direct
communication with Kilziar when the
| problem was solved in an unexpected
manner.
| In the open space beside the prison a
| great crowd was gathered, and as OAR
rell and his guard passed in the course
of their search they heard the sound Of
music and saw in the midst of the
throng a considerable body of troops
drawn up in hollow square. Two tall
timbers with crossbar on top seemed
to define most dismally the occasion OF
this gathering.
IAN execution" asked Darrell ''For
what crime"
az heard the fellow had assisted the
escape Of a prisoner condemned by or
der of the prince" was the reply. "He
used to be a turnkey IN that prison"
"Did you hear his name"
"Kevski, or something like that" an
swered the man indifferently.
"They will hang him." exclaimed
Darrell in horror at the fate of this
man to whom he owed his own life.
''By the feet" replied the soldier. 81
believe there's some idea Of getting a
confession out OF him, and when you
hang a man by the neck he hasn't SO
much time to think the matter over. ]
could never understand why people
should want to see such thing" And
he pointed to the crowd with a ges-
ture Of contempt that did him much
credit
Darrell was already breaking through
the crowd, and In half minute he had
come up to the thin line Of soldiers by
which 1t was restrained. At that mo
ment the unfortunate Kevski was
hoSsted up, his feet bound together, the
rope by which he was supported being
made fast between them. he swung
at first but little clear of the ground
his hands bound Sbehind his back, his
body slowly twirling on the rope.
This barbarity is not uncommon IN
J ! that region, and 1t has terrifying ele
ment Of uncertainty, for the amount oil
torture inflicted by it can never bt
known In advance, since 1t depend:
upon the endurance OF the individual
Men have lived Incredibly long anC
have endured indescribable torrents
IIwhile others have passed beyond pain