The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-03-29

the held anu came 10 the very spot
where Darrell had been stationed dur.
Ing the siege of the city
A sentry challenged them. and Korna
advanced 10 meet him. giving the
countersign and adding:
These are men with a message 10
deliver. They must leave the city In
secret"
Then In whisper TO DARRELL
IF you are grateful. have Motman
Khan transfer me 10 his staff II
remain with Kilziar. he will KIN me
and dishonor my name. | am taking
desperate risks"
Il will not forget" said Darrell.
clasplng his hand.
There are pickets beyond the city"
I said Korna. "but In such broken
country you cannot fail TO pass them.
Farewell This Is a strange thing /
am doing. but il is my only chance"
Darrell and Kevsk were lowered
over the wall. and when they touched
the ground the Russian said In a trem-
bling whisper:
Now | am alive. For long time
have seemed TO be dead"
"My friend" said Darrell. you had
reason"
They passed the picket line wlthou,
trouble-indeed without having any evil
I dence that such a thing existed. About
midnight they halted in the midst Of a
deep wood and there lay down 10 sleep.
| 1t was hunger that Weakened Darrell,
and his first consciousness was OF an
anxious attempt TO remember when he
had last had food. II seemed lapse
/ OF weeks He threw a bit OF wood at
kevski, who was slumbering heavily
on bank of moss, and the Russian.
sitting up, with blinking eyes laid a
hand upon the region OF his empty
stomach and groaned.
Kevski struggled 10 his feet and
stumbled up out Of the little hollow In
which they had slept. He vanished
among the trees but returned present
ly 10 say that he had got his bearings
and believed that he knew where food
could be obtained.
wait here" said he, "and | viii
bring you some. If we both forage.
we shall never meet again, for you do
DOT know the country. 1t is necessary,
therefore, for you to remain in place
that can find again"
Darrell agreed, and Kevski struck of
among the trees at good pace. An
hour passed. Darrell began to expert
ment with the bark OF a tree that had
an agreeable odor but was not particu-
larly nourishing. The time dragged
along until Darrell felt sure that it was
past noon. The situation was becom-
ing serious. He ventured out of the
hollow little way in the direction that
Keyski had taken, but could gain no
hint of what had become of him. The
sun began to sink toward the west.
Darrell was positively starving. 1t
seemed impossible to wait longer. FL
ther keyski had been captured or had
hopelessly lost his way.
AS evening approached Darrell left
his hiding place and struck out in the
general direction taken by Keyski. He
proceeded with caution, for In reality
he was between two foes. III captured
In that region by the Cireassians, he
would be taken back TO Gredskov,
where his fate was certain. and If by
Russian troops advancing, or moving
toward any point OF concentration, he
stood the chance Of being identified as
an escaped prisoner, with consequences
not much preferable TO death.
His progress was slow, but bit by bit
he opened wider the space between
him and Gredskov, going always to-
ward Nladikaukas. Hour after hour,
with his senses alert, he kept on. till
he reached a road
1t was a starlit night, and careful
search proved that there were no sol
diers 20 be seen in either direction. He
took the road, but kept within the
shadow OF some trees that marked the
boundary Of pasture lands along t.
After travelling few miles in this
way he came 90 a farmhouse lie had
not had q morsel To eat since the bonn
bardmcnt Of Grcdskov had commenced.
I Danger lay within the farmhouse but
+ starvation lay without. He crept near
er and nearer, listened for dogs, but
the place was wrapped in the silence
Of the tomb.
The door Of the house was wide open.
He knew that folk Of any kind II sleep
ing there would not have their doors
\ open when armies swarmed around.
He walked boldly in.
4 Darrell had no matches, nor did he
find any. The light from the stars
came IN but feebly, and he CROPPED in
I the darkness. seeking food, but the best
that he found was a half loaf OF dry
bread With this and water from the
well he made meal and then, utterly
exhausted, he threw himself upon a
rude couch and went 70 sleep.
He awoke with the sun and began a
search through the house. II was a
rude affair OF mud and a kind II baked
clay. II consisted Of a story and low
attic above In cellar which was a
mere hole In the rock upon which the
house was built he found some dried