Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-05-07

zlar, VINO had sought the treasure vain.
iy. He set my heart on fire with proph-
ecies of my country's freedom. He told
me that my descent from the most no.
Die family of Circassia would win the
hearts of the people and make me a
queen. Yet you must not think that
was moved by personal ambition"
Il am far from that error" answered
Darrell "Of the two treasures thus
discovered you at least were pure gold.
AS to the other, did 1t pass into Kill
ziar's custodyY'
Vera shook her head.
Il did not then trust him to that ex-
tent" she said. "a revolutionary COM
mittee was formed, and to that body l
revealed the secret. The money has
been disbursed under the warrant of
that committee"
II commend your prudence" said
Darrell.
Vera looked at him steadily and with
scarcely perceptible smile.
Prince Kilziar is hasty man." she
said. when he had you In his power
his natural impulse-natural MS IL
gers-was to put you out of the way.
Your methods differ from his. You are
the coolest blooded man 1 ever met
and he is one Of the most fiery. But
which is the more unjust?"
Darrell's face flushed painfully, yet
he still wore an air Of calm, still spoke
as If the conversation dealt with an alb
stract problem outside the field of per-
sonal interest.
You are mistaken if you suppose
that am trying to do Prince Ililziar
an injury" he rejoined. THAT he tried
to take my life is us small matter to
me as it is to you. r.
"A small matter to mew echoed Vera,
her hand closing on the hilt of the
sword. IF he had succeeded and you
had looked down from the stars after
ward. i think the wrath Of your spirit
would have been satisfied. But now
that he has failed and you are safe he
remains merely Kilziar, Circassia's
best soldier and at heart a good pa
triot."
"a bad man cannot be good pa
trfot," answered Darrell. "He cannot
be good anything. except perhaps a
good soldier, as this man is. The trade
requires no conscience. I saw Kilziar
commit murder for greed and at
tempt another for mere anger, and that
stamps him indellbly to my eye. But
for his own personal merits he is moth
ing to me. 1t is only because his char
acter affects your personal safety and
the success of the cause to which you
have devoted yourself that speak of
him."
MY personal safety is not worth
speaking Of" replied Vera, except as
it may affect the cause. Yet you are
insane to suppose that Kilziar's abb
surd love for me is in any way a
menace"
II had not that in mind" answered
Darrell earnestly. at is the conduct
of this war that makes me shudder
for you, that forces me to warn you,
though have neither right nor au-
thority to do so"
"And what have you to say of the
conduct of the war" she asked. Have
we not met with success?"
Vera" he said, what is the object
Of this struggle?"
ITO free my country"
is it free? Have you driven the
Russians out of it?'
Eve shall" she cried, "and in the
meantime"-
"In the meantime" said Darrell,
"you are engaged In an utterly hope
less war of invasion. What was your
hope in this campaign? To take STAY
ropol? l will grant that you might
concelvably succeed. Even SO, you
could not have dreamed of going fur
Their, and you certainly could not have
expected to hold the place indefinitely
without anything that could be called
line of communications, without pos
sibility of reinforcement, with only
the resources of the city itself to de-
pend upon. A successful retreat would
have been your best expectation
''Why not terms?' demanded Vera,
rising. "Do you think our successes
would have won us no consideration"
mot on Russian SOIL" answered OAR
AcI. Livery SuCCcsS you VIII OutSlue
your own borders is an obstacle In the
way of your liberty. You cannot con-
quer Russia. Your only chance was to
persuade her that the reconquest of
Circassia at this time would cost too
much In men and treasure. What does
the government In st. Petersburg care
about the loss Of Gredskov as mill
tary incident? Nothing. But as an
act demanding reprlsals the taking of
that city assumes Importance. 1t is
the same with Vladikaukas, and the
taking of Stavropol would make your
cause hopeless"
prince Kilziar does not think so,''
said Vera, pale with excitement.
prince Kilziar has never had any
other opinion" rejoined Darrell. "He
is soldier, a man of long experience
In war, Familiarity acquainted with Rus
sian governmental policy. Vera, when
such man moved your army beyond
the boundary of the country you were
fighting to free he proved that he was
not a patriot. The soldier of freedom
resents aggression. He takes up arms
for the purpose of expelling tyrants
he-defends his own land. he stands up