Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-07-26

last few days. Moreover, you look
much more cheerful than when saw
you last What is the cause OF 1.-THE
weather perEaps?''
y have always enjoyed great repu.
tation for cheerfulneS;." answered Oar
rell You alone seem 20 have found
my society depressing. Yet that is not
surprising perhaps. There is malady
which. according TO all the poets. viii
make any man sigh. and have never
had il before
THAT is rather pretty speech" SAID
Vera. Il have conversed principally
during these last days about corn aud
gunpowder. 4 change cheers the. Yet
think you did not come at this late
hour for that alone"
II came to tell you OF a discovery that
l have made. or. rather hope to make"
answered Darrell. Perhaps you know
more of it than ! 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
not?"
1.-The place will not fall" answered
Vera. But. admitting your SUPPOSE
ton, what follower
IF you, with your best officers and
small picked force. could escape and
return to Circassia, there would still be
hope. l have learned that there is a
secret way along the face Of the noun
tains"-
AID you would have me take II,
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, l 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;
II do not deny" she replied. that IL
| could put myself at the head of an
other army and continue to fight for
my country I 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"
ut is what I expected you to say" he
rejolned. 'If you had spoken other
wise, you would not have been the wo-
man who danced and sang with me at
the students ball in Paris. I can only
wish that the prince were equally
steadfast."
'Kilziarw Queried Vera. again you
wrong him, my friend. He may not
succeed, but he will die fighting. OF
that 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 man as selfish as you think him,
but II is sure that his selfishness now
/ fights upon the side of our cause"
For what rewardp' asked Darrell,
with tremor OF cold fear.
Even myself" she replied. "AIy
hand is promised TO the prince IL he
can lead our army out OF this city and
cut way through the ranks Of the be-
siegers."
80 good a soldier should win any
battle for prize SO exalted" answered
Darrell, his voice sounding to him as
IL it were an echo In the corners of the
room. I'VE may then surely expect a
sortie. and 1 trust you will permit me
to wear a sword when the day comes"
He stepped back toward the door, as
II 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 as a gift to her
country"
Nor Kilziar the first scoundrel to
exact such a pledged" he cried: then,
hastily: Pardon me! am not myself.
II you have honored him even with a
| promise thus qualified, my lips should
be sealed. Command me always"
Outside the rain still fell relentlessly.
| AT corner OF the street two officers,
| meeting by chance, had stepped back
| to the shelter Of projecting roof.
| Darrell passing, recognized one OF
/ them as Korna.
This rain is help fsom heaven"
cried the colonel. "a few days more
II
such a 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 as If It were grass. Half their
men will die of it, and, as 1t is particu-
larry hard upon all who are past forty,
their generals will all be fiat on their
backs, with colonies and captains by
the dozen to keep them company. We
shall carve our way out Of this place."
IL begin TO believe you" said his
companion, but what the devil we
shall do afterward with the roads In
this condition don't know"
"I asked Prince Kilziar that" replied
Korna, with a laugh. "He winked
straight up into the air, as his habit is.