The Washington times., 1903-03-15
DIRE. Il shall not feel easy until every

gates. and the whole length OF the
stockade trembled under the heavy
blows.
a hoarse shout from Andre reused the
sleeping COssaclks, and the brave fell
lows came tumbling out of the sledges.
rifles In hand.
post house. yelling with fright. and col
lided so violently with the telegraph OPP
orator, VINO was coming out. that both
measured their length in the snow
Crash, crashl The pounding went on
increasingly. and as the frail bar split
in twain and fell TO the ground. the
gates few open and the convicts burst
into the yard a dozen strong.
Bang, bang, bang. bang. bang.
Rifles cracked. and the air rang with
hoarse shouts and groans of pain
Down went two brave Cossacks never
TO rise again. and down went three con-
victs headlong in the snow. They were
receiving more than they bargained for,
but they were desperate fellows. and on
they came with a rush.
Andre was armed only with a re-
volver. and when he had emptied its
tUauDtIS III IdDiu SutftSSlOus ne SpEduE
back to the nearest sledge, where he
knew he would find rifles and ammuni-
ton.
At that moment the convicts gained
the intervening ground with a mad rush
that swept the opposing Cossacks aside
and trampled them under foot. and an
instant later the sledges were sur
rounded
As Andre appeared at the rear end
Of the nearest one. rifle In hand, two
ruffians sprang in from the front. and
the brave young captain was stricken
down by a blow from a dubbed rife.
He dropped heavily beside the chests
of gold. and lay there unnoticed.
The cOnvicts were now in indisputa-
BILE possession. and they lost no time In
carrying out their formulated plan.
The horses were brought quickly from
the stable and harnessed TO the sledges
The dead and wounded were picked up
and thrown in with the chests of gold
and then. mounting to the seats, the.
conviots drove rapidly out through the
broken gateway.
There was none 10 hinder. for the
starosta was hidden in the post house and
the operator had fled to the telegraph
Office. only 10 find all communication to
the westward cut of.
As the sledgss turned into the road a
distant trampling of hOofs was heard.
and a sentry. who had been posted near
the bridge, ran up, crying breathlessly:
The Cossackst The Cossackst They are
coming back"
Strange 10 say. the clever scoundrels
had provided even for this emergency.
TIE rear sledge was instantly over
turned across the road-which was very
narrow at this point-and a short gap
was filled up with the chests Of gold.
Then the remaining three sledges, each
with a single man in charge. were driven
away at furious speed to the eastward.
bearing with them Andres unconscious
body. while the other six convicts looked
hurriedly to their arms and ran in the
opposite direction toward the narrow
bridge that spanned the Angara.
Psranok had planned this daring deed
long beforehand in such a manner as 10
preclude the possibility Of failure. and
his men had executed their instructions
well.
TIE ride back was a brief and excit-
ing one TO Donald Chumleigh. He held
tight 10 his companion with both hands
to avoid falling off. ard bowed his head
behind the Cossack's broad back to es-
cape the severity OF the wind and the
driving snow
Never was the speed Of these tough
little ponies tested more thoroughly
han now. and so swiftly did the road
vanish under their hoofs that in almost
less time than il takes 10 tell the mile
and a half was covered. and peering side
ways. Donald saw ahead OF him a gap in |
the dark forest that skirted the post
road
A moment later the Angara bridge l
doomed out OF the shadows. and as the /
Cossacks swept up 10 the entrance a !
rife voIley was fred from the other end, /
and down went the leaders horse with
a bullet in its brain.
Donald and the officer came headlOng /
TO the ground but the soft snow pre-
vented injury. and they rose 10 their !
feet just as a second volley was fired.
The Cossacks blazed away In return. /
but the convicts were snugly ensconced |
behind the parapets OF the bridge. and
they instantly let fly a third voiley. |
which brought down one OF the Cos |
sacks and slightly wounded another.
The troops fell back 10 a safe dis
lance. dismounted, and left a man in
charge OF the horses. then valiantly /
charged the bridge. only to find that the
enemy had vanished.
But the convicts had not fed far. and |
when the Cossacks returned for their /
horses and cIattered furiousIy over the /
bridge and up 10 the post house they /
were met by a severe fire from behind I
the barricade that brought down three /
Of their number.
Donald had been left behind TO come UP /
OF foot. and when he reached the spot /
the scene was as warlike one could /
wish 10 see Both parties were firing /
without cessation and the air was thick /
with powder smoke.
Meanwhile the frightened telegraph /
operator was working The wires with