The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-11-01
COPYRIGHT, 1901,
By CHARLES n.
EIIIERINGT0N.


ince of Stavropol and that 1t was de
pending upon re-enforcements concern
ing which there was rumor Of delay
The men We're recalled at last, and
Darrell passed the second bridge. A
little later he ascended hill beside the
stream, and, being overcome with
WEAKNESS, he lay down to sleep just
as the moon began to light the sky in
the east He awoke at daybreak, stiff
with cold and painfully lame as a re-
suit of his fall upon the rocks. Hob.
bling to the edge of the trees, he found
that he had accidentally chosen spot
singularly favorable for observation.
Despite the roilghness of the region,
Darrell could see almost the entire ex-
tent of the Russian force. The line
as he saw 1t was about two miles long,
and doubtless there were skirmlshers
beyond his vision. There seemed to be
between 5000 and 6,00O men, nearly all
infantry. The center was on the main
highway from Vladfkaukas to Cred
skov, and there had been great changes
in the disposition Of the force during
the latter part Of the night. The way
| by which Darrell had come was now
! the least practicable that his eye could
/ discover, yet he could see other places
where a man might pass aided by the
roughness Of the country and the dark
ness of night.
His proximity TO the line was AN
element of peril: indeed, he wondered
that the very spot on which he stood
was not held by a picket guard. Re
treating from the place. he became
aware of men upon the north slope Of
the hill ascending. but he ehded them,
passing around to the westward. lie
encountered far less difficulty than he
had expected and was soon beyond the
reach of anything except some chance
scouting party. 1t SEEMED to him that
the Circassan outposts around Nladi-
kaukas could not be more than ten
miles away, yet he was so lame from
his fall that even this short distance
involved great exertion and much
pain. 4,a,,...
On the slender chance of finding any
beast that a man might ride he visited
several deserted falmhOuscs, securing
enough food for his needs, but no cat
he. He was in such a condition that
n sound OK would have seemed a good
mount. but there was none to be had.
Ia one of the houses he was greatly
surprised to discover a gun, almost the
last thing he would have supposed
that fleeing tenant would abandon.
1t was n mu2zle loading weapon of the
type of many years ago; but. as there
was n supply of ammunition. Darrell
thought the gun worth taking.
During the day he made very little
progress, being twice compelled to lie
hidden while Russian scouting parties
were about. Sunset found him far to
the west OF the highroad. uncertain of
his way and suffering both from ex
haustion and the injury that he had
sustained on the previous night. He
came at last to a road that was scarce
ly more than a trail through the woods,
and by the side of II he sat down to eat
such food as he had and to rest. He
fell into doze. with his back against
the moss covered stump of tree, and
II was dark when he awoke.
Something had startled him. He
felt thrill of vague alarm as he strug-
gled back TO consciousness, and the
rusty gun that he had taken from the
farmhouse was In his hands without
an effort OF volltion. He heard the
sound of horses feet and immedi-
ately the beast and his rider came into
view. dim in the starlight.
Without thought In his half waken.
ed mind. except that he needed n horse.
Darrell sprang out into the path. VITA !
the gun in his hands. and cried out.
Halt" Ii wgs the horse that obey ed |
the order The rider continued to al !
vance. 10y the law of inertia. and he |
came to rest like a sack of meal on the /
soft moss by the roadside. Darrell in
siantly pounccd upon lin. but IL was |
wholly unnecessary. for the man did |
not move. lie was lying upon his face, /
hasty glance assured Darrell that /
the horse would not run. The poor |
beast was standing as IL on wooden
legs driven into the ground Satisfied /
In this particular. Darrell looked again /
to his prisoner and became suddenly /
aware that he wore a Clrcassiau off /
GERS uniform under a long and ragged I
coat In another instant he had turn
Ell the man upon his back aud was
gazing into the face Of Koruna.
There was no sign OF injury. Korna
had fallen linn as a drunkard and
with a drunkard's immunity from bro
ken bones. II was the mere shock
that had robbed him Of bis wits. Oar
rcll was al n loss 10 understand how
so good n horseman had been 80 easily
thrown. and yet the manner 81 the fall
gave some hint Of the explanation. 50
that Darrell was not wholly surprised
when KOrua had rvgaiDe1 his power n
speech to hear him muitcr in Russian
for he fancled that De- was addressing
Russian soldiers. Don't make me
move. I'm too tired 20 stand on my
feet
II required some minutes Tor Darrell
i. -...f.a r.s...-4.fr f-r,a---ss asT - orr.7afu