Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-10-14
CHAPTER XI.


Lost God-forsaken"
Suddenly l feel rough hand grasp
my shoulder. l am swung forward, and
sind myself the center Of score of faces,
all peering and grinning into mine.
/ realize that | am in a general cell;
that these are my fellow prisoners, and
the wrathful blood leaps to my head.
shake myself free and turn fiercely to see
who has dared to modest me. In my pres
lsnt desperate mood l am not to be trifed
with
My looks fall on a short, broad, pow
Eerfully built man in the black sheepskin
cap of "a Cossack, under which pair
Iof bold eyes glitter and dance like wild
FIRE. He stands before me now, with his
Broad, brown hands on his Sides his body
shrown back, and both attitude and mien
lBespeaking insolent defiance.
'Confeund your impudence! What
Imean you?' l roar
Il merely wish to look at you, broth
ser," he replies with cool deliberation.
E'I am interested, we are all interested in
our brother in affection"
you insolent, presuming hound! I
lgnash on him in fury. The laugh that
goes round makes it blaze up like oil on
flames. I make a rush so violently and
Unexpectedly on the Cossack that he
staggers back, and but for those behind
him would have fallen.
A hubbub of voices is raised: go on!
AT him! Show your mettle, little father!
Embrace brothers! At him! At him!"
The Cossack has regained his balance.
His huge nostrils swell out, his breath
Rushes through them with a snorting
noise like horse. He bends his head
FORWARD as does a bison preparing for
lattack. In another moment he has dart
ed on me, and his preternaturally long
arms encircle my middle like bars Of
IRON.
Squeeze him! hug him! Well done,
Yerack" shrek the voices, accompanied
with such noises as are used to encourage
fighting dogs. draw in my breath, and
Fitting the Cossack off his feet fling him
from side to side to try and shake him
Ioff, but in vain. He clings to me like a
Bulldog. I cannot fight man whilst he
hangs to me like this, so we struggle to-
igether silently, neither gaining an advan-
Itage for full FIVE minutes; until sudden
movement on my part brings us both to
lihe ground, I on top Of my adversary
And now he looses his hold, and instant
Iiy 1 catch the CLEAN of steel!
My hand closes on his wrist like a wise
II wrench the weapon from his grasp and
faing it from me.
"Cowardp' l hiss, and deal him q blow
lsn the head that makes it resound, like
she cracking of a cocoanut against the
Iaoor.
His limbs relax. A deep groan escapes
mis- breast, and | am free to rise. I do
$50, and stand gasping for breath and
Hooking down on my PROSTATE foe His
Jaw drops, and his black eyes roll up, ex
|hibiting the whites, giving him the
tghastly semblance of DEATH And now
that my passion has spent itself. shud-
der with disgust at my own folly and
degradation.
Il fear you have finished him." OBJ
serves some one.
Served him right!' growls another
"He is a coward and a traitor!.'
Yes, yes serve him right" join in the
pest. you have acted like true man!
II on are of the right sort"
Their compliments only increase my
disgust. What care 1 for the opinion
of such as these? 1 make no reply, but
stalk over to the furthest corner of the
cell and fling myself down on one of
She inclined boards that are ranged round
she wall.
l watch them draw the insensible Cos
sack to another board, and lave his
brow with water from a pitcher. Almost
Emmediately he revives and sits up, seek
sng me with his rowing eyes. When they
Aave found me, he rises and staggers to-
ward me-
. II am hound and thou art brave
manp' he says hoarsely. Forgive me;
st was the evil one prompted me to use
the knife. He had sion of me and
knew not what l did.''
He waits not for my reply, but sud-
denly leaves my side, picks up the knife
srom the floor where l had hurled it, and
geturns it to me.
Take it, he urges sit is thine!
struggled it in concealed in the folds of
any sash. Stay me with it if thou wilt
5Iy life is thine"
AS he speaks thus, his voice shakes
with emotion and his dark face works
strangely. I am touched with the mans
&ontrition in spite of myself.
Keep the dagger" l say, sit may be
useful to thee, and give me rather thy
Aandp'
Remember my words: My life is
ehiner' he reiterated. Thou hast bought
Yerack, body and SOUL"
And without another word, without
giving me the chance Of expressing the
Segret that is on my lips, that I should
Aave taken his HARMLESS sport so badly,
he goes back to his board and stretches
Aimself on it. His fellow prisoners
crowd round him with questions and re-
aaarks, but he regards them not. and
Burning to the wall, remains perfectly
ptill
In few minutes they have forgotten
us both. A tall, lean Jew sits apart,
stumbling to himself, and swaying his
Aody to and fro. Ere long the loud,
aeNg-drawn snores of the Cossack min
gied with the general din.
Thus the weary hours flow sluggishly
ERerging into each other, until a break
scEsnAs in the shane of q cnunle of ward