The Cairo bulletin., 1904-11-02

able to decide offhand, and she looked
out Of the corner Of her eye at the gen
\ eral, who stood by the end OF the table
Shcsfclt woman's sudden resentment
| that her order should have been treated
4 with disrespect, but also she was moved
by that feminine instinct OF utilities
/ which let her perceive that after all
! the object of the order had been at.
! talned Moreover, she doubtless knew
what was the matter with Prince Kill
ziar. and so long as he had not actually
slain Darrell from jealousy the crime
of attempting to do SO appeared less
black than ii should. What she wanted
was an easy way out of the difficulty.
and the general so understood.
Does Colonel Korna desire to make
formal charges?' he asked.
II will do nothing to breed dscord in
this critical hour" replied Korna firm
| ly. My own petty wrongs are not
| worth considering. | mention them
merely that my report and the fact of
| my presence here may be understood.
| What ] desire Is n chance to serve our
I.
Ii would be that should be assigned TO
duty here
General" said Vera. my desire Is
to grant this request. VIII you assign
Colonel korna to duty?"
II would welcome him upon my
staff" said the general, whereupon
korna made proper Acknowledgements.
and the incident seemed happily closed
'As TO the Russian force now lying
between us and Gredskov," said Kor
ma. II have certain information. but
Mr.. Darrell has much more. so that /
hesitate to speak before he has been
heard"
This jndiclous remark brought Oar
rell back to the center of the stage, and
his report was eagerly received, 1t ap-
peared Immediately that his informa-
tion was far more accurate than any
that had previously been brought in.
His estimate Of the Russian force, with
sketches of its position. made the stu
alton seem far more serious than II
had hitherto been considered, II was
obvious that the Russians must expect
to cooperate with force moving down
from the north and that the plan was
TO annihilate the little Circassinn army
In vladlkaukas.
''rhe position which they have taiS
en-" said Darrell, lis merely that of
the greatest advantage in case your
orce should attempt a voluntary meye-
ment toward Gredskov. At the proper
time they viii advance to invest this
city closely upon the south, but they
do not wish TO do IL prematurely be-
cause they are not strong enough to
take the place by assault and an in
decisive action might result in bring
ing up Prince KilZiar's army in their
rear. Clearly there has been some
to have been done quickly; otherwise
this flying column of Russians might
be caught by Kilziar's advance and be
IN bad place. Something has delay
ed their larger force that was to move
down from the north, or you would
already be engaged with Il. They GER
tainly must have expected TO take Via
dikaukas this morning"
"KilzIar's scouts should have report
cd the presence OF this force" said
Vera, "and he should already be adj
vanclng."
"We have no knowledge that such is
the case" said the general I'VE can
not assume that the prince is Ia pos
session Of Information equal to ours.
The immediate need Is to send word 10
him. He is probably IN the same posi-
tion that we were In before Mr.. Oar
relrs arrival. aware. Of course that the
communications had been cut. but in
ignorance that II had been done by n
force sufficient to menace seriously our
position here"
"Let the messengers be chosen at
once" exclaimed Vera. II will prepare
the orders. We viii catch these Rus
slams like gnat in a glove.
And she made a very graceful ges-
ture 60 enforce the metaphor.
Il win attend to this matter In per
SON said the general. with the as-
sjsiance of Colonel korna. ln the
nieaHtnse 1t may hs that MIR. Darrcll
wifi prepare duplirpte maps Of the
Russian position aS;le saw il. They
wIIl'be carried by ON men aud win as
sist them in getting through the lines"
Darrell bowed as the general and
Norma left the room. Vera made
place for him Mt the table beside her.
and he began his work without word. /
SeInries paced the veranda outside the |
windows. and two were on guard in the
lall. but no one was within hearing
The noises If the camp came very !
family, and the sound OF Darrclls pen /
ell was audible in the room.
II trust that you conveyed my thinks I
and my apologies to Mr.. and Mrs. Cor
don" said Vera suddenly.
Darrell passed his hand across bis
forehead as one does who would steady I
his wits.
Il Vas not authol lied to speak for 1
you.r be said. but ] know that they I
fully understood Os course yonr sud /
den departure gave ms great anxiety. |
We were afraid that in escaping from I
the police you had run into the hands 1
Of the cars agents. II was for that I
reason that went TO Siavropol. re- /