The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-07-01

task with honor. proceed with his
bride to st. Petersburg and be received
with great eclat by both potentate and
people whom he has mutually served
by his brilliant work.
Thus he muses., smoking his cigar
meanwhile and taking life as COM
Portable as he can. 1t strikes him
that the vehicle is tossing about more
than Is necessary. IL the driver has
taken the direct road, and the baron
idly thrusts his head out of the open
window.
The moon Is concealed for the time,
being back Of some clouds. so that all
he can make out IS that the neighbor-
hood does not seem familiar. Just
then there Is grand lurch; one side
Of the shigram drops into small cav
ity in the street. and the baron comes
very near being tossed out. He has
the breath somewhat shaken from his
body by the sudden conclusion. The
vehicle comes to sudden stand. This
makes the baron furious; he has a
violent temper that occasionally
| flashes into hot heat when things do
not go to please him.
''Kito!" he roars, shaking the door.
"Sahih= am here, answers voice.
ooh, you are! Unfasten this door! I
cannot make it slide." snaps the baron.
''Sahib, 1t opens this way" Where
upon the baron steps out upon the
street.
Where are we?" he demands, look
ing around at the dimly seen houses,
with their strange fronts. '"I do no.
recognize the place. This is not the
road from the hotel to my rooms-the
road we Travelled over in going. SPEAK
Kitor'
"It is not, sahib." meekly replies the
humble driver, who stands close by
him.
Glow does this come. miserable
dog?" demands the Russian. half
tempted to chastise the wretch who
has led him into this pickle.
1T is my fault. I thought to taxa
a short cut to your rooms, The moon
betrayed me. saw not this hole.
Thank Allah 1t is no worse" replies
the other. endeavoring apparently to
conciliate him; but the enraged Rus
slap grows warmer every minute.
No worse!' You fool, unless we
can lift the wheel out of the hole, I
may have to walk-all through your
stupidity! Do you know, I've mind
to teach you lesson such as the serfs
in Russia learned long ago!"
With that, the baron, blind with
passion. leaped over to the vehicle and
snatches the whip.
1t is wicked looking instrument of
torture, especially in the hand of one
who knows how to handle such a
thing; and the baron, no doubt, has
had experience among sledge dogs dur
ing his journeys in the frozen wastes
OF Siberia to be able to pluck a piece
Of flesh from a certain spot on an amt
NAL. An adept with such a Whip can
annihilate horse-fiy that has lodged
upon the back of the leader, and, al
though the report sounds like the dis
charge of pistol, the animal has not
been even touched
1t can be set down as certain, there.
fore, that the person familiar with a
whip has no desire to feel such an In
sfrument of torture laid upon his back
or legs. Kito raises his hand In pro-
test.
''Sahib, forbear! 1t would not be
well for you to strike me-" he says
calmly.
The moon has appeared again. 1t
shows singular spectacle shig.
ram partly turned over, the angry bar
on, whip in hand. and the splendid
figure of his Hindoo driver standing
there In an attitude Of fearless warn
ing. his right arm raised as If to keep
the Russian from going too far
Perhaps the baron had seen the
often in his native land that his first
inclination is to use whip upon one
for whom he has conceived a sudden
anger, not counting the consequences.
That may do when applied to the de-
based serfs of Russia but it will not
be endured in this land where proud
blood flows through the veins of even
the meanest of the people.
The baron does not know what he
invites. He sees the action of his driv-
er, anu instead OF moderating his zeal.
it enrages him still more.
"You scoundrel. Dare to threaten
me, Russian nobleman! Take that
Even as he speaks he gives the crue;
whip sudden momentum. The lash
cuts the air and comes with a tremen-
dous snap against the limbs of the
Hindoo driver.
He simply gives an exclamation, al
though the pain must be intense. Hard
Ixy hos tho hInu, haar, c+r,.aIy than tI,.