Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-08-18

WITH STetI eCld' w co'h 49,
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. II 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 thn rciChhor-
hood does not seem familiar Just
then there IL a grand lurcn; one side
of the shgram 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. Thf
vehicle comes to n sudden stand. This
makes the baron furious; he has
violent temper that occasionally
flashes into hot heat when things 90
not go to please him.
"KitO" he rOars, shaking the door.
"Sahih. I am here" answers voice.
"Oh, you are! Unfnsten this door! |
cannot make It slide" snaps the baron.
"SahIb, It opens this way" Where
upon the baron steps out upon the
street.
"Where are we2" he demands. look
Ing around at the dimly seen houses.
with their strange fronts. II do no.
| recognize the place. This Is not the
road from the hotel TO my rooms-the
road we Travelled over in going. SPEAK
Kito"'
at is not, sahb," meekly replies the
humble driver. who stands close by
him.
"How does this come. miserable
dogT demands the Russian, half
tempted to chastlse the wretch who
has led him into this pickle.
ut is my fault I thought to tak'
short cut to your rooms. The moon
betrayed me. I saw not this hole
| Thank Allah 1t Is no worse" replies
the other. endeavoring apparently TO
conciliate him; but the enraged Rus
sian grows warmer every minute.
| No worse.' You fool, unless we
can lift the wheel out of the hole, |
/ may have to walk-all through your
stupidity! Do you know, I've a mind
to teach you lesson such as the sorlS
in Russia learned long ago!"
With that. the baron, blind with
passion. leaped over to the vehicle and
Snatches the whip.
1t is a 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 piece
/ Cf flesh from certain spot on an ami
NAL. An adept with such a whip can
annlhilate horse-fy that has lodged
upon the back Of the leader, and, al.
though the report sounds like the dis
| NHhI S' VI u pIolDI, llIN animal has HDl
| 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.
strument of torture laid upon his back
or legs. kito raises his hand In pro
| test.
"Sahlb, forbear! 1t would not be
! well for you to strike me- he says
calmly.
The moon has appeared again 1t
shows singular spectacle-the shig.
ram partly turned over. the angry bar.
| on, whip In hand, and the splendid
figure of his IIindoo driver standing
there In an attitude of FEARLESS warn.
| ing, his right arm raised rs II to keep
! the Russian from going too far.
! Perhaps the baron Ind seen the
knout laid upon wretched humanity so
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 1t will not
be endured In this land, where proud
blood flows through the veins OF even
the mpauest of the people.
The baron does not know what he
invites. He sees the action of his drv.
er, ana instead or mOderating his zeal,
it enrages him still more.
"You scoundrel, Dare to threaten
me. Russian nobleman! Take that
Even rs he speaks he gives the crue;
whip n sudden momentum. The lash
cuts the air and comes with tremcn-
dous snap against the limbs of the
! lIindoo driver.
He simply gives an exclamation. al
though the pain must be intense. Hard
| ly has the blow been struck than the
athletic form of the driver is seen in
motion. Instead of retreating. he
! springs toward the baron. Already be
is too near the Russian for the other to
| apply the lash a second time.
He Immediately drops the whip, hav.
ing no further use for 1t. and throws
himself into an attitude of self-de.
fense.
In addition to being master with
the fols and champion pistol-shor,
the baron has done what Russian Off
GERS do not practice as much as their
British cousins; he knows the science :
of self-defense. He is not a giant In
size, nor yet pigmy, but a we'll
formed man, with muscles hardened
| by constant exercise.
Thus, when the Hindoo driver comes
plunging at him. Baron Popoff as.
surnes his favorite attitude and eX.
poets to lay the fellow out with one
solid blow. Like many another man,