Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-03-08
CHAPTER "

OOFpOraI EOuaIcnklne was an admlra-
BILE specimen of his own type of Russian.
His thick black scrubby hair was cut
straight across the forehead in a line
with the eyebrows, and at each side it
hung perpendicularly down below the
ears, and was, moreover, cut square
across the neck behind; and he kept al
ternately scratching and smoothing his
rugged front, nervously and assiduously,
when he removed his fur Cossack cap;
and. full Of affected concern, even to ex-
hibiting tears in his small, cunning eyes,
presented himself TO Natalie Mierowna
next morning. and besought her TO have
him conducted to the chamber of his
brave, his beloved captain, his comrade
and brother, who was, he now learned,
seriously i'll, helpless and delirious''-
and, in fact, just as the cunning corporal
wished him to be-
There he found Balgonie, certainly too
i'll and weak either to recognize him or
understand what he was about; so the
faithful Cossack made a rapid and skill
full investigation of all the officers pock
cts for the dispatch. Not a vestige of
it was to be found.
What can he have done with it2''
muttered the bewildered corporal; "can
he have lost it in the river, or swallow
ed itY
The truth is that Natalie Mierowna
had her doubts about the fidelity of Po-
datchkine, and even of some of her own
domestics, and aware of the risk run
by the stranger if he lost dispatch of
the empress, she had, prior to the intro
duction of the corporal, secured the doc
-
den in her own fair bosom until she could
secure it in a safer place. Poor Natalie!
Alas, she little knew its contents, and
the horrors they were yet to produce.
Bafiied thus in his attempt to secure
II. there was 10 resource for the faithful
warrior of the steppes now but to take
up his quarters which he was nothing
loath to do, at the Castle of the Louga,
and there quietly await the recovery
or the death, he cared not which, of Bal
gonie and to concert further measures
with the huge gypsy, Nicholas Paulo-
witch, whom he saw daily.
1t was no feverish dream of Balgonie
that Natalie Mierowna had been hover
ing about his bedside; for she and her
cousin Mariolizza had been his especial
nurses.
In less than three days the feveriSh
delirium subsidized, sense completely re-
turned, and the young captain appeared
to be laboring under a species of inhu-
enZa.
my Dispatch he frequently said
aloud-'I must be gone with my dis
patchp'
Might it not be intrusted to Corporal
PodatehkineT' asked Natalie one morn
ing. as she personally gave him his warm
and soothing drink with her own hand.
Katinka, the maid, standing demurely by
with a silver salver.
Impossible. Hosphoza, for so / may
call you; an ohlcer alone can carry dis
patch for the empress. Its contents are
most urgent; this delay, over which l
have no control, may be visited by royal
disfavor. even punishment; and | fear
that the air of Tobolsk or Arkutsk would
m suit a Scotsman's lungs, Natalie Me
rowna"
yet tarry here you must" she said.
with a smile, the beauty of which proved
very bewildering; ''the Louga is coated
with ice this morning. but not so thick,
however. that il might not be broken by
throwing a stone from here: but TO travel
vet would only kill you, Carl Ivanovitch,
and cannot be thought of just now"
Then she glided away, with her beam
ING smile, her white hands and taper
arms. her rustling dress OF scarlet silk
trimmed with snowy miniver, and all the
sense OF perfume that peryaded her
Balgonie sighed YEARLY yet pleasantly,
and half thought that beautiful figure
n dream. as he turned on his soft and
luxurious pillow and marveled whether
his past or his present existence was the
real one.