Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-04-30
CHAPTER ZZiy.

CHATTER univ.
Their horses were tolcrnbly refreshed
by the halt ut Schlussclburg. and 80
the whole party pushed on ut II brisk
pace by the road toward the frontiers
Of Finland-the Cossacks Of the escort.
whatever they thought. making neither
remark nor inquiry. as they trusted obe-
,liently and implicitly to the officer who
led them; hut the darkness of the De-
tobcr morning. the deep and muddy.
stony and rough. nature Of the roads. ana
the evidence OF the storm. ere long began
TO have u severe effect upon their cat
tie. and. to the great satisfaction Of BAL
gonc. two of the troopers gradually
dropped to the rear and were seen no
more.
Now the corporal Of the Cossacks ven
turcd to hint that perhaps they were
not pursuing the way they had come. as
the lights In ~. lsanc's Cathedral must
have been visible long ngo": hut Balgo-
ME replied. haughtily and briefly, that
he "had special orders
Then the corporal urged n short halt.
rs the horses were sinking: but again
Bnlgonic replied. that he had peculiar
orders. and must push on
After passing u little village with n
windmill. several miles from the shore
of the Lake of l.adoga. the road dipped
down into dark hollow. between Inn
pending crags of granite. the gray faces
Of which were beginning TO brighten In
the first light of the tagging October
sun. The rain and wind were over: the
hollow way was full of rolling and per-
picking mist: but CsnkOff affirmed with
4.
Out of the gray vnpor. from both sides
OF the path. there flashed. redly and
luridly. five or six muskcts! One bullet
struck white splintcrs from the wagon.
| eliciting u shrek from It's occupant; an
| other whistlcd through the name Of
Charles horse: and II third killed one
| OF the Cossacks, who died without a
| gronn.
The way wns beset by armed men.
whose numbers asd disposition. the din,
light. or rather. the darkness anl the
| mist. alike served 10 conceal.
MAKE way. In the name Of the EN-
press: cried Balgonic. dashing forward
, with his sabcr drawn: may. I command
you. on your peril and alleeiance!" he
added. as the threatening words Of Was
lief occurred to him: and. TO his aston
ishment and disniay, he saw that person.
agc actually appear. mounted and arm
cd. His pnrty, who seemed all on foot,
were clad like peasants, hut were arm.
ell with muskets. which they were rap.
Idly casting about and relOading.
| Halt! In the name Of the Empress
| halt, ! command you! for this In NOT
the way to st. Petersburg. whittier the
| prisoner and treasure were TO he con.
yeye,i, Treason! treason" shouted the
STAFF Captain Vlastief.
Balgonie fired a pistol at his head: but
the Captains horse reared, or was com
PEELED to do NO by bit and spur, for the
bullet pierced itR throat: and with an
oath, vlasfef fell on the pathway, en-
tangled In the stirrups as the animal
sank under him.
The three remaining Cossacks. who
were somewhat bewildered by the at
tack, by the appearance Of Vlasfef
whom they knew, and whose confident
bearing confirmed certain gathering sus
picions that something was wrong al
to their route. now drew their sabers
aimed several blows ut UsakO6's head
and endeavored to cut the reins OF hi
horse, or stab Il between the shafts, a,
he dashed the animal almost to racing
speed, and the light wagon jolted. rolled
aud bounded along the rough road be
hind Il.
BY another pistol shot Balgonie rit
himself Of the COssack corporal, who's,
bride arm he broke. while facing about
and gallOping In the rear Of the wagon
and now. with wild halloes. the entir,
party Of armed men followed It ON foot
with all speed. up a steep slope, Owe
which the path wound.
| Usakoff ground his teeth. for he wal
without weapons. ana passive In til,
hying combat; but. being fertile In eXpe
dents. he tore open bag Of roubles
and scattered them on the upland rOa,
with II ready and reckless hand.
The bright coins proved too exciting
for the cnpidity Of the pursuers, whit
loitered to pick them up. tumbing
scrambling, rising and falling over eacl
other, with shouts, curses and maledic
tions; their firearms sometimes exploding
the while; and so the whole were speed
lily left behind as the wagon, guarde'
now by Balgonie alone, was driven alOni
lonely and unfrequented road that LEI
TO the little town of POmphela.
"Thanks, dear UsakoG-ihanks 70
your presence Of mind" said BalgOnie
II had forgotten all about those roubles
To tighten the wagon let us throw on
those remaining bags-this perilOus lum
her. the intended recapture of which ha
, nearly cost us our lives-honor--all, u
the hands of Vlasfef."
"Nay, nay, never! Lumber. say you
The rOubles are Natalie's--hers an
mine-hers aud yours, when you We
her; they have saved us once. md ma
do so again." replied Usakofi. cheer
fully, as the sun burst forth IN his clea
October splendor, and they saw the dom
shaped cupOla of the Church OF Pom
phela rising with golden CLEAN frOr
! amid the white morning haze.
There Balgonie's uniform aud displa
Of gold r0ubles operated powerfully O
, the postmaster. who, without asking 70
} passports or other papers, at once, an
In the name Of the Empress, supple
} them with fresh horses for the frontier
toward which, after procuring som
4 / un, Il sh ant and rAatop tivAa o.