Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-03-12

he saw that the bare and desolate cham
Der was without a tenant!
"N1alediction!" he shouted: "he has
escaped us--but how? Seart4,--search!
He cannot he far off. after the dose
have given him; search--and we must
use our hutchets now"
CHAPTER X.
Balgonie had scarcely thrown himself
mt length on the soft but not very Odor-
Gus pile of skins which formed his couch,
when u face appeared at little window.
which was pulled open. and a voice
called to him In a low and earnest whis-
per:
"Hospodeen--Carl 1vanovitch! Hos
podeen. attend to me: but oh, he silent.
as you value your life!'
He started up. softly approached the
window. and saw. by the dim starlight.
n fair female face with very dark eyes,
white and regular teeth. and long, gilt.
tering earrings
II have seen this face BEFORE" thought
he: but when, and wherey'
Balgonie. In truth. was too much IF
lover TO have more than one female face
ever before his eyes--that Of Natalie
Mierownn.
II am Olga. the gypsy" said the girl
humbly.
"Oiga! Olga! whom I saw at the house
Of Nlierowitx this EVENING""
"The same. Hospodeen" Baleonie
expressed an exclamation Of astonish-
ment to find her, rs he thought. no far
from that place. "You gave me coin
once upon time. at Krejko. when pass.
ing through that town with Michail
l'odatchkine: and this evening you saved
me from the whip Of the steward. when
for the third time I had ventured near
the mansion In a vain search for you or
the Hospoxa Mierowna."
I'm search Of us--and for what pur.
pose. eirli"
"To warn you that for nearly a month
past n plot has been formed to deprive
you Of a valuable paper, and even Of
your life."
MY life? BY whom, and where.
girli"
Here In this solitary hut-even now
your assassins are In consultation--lis
ten."
He placed his ear to the trap door. and
heard the murmurs Of coarse whispers
below.
"Hush," said Podatchkinc. take
care" Then followed the question Of the
subtle and ferocious Stepniak nv to why
he had not given Bnlgonie Il prod" with
his lance In the forest: and the whole
conversation In all it's horrible details.
up 70 the moment when the wretched
corporal with death and terror min
Cling In his soul. fell from his seat In u
stupOr.
Great heaven" exclaimed Balgonie,
full Of despair and horror. MS he mechun-
icnlly felt for his fatal dispatch. to ns-
certain that II was yet safe. II have
drunk Of this drugxcd stuff. and am also
lost"
Nay" said the gypsy. hurriedly: mot
from the cup which was intended for
yon."
How ?--speak!-spchkw
"The cordial and the cups too were
all stolen by PO,latchkine. with many
| other things. at different times. from the
household Of Mierowitz. This night you
| were duly expected here. AMI thus u plan
was laid to destroy both you and your
| treacherOus guide. Two cups were fully
and deeply drugged by my brother Mich
olns; one was richly mounted with sil-
yer; and knowing well that II was to be
set before you, ! abstracted it barely an
hour ago. substituting another OF the
same kind. AMI now | have IL here. Oh,
iiospOdeen, u narrow escape you have
had"
BalgQiie began to breathe more freely
but asl (red that never had he run so
narrow i risk Of death. he felt. though
enraged and furious. his blood run cold
when contemplating the fate intended for
him. Peeping through n chink OF the
hatch or trap door. he saw that the lad
der of access had been removed. and that
the door of the sIunlid cottage was open
now. for the torch tiared more than ever
in the night wind. 1t was then extin.
guished: hut still he could see and hear
Corporal Podatchkine. whom lie sup
posed to be dead.
III you would save your life and the
dispatch of the empress. follow me this
instant. and get your horse before they
return: you have not a moment to lose"
1t was the gypsy girl who spoke
again, in her low earnest whisper, and
with perfect decision.
",rhen owe my escape-my safe
ty--"
NY tuSS TIE
window and descend by the wall"
Balgonie found that the courageous
girl to whose guidance he now trusted
himself had been enabled to reach the
window by standing on the roof OF the
shed, in which I'odatchkine had stabbed
their horses. The whole editice being
built of square logs, was not very high;
and II afforded easy means of ascent and
descent, by the interstices consequent to
its rude construction by the Ratchet. He
soon leaped to the ground, and softly as
sisted her to descend.
Here Is your horse; you see. HOspo-
deem, that your kindness to the poor
gypsy girl was not thrown away"
Rnlgonie looked rapidly to his bit and
girth. adjusted himself in his saddle,
hooked up the hilt of his saber and short
ened his rein, almost unaware of the
black tragedy being so coolly and DELHI
erately acted on the other side of the
cottage.
"Ten miles further from this will bring
you to the monastery of the Troit2e,
which You will know by its domes. You
have but to ride straight westward by
the forest poih; heaven keep you, aud
may YOU and the beautiful uOspoza he
happy in your lOves"
lie slipped into her hand the largest
coins he had, and In a moment more
was salioping over the soft grass of the
forest path she had indicated.