Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-04-09
CHAPTER XVII.

CHATTER XVII.
The past day had been unusually
gloomy for the seasOn. The sun had
set In fiery clouds beyond the spires of
1t. Petersburg. The night was without
moon and strong east wind rolled the
waters OF the Ladoga In pillows of inky
hue against the massive walls Of the fort
ress In foam and fury on one side: while
on the other the waters Of the Neva,
swollen by recent rains. gurgled and chat
cd round the moldy aud moss-grown piers
Of the drnwbridge.
Since morning roll-call. Jagouski. the
knouted, beaten and ill-used Cossnck. had
been missing; lie had Quilted the fortress
on some trivial prctense and had not
since returned: patrols had seen nothing
of him. Then Colonel Bcrnikoff was
more than ever on the alert; bu, Balgo.
ME. who now deemed anything better
thnn the torture of suspense, had gone
weary and feverishly to bed. to court for
n time the happiness Of oblivion. after
having spent nearly the entire day upon
the lake with IN armed boats crew, pa
trolling by water.
From sleep. however. a sudden sound
aroused him: he looked ut his watch and
saw that the hands indicated II o'clock.
midnight In another moment the sound
came again--the drums were beating to
arms!- lie heard the clnmor OF hoarse
Muscovite voices In court and corridor:
the changing of the castle bell; and he
saw the CLEAN of torches rei,Iening the
old black walls and towers, and flnring
on the grated windows us they were
borne to and fro.
His heart was beating with wild anx-
tnNs. La i, al tnH ~ N fsnrf
belted his sabcr about him. placed his pis-
tolls In his girile, and hurried forth to
meet--it might he cross blndcs--with the
only friends he had In Russia.
As he crossed the castle yard by torch
light, he could perceive that the COssacks
were falling into their ranks with mus.
ketoon and saber; and that the gunners
were standing by their cannon with port
fires lighted: the latter casting u pale,
ghastly, ind unearthly glare upon the
yawning embrnsures. the walls Of the
fortress and on their own stOlid visages.
which were pale aud cadaverous, rs those
Of people usually who are hastily sum.
moned from sleep In the night.
The pOrtcullis was up; and Balgonie
could see its row of lower bars. like u
line OF black fangs IN an open jaw, be-
tween him and the outline OF the lighted
archway.
"What IL the matter. Colonel Berni.
kOffY' he asked; what II tho cause Of
all this alarm
"Aiattcr enough! We have had an
Alarm--the place seems to be invested
by trOops--infantry Of the line--the head
Of a cOlumn--look for yourself, Baigo-
nie. exclaimed Bernikof.
no n,nit tina IN ri stinn mama ~ N nor
sou addressed. aud that OF his father.
also, IL a direct insult In Russia; but
BalgOnie needed II not then. lie hurried
TO the curtain wall which faced the land
side, the outer gate. and drawbridge. and
then, by the light Of torch, he could
zee that which certainly seemed TO be the
head of u cOlumn---a front rank OF near.
" fifty men, clad In the hideOus uniform
then worn by the Russian army. Their
coats were green, lined and faced with
red, very tight In the body, with prepOs.
terOusly long skirts. tight brooches and
boots to the knees, with cooked hats, hav-
i19 long flannel haps to cover the ears In
wiAter.
BY the light of the same torch Bal.
gonis could see the bayonets fixed; and
that two officers, with their subers
drawn, and drummer, were IN front of
their little line. Having possession of the
parole and cOuntersign, which, no doubt,
was betrayed to them by the absent ia
gouski, the whole party had contrived to
delude the sub-lieutenant In charge of
the outer guard, and were now past the
first barrier, and had actually taken pos
session OF the drawbridge. which they
had lowered across the Neva. The gate
and guns of the second barrier We're yet
20 he forced or passed; ana thus these
midnight visitors were In u species OF
trap.
Too well could Balgonie recognize In
the two officers Basil Mierowitz, wearing
the familiar uniform of the Regiment of
Smolensko; and Usakoff, In the gay trap
Rings Of the Grenadiers OF Valikolutz,
and now, for the second time, their drum
mer beat a summons for parley, but
as yet there was no response.
Balgonie FASTENED after Bernikoff and
the other officers. They had now ascend
ed to the chamber OF the unfortunate
Ivan. from whose presence they had
somewhat roughly expelled the chaplain,
Father ChrysOstOm. On entering, he
found that the royal recluse had sprung
from bed-insplred by natural alarm, on
finding his chamber suddenly entered mt
midnight, and full OF armed men; but
Ivan manifested no indignation--he was
too gentle, too subdued, and completely
broken In spirit for that.
His singularly beautiful face was very
pale; there was q strange calmness In
his manner; and whatever he thought or
anticipated, there was more Of calm In.
Quiry than of fear In his tone and In the
expression Of his fine. soft eyes. Over
biz night dress he had thrown Q robe Dc