Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-04-02
CHAPTER XIV.

vet he was bold ana reSOlute' anu tho"Hu
a young man. he had all the free ana
easy bearing Of n courtly soldier. blended
with something of the calm severity OF
priest--a manner that was very impress.
sive.
The Polish and Cossack blood that
mingled In the veins of Apollo usnkoH
gave frecr and holder. perhaps Wild
Or. bearing and style Of language: his
nose was aquiline, and expressed fierce
ness Of disposition: yet his features 9th
erwise were essentially delicate and no.
bic. and his eyes were strangely benuti-
full in color and variety of expression.
lie was n grandson Of lIetman Mazeppa
that Pole whose story Is 80 well
known. and who after being bound naked
on wild and maddened horse. was car.
ried by his steed through woods and
wastes. and herds Of wolves and bears.
into the heart Of the Ckarine. where he
lived to become the prince and leader of
those wild Cossacks who dwell upon the
banks Of the Dniepcr.
Sleeping In n cavern. among rough sol.
diers. on n he'd of dried leaves and moss.
had not improved either the costume or
the appearance Of Natalie Mierowna.
With pain and sorrow--almost with az
how her once rich dress OF yellow silk.
with its trimmings Of narrow ermine. was
faded and soiled-even tatteied and
worn: her laces and her soft hair alike
iisheveled and nncarcd for: and that al
ready had a hunted and hnggard ex.
preston been impaired to her beautiful
eyes and soft. pale. delicate face. Anger
md pride alone remainel but both were
for a time subdued by the sudden pres.
ence Of Balgonie and the love she was
compelled to repress. outwar,ily at least,
when before NO many eyes. katinka. the
sturdy Polish attendant. who loved Ma
tale dearly. alone seemed unimpaired
by the hariships Of n forest life.
Concerning the secret dispatch Of the
woman. Cnthnrine Christianowna. to the
Governor of Schlussclburg." said Usa-
koff. resuming the subject of conversn.
ton. 'you. Carl. are perhaps aware Of
its cOntentsI"
EYES, replied Balgonie, and then
paused.
''Say on. my friend" said Usnkoff.
I'VE can hear anything now
''rhey were to the effect that a scheme
had been formed 10 free the Unknown
Person In Schlusselburg and that he was
not TO he permitted to fall alive into the
hands OF any one who came to seek him" v
Savage orders. which there can be
no installing"
"Oriers which BernikoT In quite capa.
Die of fulfilling" added Mierowitz In a
sad. stern voice. while their listening
followers burst into low and whispered
but fierce imprecations against the En-.
press.
"Bernikoff Ia n man without one hu.
man sympathy" said Basil.
"And no marvel II III" exclaimed Csa'
koff. while the strange light already de-
scribed cleaned In his dark gray eyes
His mother, like a true Tartar woman
n said to have anointed her breast daily
with blood. a. she sucked him. even ~
Dion tells Us the mother Of Caligula did
that her child might In manhood he msr'
CHESS"
Carl" said Basil. taking the hand
Of Baiyonie. Natalie has told me ALL"
"And you forgive meY' said Balgonis
earnestly.
II debut on this condition--that II
you do not join us you will at least moi
actively oppose our scheme"
II scarcely know what II H."
'Know this. then" replied the othe'
alphabetically, yet softly, that on Its sue
cess depends the success Of your love. fol
II II fails, then all our lives are lost"
"You say that you love my cousin. Ma
taller" said young Usako6 In q some
what loftier tone.
"With all my heart-with all my soul
I do" replied Balgonie. pressing a hans
Of Natalie between his own.
"Yet. Carl. II you valued senerosit,
and loved piety--if you loved glory an'
honor an a soldier should, yOu would risI
the loss even Of her--y-a. give her al
II neceaSary---and Join u.s."
"What would either life or glory N
after such a sacri6ce? All. my friend
you never loved AZ do" replied Charlie
with some irritation Of manner.
Perhaps. But have always though
how grandly terrible figure was mad
by MOhammed the Great when. on
stage before his discontinued army. IL
struck of the head Of favorite sultan
to convince his soldiers that he preferre'
glory to love-"
"Cousin. cousin" said Natalie. wh'
felt all the peril and delicacy of her low
erS position. "You talk thus to-day
when last night you shed tears--yes. bi,
ter tears--fOr the loss Of your sister
We were all taken prisoners together
Carl-my poor father. MarOlizza. and
Bound with cortls-see the marks are O
me still" she added. showing her whit
wrists, while her dark eyes filed with
dusky fre-"we were conveyed In GOV
cred wagon toward IT. Petersburg, o
the way Ia which it broke down in
wood near Paulovsk. not far from tn
outer walls of the imperial gardens
There In the confusion ] was enabled {
a Al, NJ