Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-11
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for JUNE II, 1905

is anyone there?"
YES" replied the voice of Ivan, deep and rever-
berating from the upper darkness.
MY master bids you surrender"
Tell your master that his master bids him obey"
THAT is a foolish Unless you, and all
others in your company, descend and yield your
selves as prisoners, the place will be carried by
assault. If the English prisoners are harmed in
any way either by the mischance of Our attack or
by your deed, no will be spared.
| further am bidden-"
go back, fool" roared Ivan savagely. Take
with you threats which can be carried out. Your
guns planted on the hills of the Ivory Chair do
us no harm. Your Prince and those who follow
him will leave this mine alive. We need not
fire shot you You will die of hunger and thirst.
1t is not SO, Ivan, the firm voice of Prince
Melnikoff 1--WE do not come blindfolded to your
burrow. Be warned in time, You cannot resist us"
'Ha, renegadei you are there? 1t is you who
must yield, not /. You have broken your oath.
Now you desire to Stay your people. On your
head lies the responsibility for the lives of your
Withdraw your troops before it is too late, and
carry out the covenant
Il have given you every chance, mailman" was
the stern answer. Words must give place to
action at last"
Then be it my death yours, Boris and if
fall be sure that the Gar shall learn the truth"
The Prince hoarsely babe the fag-bearer to re-
join his comrades. The enterprise before him
well might daunt the bravest man, for all the adj
the defenders Yet this aspect of the affair seemed
to weigh least in his thoughts.
MY final warning should bring you to your
sensesi" he cried UNLESS you in person
and guarantee the safety of Lady Ermyntrude
Grandson and her friends 1 shall attack you at
nine o'clock"
why waltz AS for the lady, her husband can
safeguard her."
. Liar"
1t is true. Will you agree to my terms if she
herself assures your"
The Prince did not deign to make any reply
Stung beyond endurance by the tone adopted by
Ivan in the hearing of many of the Cossacks and
doubtless of his own followers, Melnikof returned
to his troops and sent orders for signaler to bid
the guns posted the distant hills not to open fire.
The night fell rapidly and the thaw so long
promised, began in earnest, its immediate pre-
decessor being shower of rain This created some
comment among the leaders of the military Sew
eral of the ravines crossed route to the mine
quickly would become raging torrents. Unless
the weather changed and a sharp frost came
that night, they would be practically cut off from
Bannofka for several days. There was no know
ing what measures the insurgents might have taken.
The peasants could get about the country like
wolves, and if strong-arned band attacked the
besiegers while they endeavoring to draw
Stephanovitch and his gang from their burrow, the
consequences might be serious.
Their unrest was stilled when Prince Boris
about halfpast eight o'clock, realizing apparently
that all hope of friendly settlement should be aban-
doned gave to each officer of the rank of lieutenant
and upward detailed plan of the mine.
Stenka, a faithless scoundrel at the best, had
not trusted his associates. Among his papers
found not only key to the ntricacies of the
inner workings and of the drifts he himself had
Il