Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-11

and the Cossacks were jubant at the prospect of
the haul they would make The sense of certainty
soon communicated itself from the officers to the
men. Fifty volunteers, to storm the first level,
were obtained quickly. They gathered quietly at
the foot of the rock staircase.
At nine o'clock the Prince motioned to the torch
bearers, and the resinous flames soon threw a red
sinister glare on the ferce-looking troops and
sent strange CLEANS along barred blades and gum
barrels.
Poshol!" (Go on) cried the Prince sharply
With yell the foremost Cossacks raced up the
steep tunnel; behind them, others fired voey into
the blacSness. There reply Neither shout
nor crash of musketry came from the gloom.
The first gallery entered empty. Following
instructions, the assaants paused at the mouth of
the drift where the plan directed departure from
the main level. When the supports came up the
resumed the advance.
Three times the vancouver was repeated vet
with the exception of the preliminary fusillade,
intended to clear the stairs, not a shot was fired
Ivan and his men were only biding their time. In
these dark corridors sounds carried long distance
When they assured that, by some means not
known to them, the foe followed the ntricaces of
the workings with the of those who held the
knowledge as close family secret, there NUT
terings of that dread word which means so much
in all oppressed communities.
'Treason men said; but they finChed not
Courage, friendsl'' cried the giant Ivan. They
pass the next barrier Do not fall back
until give the word. They doomed"
So, when the vanguard of the enemy entered on the
fourth of the seven stages through the mine, the
blackness vomited forth flame and lead. There was
no hating. Those who did not fall dead crawl
in agony to the rough -hewn walls dashed forward.
Soon a terrific melee took place. Friend and foe
became locked in inextricable mass of swaying
struggling forms.
Whatever faults the Russian possesses no man
can say he is coward and here in the depths of
a mountain let loose the passion, the rage
the devastating misery, which have held great
people on the rack for generations. Men fought
if the quarrel a personal Combatants
the debris of the mine, tearing and rendng and
stabbing viciously. So fierce the afray that
few paid heed to Ivans loud warning.
Back, brothers," he reared Back l sayl"
But Prince Melnikoff, who himself had felled
half a dozen opponents, heard him. and shouted to
those in rear: Follow at all costs!"
By sheer strength and with terrific sweeps of an
iron crowbar, which he used a weapon he hewed
path, and rushed after Ivan, whose huge form
barely distinguishable in the light of fallen
torch. The Prince, careless now of odds, and
despising personal risk cried to his Cossacks:
Come on, comrades! They rum"
Ivan caught the words and paused. He saw a
great number of soldiers advancing through the
smoke and dust He again, and Melnikoff
followed. Then the big Russian, with laugh like
the below of bull, stopped and struck match.
His chief adversary, yet many yards i'll the rear,
pucked out revolver and fired at him There
a running line of flame, a terrific explosion,
and great section of the tunnel caved in burying
many in its chaos of broken rock and irretrevably
blocking the way against further assault
Prince Melnikof uninjured He stood,
almost alone, prisoner in the hands of the rebels.