The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-10-11

the steppe before the first wind of
winter. 1t began to come very softly
and silently at daybreak, and quickly
powdered the landscape. covering up
all ugliness. making unsightly places
even beautiful; but all the same 1t
was cruel.
1t struck the knell of the long 81
lence: Sergius lKonski, sometime stu
dent of Warsaw, and now supposed
to be living peaceably on his father
lands at Erlensk on the Siberian from
tier, stood still at the gateway of one
of his fathers fields and looked up
the long bleak vista of the road
which led away from Erlensk and
towards Poland and life. Such was
the thought in the lads heart, for
from his mothers side he was a
Pole; and every heartbeat was in
sympathy with his mothers people.
One brief year had he spent in
Warsaw; twelve short months into
which had been crowded the fierce
experience of lifetime; then sud-
denly and swiftly, he and his sister,
who had been attending university
classes at the same time, had been
removed from Warsaw. They had
not dared to ask a question; they
knew too well the reason, though the
matter had never been mentioned in
the great house of Konski. The lines
had simply deepened in the face of
old Konski, and he had become more
taciturn than ever.
You have had your chance and
made a fool of yourself, Serge, be-
sides dragging Vera into danger.
You can stay at home now and make
a fool of yourself to some purpose"
That was nine months ago. The
pair We're not content-how could
they be? Can the eagle, who has
been accustomed to soar from height
to height, to contemplate the mac
cessible only as spur to further
achievement, sit down contentedly to
preen his feathers in the homely
doye-cot, however sheltered and safe?
The thing is impossible. These two
young, eager hearts, whom the love
Of freedom had consecrated, who had
beheld great wrongs and burned to
redress them, were fretting their
hearts out now, and it was the begin
ming of the long silence.
Serge was expecting no one; he
was simply contemplating the road
which led to life, and wondering how
long before the cords would become
so strong that they would draw him
away from every tie that bound him
to the steppes. He had the thin,
eager face of the enthusiast, the
dreamer of dreams. He wore a loose
blouse of frieZe, cut low at the throat
and revealing the strenuous muscles
there; his eyes seemed to burn, to be
full of deep thoughts. 1t was a sin
gularly handsome, a winning, arrest
ing face. But it was not the face of
the man who could suffer the long
silence.
Suddenly a remote sound smote
upon his ear; and through the film
of the flying snow he beheld in the
far vista of the road an approaching
vehicle. He drew himself up, an
alertness seemed to spring to every
muscle; he stepped out into the mid
die of the road. He was not aware
of any expected arrival, yet none the
less was he conscious of q sudden
flutter of anticipation. Anything
might happen any day; that was the
only thing which made endurance
possible. The vehicle, drawn by a
rfv % 1,,,f
approached swiftly, until Serge could
discern it held two persons. They
We're so wrapped up, however, so
little of their faces visible, that no
recognition was possible until they
came within few hundred yards
Then he gave a little cry and held
up his hand. The plunging horses
were instantly stopped, and cone of
the travellers alighted.
Drive on to the stables, Ivan.
Yes, the stables of Count Konski.
How are you, Serge?"
The face of the youth in the frieze
blouse was suffused with a light
which touched like a live coal the
warm heart OF the Englishman. They
shook hands in silence. Not until
the horses had disappeared did fur
ther word pass between them.
What brings you here, Arthur"
asked Serge in a low voice. THAT is
matter of urgency can see."
The Englishman wiped the powder
of the snow from his keen, clean
shaven face.
1T is matter Of life or death,
Serge. | left st. Petersburg ON Mon
day. On Sunday the Terror began
and when | left the soldiers were in
the streets shooting down the de.
fenceless citizens"
But there is more, Arthur. You
would not ride so many hundred
miles to tell us that"
There is more. You know Ore.
sky? He is high in favor at the Win.
ter Palace. He told me privately on
Sunday evening that you and Vera
are on the list. You must look after
yourself. | have come to take hel
away"
II question IL she will co." said
Serge, and his face began to burr
slowly, as II the fire within consumed
him.
''She is my promised wife, and ]
will take her, said the Englishman
and he set his face as he spoke, and
looked as II he meant his words
THE man who was In st. Petersburg