Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1906-03-09
In the Foreign Legion
torisinai.l

plcion OF having committed or OF bay
ing been convicted Of crime.
In the legion were two men. Captain
Barzikon. a Russian. and Lieutenant
Iravitez a Spamard. Barzikoff was
vigorous man Of thirty. Trayitez n
slender young fellow. with large soft
brown eyes. who might have been
twenty or twenty-five. Between these
two men existed friendship that
amounted to affection.
One day Barzikoff proposed to Travi.
tez that they should exchange conf.
dences. each telling the other what
mad induced him to join the legion.
What avail? We would not believe
each other" said Travitez.
i would believe you" replied BarzI.
koff. ITO prove my confidence I will
place my life in your hands. You re.
member the attempt to kill the car of
Russia few years ago, the one in
/ which so many revolutionists were i'm
plicated. Well, l was convicted OF be-
Ing accessory to that attempted assas
sination.
"A friend bribed my jailer, who
permitted me to escape not six hours
before | was TO have been executed
There, you see how / trust you. You
nave only TO write the Russian police
that Tam here and shall go to Rus.
sia to die. Besides, you will receive
large reward"
Travitez's face broke into happy
smile. the first Barzikoff had ever seen
there. both at the evidence of such i'm.
pilcit confidence and the knowledge
that his friend was innocent of any
crime, but the next moment he remem-
bered that his own confession was IN
order, and the smile gave place to an
expression Of anguish. Barzikoff no.
ticed 1t and sighed.
what was your trouble, boy" he
asked kindly. cheating. forgery, muir
der?"
Travitez walked away without reply.
his friend looking after him gloomilv. |
Surely such confidence as BarzIkoff had
given would have drawn a like conf |
dence had not the young man been !
guilty.
Then came the war, and the Foreign |
One day 1t was ordered to assault
knoll capped by a redoubt. 1t
marched up the hill gayly, as though
each man was glad at the prospect of
being relieved of his burden of life to
meet the storm which broke In his
face. Pushing steadily on, all that
was left of it, it planted its ban
ner ON the wall of the redoubt. Bar.
zihof, who was uninjured. as soon as
the fight was over looked about for
Iravitez. He found his friend living
unconscious. the blood flowing from
wound in his chest. Barzikoff stanched
The wound with his own handkerchief,
then carried the wounded Travitez to
! place of safety.
Irayitez recovered, but noticed that ;
Barzikoff had changed In his bearing |
'oward him. He asked BarzIkoff why ,
le had altered toward him, but could
ret no satisfaction. .
One day Travitez saw Barzlkoff ,
a bit Of paper and throw II !
lway. As soon as Barzikon had gone ,
rravitez secured the paper and found
to be clipping from Spanish news
'aper. The next day Travltez, joining 4
sarzikoff, read the clipping aloud to !
i'm:
isappeared suddenly after a prominent :
obieman was banished from the court Is
erving In disguise in one OF the regiments 1
foreign nation"
barzikof looked up, surprised, but a
nade no remark. and Travitez. tear a
ag up the paper, changed the subject. a
BY the bye, Barzikoff." he said pres =
ntly, there is handkerchief of yours r
found among my things / have had it n
yer since was wounded at the attack U
n the redoubt. How do you suppose 1t s.
anne into my possession?" j
Il stanched your wound with It,"
And to do that you were obliged to n
pen my coat" 81
The younger officer had turned away b
rom the other and spoke the last a
'ords In an almost inaudible tone o.
Il was" Barzilzoff replied. II
"And when you opened my coat you
lw"- "a
II did" ., ~
"And this bit of paper you threw into II
he wastebasket confirmed you In this u
pinion."
at did" n
Without turning Travitez tossed Bar, dc
kof letter, which the latter seized
nd read eagerly: m
"oh. Mercedes, why have l permitted ac
is wrong2 When told you to go into the th
ON where / had been with the duke u,
knew that he and / were suspected of %.
ing there together and you instead of pl
Q would be caught with him. l th
n tortured with renforse and have at
y determined to put II I'm your power
ar friehd.. to vindiaate yourself when Ie
er you choose TO do so. 1t is for you Il
decide whether 10 bring discredit on
Q government OF your country by con-
citing princess or suffer In sllence.'' yo
While Barzikoff was reading the new oe
confessed woman stood with her ~
lck toward him. her head bent, her
'es cast on the floor. For a moment
ere was silence; then she heard a 20
lick step behind her and felt pair