Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-10-25

ihni0uiateiy anu take this letter, ne
said.
Yes. your excelleney." said the
captain. "Yemelian. saddle and come
to me-" he called as the lieutenant
strobe away.
Venetian was colossal, broad
shouldered. wide-mouthed soldier, with
short curly beard and clear blue
eyes, veteran OF long service. but
simple as child beneath his stern
demeanor. He saddled his horse, lis.
tened 10 three repetitions OF the ad,
dress given him by the captain, for he
could not read. put the letter in his
saddle bag and started.
He crossed the devastated square at
rapid trot. passing the Gordon OF
troops drawn up around the Mobiles
club, and turned down the Berditskaia.
usually the busiest street OF the city.
and now deserted, the glass windows
OF the shops covered with boards. On
the faces OF the rare passersby was
stamped a deep stupefaction at the
''SsNHNNo VI ZIG Pi'flOus ua..
A few soldiers still eamped near the
large bridge which cuts the city into
two sections. and Venetian recog.
nized his comrades and grinned broad.
ly TO see them sitting on the sidewalk.
Crossing the bridge. he rode through
the Semensh boulevard. and suddenly
in the distance beyond the new
Church OF Our Saviour. he caught
sight OF a crowd OF the insurgents.
Troops We're being reformed. threaten.
ing and menacing, filling the streets
that were not occupied by the SOL
diers.
After the hours of disorder that had
followed the terrible repression of the
people, the anger OF the populace was
once more rising. desperate, careless OF
the punishment that was certain to fol-
low. A crowd Of victims, many sorely
wounded, breaking the truce estab-
lished by mere terror, marched blindly
and wildly through the streets.
At the sound Of the bugles blown
from the other side of the bridge,
Venetian knew that the alarm had been
given. But his duty was to deliver the
letter in his saddle bag; this was the
instruction he had received.
He continued TO ride ahead An
other moment and he was face to face
with the insurgents, column of white
faced, haggsrd men, ready for the SUI
preme sacrifice. In his gruff, good-na-
tured voice Venetian called loudly:
Way! Make way there."
But the brute instincts of the people
were unclaimed. The rider was sur
rounded, shrill voices rose in biting in.
suits. An old man, whose fur cap had
been torn to shreds by bayonets, cried,
waveringly:
Here's another Here's another OF
'em!"
Aworkman, armed with stick, aimed
a rude blow at the soldiers head. Thus
attacked, Venetian spurred his horse,
trying to free himself. But wave OF
human beings flowed over him, heavy
hands grasped his bride, paralyzed his
arms. He spoke again:
Brothers, | must do my duty. Let
me pass"
A cry of rage answered him and a
voice shrieked:
Did you and yours have pity yester'
day."
xiii him!" yelled hunchbacked
beggar.
The revolters swarmed upon this vic
tim whom the fates had delivered into
their hands Had they not been ruth
lessly shot down the day before by men
like this one?
Collecting all his strength Venetian
sought to grasp his sword. The simple
man thought less of his own danger
than of the obstacle which threatened to
prevent him from accomplishing his er-
rand.
The sword was torn from his belt
amid loud shouts. An insurgent, seiz.
ing it, slashed at him wildly, and cruel
laugh greeted the leaping blood.
Venetian fought in vain. His horse,
wounded, cruelty cut with knives, sank
beneath him and the dragon was
thrown down and stamped upon.
A young woman whose husband had
been taken prisoner, tore one of the
boots from Yemelian's feet and beat him
in the face with the improyised weap-
on A tragic drunkenness possessed the
crowd, their whole suffering was being
revenged upon the soldier; their hatred
was refined for his agony.
Venetian swore bitterly beneath the
blows and wounds, but even in his tor
ment one thought remained with him.
loyalty to the orders he had received
With fast weakening hands, he still
sought to grasp the saddle bag.
A boy near by seized quickly at his
revolver, which the soldier had lost in
the struggle, and, echoed by shout OF
Joy from the crowd, placed it at Ye
mellan's head and sent bullet through
his temple.
What was he carrying in the saddle
bag?" cried one of the old men. "Or-
ders for a second massacre, no doubt"
He leaned over the body, tearing the
bag from the arms that held it even in