Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-09-11
Betsveen Duty
 ... And Lox,e.
lOriglnaI

peasant glrl, heard SIei4h bells anu went to the door. A sledge drove up, and young man alishted and, followed by his valet, hurried into the house The driver remained with the horses.
 'Is there any one here who knOWs 4he road to VI" he asked
 There is no one here 1t all except ny father and myself. My father is 2l ill bed. l know the road to N.''
 .I must get there in time to catch the St. Petersburg express which passes at 1915. It is now S The distance is'-
 Eighteen versts.i
 '.No more than that? Good. There g plenty of time
 But. excelleney. there are many hills, and the snow is deep and il fiaee' drifted, You will require all the time you have, and more.
 The young mans couutenanee feiL My horses are tired out, Ae. said, "and my slcdse is heavy, yet l must satch the train.
 We have fresh horse and light ssedge with seats for but two people. Let your driver and your servant re- main here will drive you to "
 You little aa&4H foa littte heaHfy. Take me to ' in tiae for the train Ard will lose .57a forever
 lto itaB#I#j4.fy fhse~ .is arms &Fltad &asa a# }.s#=el h.
 t;e 5s. s.z, =s..e 1.=1. <. >1.5e 2 verr r nc e#aH4 .5:#azd ft=z o5#e Vaz }=.s Se5a4,eea Vae les aa5ar szar q Gae @anfl.sla& G ae3 sz=a @ azeats aHa a4H s5FI ia ia5..#4.'t!l 'sia. ..gr=tiat 9ue .eaz=a.s,. G#f e..s i.:sa t.z..a i. her I4c. ,5.. r, hs.sz-s:
 The t.s5s=5et... s5e' '.f=s1es driven into fhc l,sss. s1f. l.'gz5f staA.ss #e55 out. and E .Ns.=te,s. 5aa asd >.ezis Alex. andretit Il .e zred sAn ,alae tha reins the rebe. Hesa aa5tefta ana they drege avn
 Why do e9u so wish to catch the train:" as..e. &afo
 "It k rlatlef Of life and death"
 Your Hfe er dcafh:" asked the girl, Sith T gasp
 No. that of man on the train"
 tNtiIO . !i&ksttt+tl I-t4titlA lDt lttpIt ilttti ihis to do Nija revolutionary work She Wds aa enthusiastic revolutionist. Was she driving this naa to t:ee train 10 enable him 10 prevent the accom- plishment of q revolutionary purpose:
 The hills lay within the first tcn or Il dozen veIsts of the distance To be tray- eIed. When Alexis became impatient at their slow progress Saio told hiin that for the last six or eight yersts the road lay over level ground When they had passed the hills they had but half au hour to 80 the remainder of the dis tance. But the road was covered with loose snoW. and the horse was not as fresh as at starting To their right they eotIid see to considerable dis tance. and two or three versts away WAS a sledge. the driver of which was whipping his horse unmercifully, going tn the same direction as themselves.
 "There they are now!'
 9Who:' asked SafJ
 The murdcrers. f;et up, Give him the whip
 Not until you tell ne wlAt this means" she said firmly.
 Alexis turned and looked at her. as tonished After few moments of study he said:
 The minister of the interior is on the train I wish to catch At an inn where l stayed last night 1 overheard a conversation that told me a reyolu- tionist would board the train at N., leave his compartment while the train is in motion, walk along the foot board to the carriage occupied by the minister. shoot him through the win dow and jump from the train."
 He watched eagerly the girls face as ne spoke. She made no comment for time, though she showed traces of an inward struggle, a struggle between love and duty. She knew of the suffer inSs of her people under autocratic rule, yet her heart had sprung to this young man as a moth Wiil dash against the glass inelosing an electric light. She could take him to the station in time to save the minister's life orcould delay him.
 -WelI:' he yentured presently.
 The girl pIade no rep. They were going at q good pace, and Alexis, know. ing that she was dcliberating, pre- terred to give her q fe1 moments in which to decide. If her decision was against him he would take the reins aimself
 But lie did not know t5e way. and this might wreck his .e9aose. Sud. denly she threw the reins to him.
 Seizmg them in one h&nd he laid on the whip with the other The girl sat mute by his side. Entering a wood. they came 10 a fork in tn paa
 "Which:' asked Alexis
 Safo remained silent
 Seeing that she would l.'#t choose for aim and realizing the T., ,blity of forcing her to do Su the left hand road. It led L-4=. arsts out of his way. When ta. sed from the wood he could az ! see a long dis tance. There was the train approach. ing the station. There was the sledge