The San Francisco call., 1908-10-24

wine that has been mellowing in the
vaults under this old castle many a
long year. l never use any of this
superb wine except on very great ocea-
sions, and no one but myself knows
where it is'kept" Captain Tzumanoff,
being by this time half intoxicated, and
therefore not thinking clearly, said,
Lets have a taste of this wonderful
stuff that you are boasting so about
How the poor father longed to take
his child with him as he left the room,
but he dared not even look at him for
fear of arousing suspicion. Tad now
offered to sing some comic songs for
the amusement of the men till his papa
should return, and they. half tipsy.
kept him singing song after song, till
the prolonged absence of Count Paz-
notski began to make them uneasy. So
Tad said, I'll run and tell him to
hurry" mo you don't my fine young
man." replied the brutal captain. IF
your father has played US a trick, as
l half believe he has, you shall pay for
it with your life. We will go with you
to find him, and in case we fail you
must tell US where he is, or we will
torture you to DEATH"
When the count left the castle on his
way to the secret tunnel he met the old
nurse, Milania, down in the dungeon
passage with two baskets he had or
dered her to make ready. In a few
words he told her about Tad then he
took the baskets and hurried on. 'Oh
my poor baby. they will kill him.
moaned the nurse. MY Taddie-my
darling!" She stood moment uncer-
tain what to do, then slipped quickly
out and hid in the thicket as near the
house as possible and still be well
hidden. There she waited in agony
to see what would happen and to be
ready to help her child should chance
Offer
Not a sound did she hear for a few
minutes: then the servants all ran out
of the building and made off as fast
as they could go. Silence again-fol-
lowed by a smothered scream. Then
the half drunken men rushed out of
the castle and under the orders of the
captain part of them mounted their
horses and rode in different directions,
while the rest on foot began to search
all the buildings on the estate and
every place where the fugitive might
possibly be in hiding.
Presently, as Milania watched. curls
of smoke began to pour from the win
dows and doors-they had fired the cas-
tie! But where was her boy? Had
they killed him at once, or had the
death, which the brave boy must suf-
fer unless in some way she could
rescue him?
She dared not stir. hardly dared to
breathe, and the minutes seemed hours
as she watched and listened and waited
hoping, praying that the soldiers
might go off. so that she could make
if, as she felt convinced, it was too
late tO helm him.
Then, as she looked, flames burst
from the windows and she heard the
crash of a falling wall on the other
side of the building. She could neither
hear nor see any soldiers about now;
so she stealthily worked her way
through the underbrush and emerged
into the open space at the back OF the
house.
Not human being was in sight, SO,
like fash she ran across to the
dungeon door and in calling, "Taddie.
Taddie, my boy, where are your" No
answer. Then up stairs she hurried.
but was driven back by the smoke.
Shouting again at the top of her voice,
she caught faint answer from the
dungeon at the farther side of the
building-the side where the wall had
fallen.
Frantically she tore along the corri
dor and called to the child He said
''Milania, dear, am here, but the smoke
is awful, and it's hot and 1 can't breathe"
Courage, dear. III get you out: lie
down on the floor on your face. oujck,
I'll get the key" Then up those wind
ing stairs again, facing smoke and IN
tense heat, hurried the faithful nurse.
She knew where the keys were in tba
closet in the dining room, but how was
she ever to get there? As the smoke
began to choke her she dropped on her
hands and knees and crawled along
feeling her way to the dining room.
The curtains and furniture were all