Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-03


She flung out her hands, and shrieked in
French. and in voice that, though shrill with
anguish, was piercingly sweet and powerful.
me again-at least they shall not take me alive!
Anthony. Anthony Where are you, my hus-
band? Save mel Do not let them take mel"
Anne hurried toward her. but with a scream
she turned and sped back into the houre, and
some one pushed the door to, so saw no more;
but for some minutes those dreadful screams
continued.
The men had all ridden in and were mutter-
ing to one another, crossing themselves in super
Stitlous fear. They seemed scared to approach
the house, and believe they d have stampeded
back into the forest if l hadn't slammed the
gates and barred them again.
:" 1t is not good to be here. Excellency," STAN
mered one. This place is haunted with ghosts
and devils.''
Nonsense!" ! answered roughly: Brave
mad lady who has suffered so cruelly!"
By iudicious bullying l got them Gained
person to manage when he's in a superstitious
mood Mishka joined me presently. and we
marched our men round to the back of the
house and set them foraging for breakfast.
Fortunately there was plenty of food; the
place seemed provisioned for siege. stood
feel in the least hungry myself. only rather
dazed.
A HAND fell on my shoulder and found
Loris beside me. Come and eat and
sleep. my friend. We have done well so far.
Mishka will take charge here
He looked almost as fresh and alert after that
tremendous night we'd had as if he had just
come out of his bedroom at Zostrrv vhen we
joined him in big dilapldated q 80, room,
where he had planked some food arI couple
of bottles of wine on the great oaken table.
though | was as big scarecrow as VassilitZi,
who was as used up as if he hadn't been to bed
for week.
He had dropped his f1ippant manner and was
as cross and irritable an overtred woman.
= Think of these canalle that we feed and
clothe and risk our lives forl" he exclaimed
half Historically. I'VE left twenty of them
here. when Anna and l started for Zizscky yes
terday. twenty armed men And yet at the
first rumor of danger they sneak away to the
woods. and leave their charge that they had
sworn to defend. so that we trusted theml And
it is these swine and others like them who
clamor for what they call freedom and think
if they get their vote and their Duma all will
go well. Why should we throw our lives away
for such as these? We are all fools together
you and Anna and l And you he turned
toward me. you are the biggest fool CT us all
for you have not even the excuse that is ours
You have no stake in this accused country and
its people. You are
calm yourself, Stepan," Loris interposed
Go and sleep: we all need that And as for
your COWdTQly servants, forget all ABOUT tnem.
They are worth no more. Co. as / bid you'll
His level voice, his authoritative manner,
had their effect. and Vassilitzi lurched away.
He wasn't really drunk: but when man is
fam.shed and dead tired two or three glasses of
wine will have immense effect on nm;
though one glass will serve to pull him together,
as it did me, to a certain extern anyhow. was
able to ask Loris about tina. horrible apparition
had seen.
YES, she is Countess Anna Pendennis, or all
that remains of her, he answered sternly
and sadly. You have seen her only at dis
lance but that was sufficient to show you
what Siberia may mean to delicately nurtured
woman If she had only died. as given out
But she did not die. She worked as a slave; in
the prison in winter. in the fields in summer
She had frostbite 1t destroyed her sight, her
face. it made her horror to look upon. Yet
still she did not die, perhaps because her mind
was gone, and strength fingers in mad Great
ures.
"Yossof told all this. He was her fellow
prisoner. and he made his escape two-no,
three-years or more since. He made his way
| here, and Anna was good to him, as she is good
to every creature in adversely. Until then she
had always believed that her mother died at
her birth; but when she learned the truth she
| would have moved Heaven and earth to deliver
her. 1t was accomplished at last: the Car was