The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1914-11-27

saw pun VI smoke or heard bullet
sing near Duck, Ivan" he wou)d
cry. and the big man would lower him
self just in time to be missed by q
missile giving that sound which is mn
steal when heard far up in the air but
terrible when its song is sung close to
the ear.
One day an officer ordered Alexis to
another part of the fortress. and the
sharpshooter refused to leave Old Mich
olas and big Ivan. The officer ordered
Alexis under arrest. AS he was being
marched away the commander of the
MalakoT came by-he was constantly
going from point to point supciintend-
ing the firing-and. seeing what had
occurred, stopped and inquired the
cause.
1.-The man is needed at a bastion
where the French siiarpshooters are
picking off our men, was the reply.
well" replied the commander. you
will have to find some one else. This
man is needed here"
So Alexis remained with his two
companions, Old Nicholas and big Ivan,
and after several other attempts had
been made by other officers at various
times to detach him had failed those
who made them began to wonder why
it was that the general would not per-
nit Alexis to be taken for any other
duty. One whose attempt had been thus
interfered with asserted that it was
because Old Nicholas was doing more
damage than any gun in the fortress.
Old Nicholas would be useless without
Ivan, and Ivan would not live day
unprotected by Alexis. But. singulary
enough. this was considered not to be
the only reason why Alexis could not
be taken away from his post.
One day when the general was not
near an officer carried Alexis away to
another part of the MalakoH and fore
ed him to pick off some Turks who
had silenced a gun by killing every
gunner who attempted to serve it.
Alexis rid the Russians of this pesti-
lential nest and was permitted to re-
turn to the big gun. He found the
gun cold and the gunner lying dead
under it.
Alexis at the sight gasped. dropped
his rife and caught at the supports OF
the gun. Then he bent down and, put
ting his arms about his friend, mouned
in agony.
There was no trouble after that in
getting Alexis to go to amy point where
his services We're required. He had
but one object--to kill as many as pos
sible of those who had killed Ivan.
Whatever they were, English. Frencl:
or Turks. made no difference to him
He slew them wherever he could catch
sight of them. And Afte" VANS death
he began to keep count of the nHnihrr
he killed Every time he scut Il bullet
into Il vital part Of All enemy he would
put his hat Oh the end of his ride. hold
it up above the works and get Il hole
in it,
The siege went on. the allies con-
stantly working ne;l"er. The nearer
they came the more of them fell under
Alexis bullets. for. being nearer. they
were more easily distinguished They
were preparing for the t.ll;l scene ia
the struggle. the storDiNg of the Mala
| kolf and We're too intent upon their
work to take much care uf their per
SONS.
When Il number of the allies had
been killed ut Il single pn,u sharp
shooters would be ordered IL olSrrvt
whence the fire cam" Hi;G stop il
But Alexis WAS quick 10 see tlN his
work had been noticed. for he WAS i,r
rt1stnnpd to keep coltnWHi!E tvc!iN.
If his enemies by cNra>i.i- some an!
Gle t. draw t!,eir ire. - SUon u; ht
:el an article up on the l!N"Zle Ct
his rife anl hole w,I:, made IL 1t h,
EneW it WAS time to -u e}~eWhNrr.
.As the siege prucer,l"i NE h"lrS III
.AEeNiS' hat became very thick. when
be went from one point t. Nnnther
those whom he Joined Began 10 make
comments upon his hc;iG2ear.
ut would make Il good Ialltrrn.
said one. "Why don't you put a can
die in IT,
"N'hat will you do when it is all shot
nway:" cried another.
mo danger of your head getting too
| hot said IL third.
Alexis never noticed these remarks.
Indeed. there was Il seriousness, Il sad
ness about him that. so soon as the
others noticed it. caused them to re
frain from amy further comment
At last when the allies had approach
ed near enough for their purpose and
had finished their mining operations
they blew up the walls and stormed
the Ma!akotr. The garrison surrender
ed and the men marched ont as priS-
oners of war. Among those who We're
in line was Il woman in the dress OF
a Russian peasant. Perhaps in her
changed dress she might not have been
recognized had it not been for her sad
face and hat full Of bullet holes she
carried in her hand crowd Of her