The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-16
after MANY YEARS


"Ragorsk." announced Ivan. pointing |
to the village plainly visible over the |
Intervening miles. |!
Ragorsk! What q world of bitter.
sweet memories rose within me!
! longed, yet dreaded. to be there.
Was Katrina still there? How would
she receive met And Paul-ah. yes.
Paul! I shuddered at the thought Of
him. But 1 must get to my destina-
ton; must know the facts-the truth.
As Ivan dashed up the horse it oc-
Cured to me that I had not known
peace Of mind for quarter Of cen
fury. Often had wished to make the
trip. but flourishing business had
required almost constant attention.
! Settling back in the robes, l thought.
The landscape had not altered; no
recent buildings marked progress,
though the line Of telegraph poles
along the roadside was new. Just
round the bend the horse fioundered
to his shoulders in a mudhole; the
tarantass keeled to one side and
alighted to assist Ivan.
1t was then l caught sight Of the old
Cossack guardhouse, high up on the
hill. Again l shuddered.
Originally constructed from bricks
Of baked clay and quartz sand. during
the Tatar invasion in GATHERINGS
time. it had later been used as shell
ter in the troublesome military days
Of two hundred years ago. Near by
were the ruins of the officers quar-
tiers, and beyond, those of the men.
, But the old guardhouse, partially
built into the solid, frowning rock, had
, resisted the ravages of time. It was
within the grim walls that had seen
the last of Paul previous to my depar-
!, ture for America
Again I let Ivan talk With much
crossing, he told me of its history; OF
! the scenes, brutal and cruel. that had
, taken place there! Of the ghost that
made his home in the building, and
how everyone Stunned the very hill.
! Even the priests we're afraid Of it, he
!: said. laughed to myself for I had
been there many times, and Paul had
been there once-just once.
On a sudden impulse determined to
) 60 there before going to the village
Ivan paled at the thought; not for a
!, million rubles would he accompany
/ me. Tremblingly. he agreed to wait
! for me, and assembled the steep hill
Paul and had been boys Of an age
; We had many quarrels and always
hated each other with an intensity
!, that almost amounted to affection.
!. Perhaps the expression sounds
:. strenge; it is not-that is. to my mind
8 Both sons Of comparatively ricf
parents, we had been orphaned abou
the same time. He did me many in
, juries, petty meannesses Of boyhood
! and l retaliated in like manner. No
4 not in like manner; for my brain wa
2 quicker than his and more fertile II
devising subtle revenges, AZ you will
9 | see.
But these are small things; littl
nothings Of no consequence compares
q with the cause Of my great hatred
Katrina, the starosta's daughter
q Katrina of the Golden Hair, calle
her; for all the other girls were darl
! and Katrina-ah! who can describ
3 Katrina?
4 That she could prefer Paul neve
] once entered my mind. was ia
cleverer far better set-up. But ther
is no accounting for a woman's choic'
! Paul won; he and my Katrina wer
s engaged.
8 At first l set about for revenge, br
q soon realized that nothing I could d
q in the way of retaliation could max
q up for that. Katrina his. Paul coul
q afford to laugh at me. Finally, coul
"a stand it no longer; I made up m
81 mind to leave for America, where
81 had relatives.
"a Setting my affairs in order. I sol
Ra out my interests. houses, mill an
ka land.
81 Paul was away on trip at the tim
81 so l did not hurry. but sent my ba
RI gage ahead to Karnoul. where 1t wou
n await my arrival. On the day Of n
x departure. / drove over to q neighbo
n ing village, Pulaski, transacted n
g business, and in the afternoon dro'
RI back along the road below the guar
g house.
IL The trip that had taken Paul aw,
E had been to a remote district on Il
r Manchurian border and as the vi
a lay across the foothills, the road bell
H rough, 1t had necessitated travel
Y foot. Paul was not expected back I
g at least ten days more; SO you mi
b Judge, then, of my establishment
b meeting him on the road.
MI I do not know what possessed Z
E at the time-some devil or twist
s T the skein of fate. perhaps. Anywa
. alighted. and at the sight OF /
cynical smile my blood set itself
fire. We were alone-absolutely alo
on the deserted road.
or course he struggled with all
might. His strength was no match
mine, and soon / had him trussed
~ like a fowl.
zen Then carried him up to the gual
'ou house.
Tou Fastened to the walls were stro
uld chains. ending in rings for the han
I a and feet, collars for the neck a
will bands for the waist.
far To one of these chains, the bro
iron band round his waist. l secur
Paul. Withdrawing my handkerch
from his mouth, for there was no II
of his cries being heard. and had
object in causing him physical disco
fort, unheeding his protestatio