The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-05

BY the horrors OF war and ready 70
shield any of its victims even among
his country's foes.
But Captain Ivanovich thereafter
kept his eyes and ears open. He walk
ed around the house. looking up at the
windows. The blinds were all closed,
and there was not sign of life to be
seen. After ALL" he said to himself.
Il wonder IL l could have dreamed II"
However, Ivanovicb repudiated this
idea. He had seen a figure robed in
white descend the staircase. return
and disappear through the door lead
ing to the floor above. OF this he
was certain, and the absence of any
appearance of life there did not con
vince him that he was in error
Soon after the appearance Of the
mysterious figure the captains atten-
ton was diverted from its considera-
ton by the appearance Of large force
of the enemy to the southeast. He
dispatched a courier to find the gen
eral, II possible, and later, hearing
heavy firing and seeing columns Of
smoke in the same direction, he dis
patched another courier with another
message.
These matters having been attended
to, the young captains mind again re-
verted to the mystery Of the upper
story He said nothing to his men
about the matter, fearing that IL he
did he would excite desire on their
part to investigate. whereas If there
were any investigating to be done he
preferred to do 1t himself. One day
one Of the troopers came to him and
told him that he had better leave his
quarters, for the man was sure the
house was haunted. He had seen in
the middle OF the night figure clad
In white standing at an upper window.
The superstitiOus Russian, having con-
sidered the third story vacant, natural
ly regarded the figure at the window as
a wrath. IvanOvich told him that the
figure he had seen must have been an
illusion, but failed to convince him.
There was hillside back of the
house, covered by trees. Ivanovich
went out there with his binoculars and
remained long while, watching what
was going on. The distance was too
great for him to gain much knowl-
edge Of any value, but he kept his
watch till satisfied that 1t was useless,
then turned and was emerging from
the wood, when, casting an eye at
window on the third story Of the
| bousa ha cou, sto pdtpU thoro q vnupp
girl looking at what he had been OBJ
serving.
/ This time the sun was shining full in
her face, and the captain saw not emily
that she was cOmely, but there was on
I her features that anxiety which is 80
touching in the young. Realizing that
| II she saw she was discovered 1t would
add to her distress, he remained in con-
cealment till she withdrew. closing the
| window.
| That face, once seen by moonlight
and again by sunlight, produced vivid
impression on Ivan IvanOvich. 1t float
ed before him during the day, and at
night he saw the wraithlike figure de-
scending the staircase 1t was evident
that girl was hiding, and 1t was pos
sible that there was some other cause
for suffering than fear Of an enemy.
The location was German Poland, and
Peter had told him that the residents
Of the house were Poles. But In war
time one is as likely to he plundered by
; friends as enemies.
} One night Ivanovich heard quick
footsteps overhead. Getting out Of bed
and putting on some OF his clothing, he
went out and listened at the door lead
ing to the third story. He heard signs
Of something happening above. Then
the door was unlocked and a woman
this time dressed In ordinary apparel
came out and met him face to face
She turned to go back. but IvanOvicf
said:
You have nothing to fear from me
Tell me if there is anything l can d.
for you"
Having been thus given confidence
the girl revealed the mystery. Whel
the Russians appeared in the regior
! her mother, herself and her brother
aged seventeen, a wounded conscrip
In the German army. expecting to b,
murdered. retreated to the third story
leaving Peter to deceive. IL possible
whoever might come, They had takei
, provisions with them and would hav,
got on had 1t not been for the wounde,
boy, who was deprived Of medical care
Il The night she had appeared on tn
staircase she was going below for
bottle of medicine which surgeon
8 had left for the use of the invalid. o.
;, this her second appearance her brothe
I was much worse, and she was tryin
to steal out with view to gettin
q medical advice as to what to do 70
I him. She closed her explanation wit
4 pleading that Ivanovich should no
o make her brother prisoner. for II d,
e prived Of her and her mothers tende
I care he would surely die.
The captain. having assured her tha
a though an enemy. he had heart. wen
below and ordered one of his men (
4 find surgeon and bring him there d
n once. Then he went upstairs and foun
the mother and the wounded DO,
whose fears he allaycd. They wer
d comfortable so far as their quarter
We're concerned. and he ordered Pete
:, 10 bring them properly prepared foo,
d A surgeon arrived in due time an
treated the wounded boy. who bega
n Mt once to improve
It A week passed after the unwilling q
\ h., IN,fn a.