THE "EAGLES"

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 206, 8 November 1909, Page 4

THE "EAGLES"

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A SENSATIQMAL STORY GF LOVE AND ADVENTURE.

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TAUT 21 It was iui'iunnt>- tor me. perhaps. that they were such n docile crowd. My views on social and |n»liticnl rptcstions nt home I have already exS»re»sed, but out hero my sympathies were all with the people. Had it s»een an armed mob I should have lorrowed something: to hit with. As it was I could only pity their weaki«s.i and allow myself to l«e swept >n with them in their hopeless mis«t*>n. How ho|>ele*» it was I knew lielier rhrtu n»ty man on earth, except the t-,-.) >:mnnrch* whose ronferenre I ,il '.vitnewsed in that seclud.-d (lerntrt wood, t knew oil too tied that th.* tV.nr. with ever>* good int rtf(«»n in the world, would never :0.-et his |«eople. Wavering - between two fears, he would choose the lesser. On the one ftand was the fear of a general uprising, in which the lilierty loving peoples of the world might rome to the assistance of his oul-t-nge«l subjects : on the other hand the terrible knowledge that his footsteps might lie dogged from within, by enemies who would construe every ;i« t of justice into an act of weakness. 1 knew how much hi» l»nreil 6h" latter when I rcmemlicrtd 4lint ?ven the contemptuous jwr* of the Kaiser did not goad him into o|wh revolt. Kven now as I shamblefl on in this weird crowd. I could remember well his frightened tones ns he replied to his brother monarch's rhetorical declaration of independence in which the Kni|ieror of the Federated States talked of his Ministers as his servant*, whih« the hunted autocrat had to admit that they were his masters. The Herman Kagle could not resrtie the Kussian Eagle from the |x>rils in his own nest, but he had pledged his word to defend him from the consequences of defying the flocks of small birds without.

I am afflicted with such a burning desire to communicate my conclusions to others that occasionally I express the tail-end of my thoughts aloutl. ami the habit has {frown on me that i am not too particular as t» nhom I address. Ami I in *untarity muttered almost in the ear of a silent, aristocratic-looking man. who was trudging along l»eside me : "lie will never be allowed to fivrn"." The man turned suddenly round and in a sharp voice asked : "What do you know about It ? " A f first I was inclined to think this vinn tJve nngi.» rebuke of a fanatic who hated to lie told the un- | f r,v.iiit truth, but there was something in the man's manner as t corefutny scrutinized him that told me I was not talking to an ordinary peasant. Again I had an impression that the fellow had crossed my path at some eventful |»eriod. These fitful op|»earances of strangers associated with the past were becoming ijuite too complicated to l>e endurable. Where had I seen the man. and what on earth had he to do with nv ? He did not give me time to think this out. but coming still rt«e>er. he said again : "What il*> you know ? " "Possibly I know more than you know." I replied, evasively. He looked nt me as steadily as the lurtl'i- crowd permitted, and then s ; > ; ii low whis|»er :

nil know as much as I know unfortunate." was enigmatical enough, and it - ti.M. nlj occurred to in • that if . >rrly two of us worked log»lh r we .n.»,e;.bt >••! save this confiding crowd from (u.tf'hiivg rn to its d**t ru« f ion. Es it noi out duty ii> warn tln-se ;> m;»! - ? *" I said. •■ !•»» you yourself i .»!;;.■ think their mission is likely t» have the slightest . fie*» '.' " "it will." he «.nid—"it will have tie- efl.tt «»f sending ma:iy r»f them Co their groves, with you and I. my friend, it may l>e. among »l«e numlwr. Hut it will have the further efl.t t of routing the whole of Christendom in «.in.h a spirit of wrathful resentment iluii the inevitable end will come nrr than any of us hnvc yet inwigiiH-d." "You know. then, that the Czar will never meet them ? ' "I know he dare not. It is "his ilaify wish anil prayer to lie at |»eace with his fieople. but he is surrounded by such a stone wall of bureaucracy that he will Iw dashed to |»ieces if ever he hurls himself against it. His own mother in her anxiety to save him |«ersonally. is politically his greatest op|tonent. and there are women as helplessly and hopelessly in her power as " We were separated by the crowd, but as I he man was swept from my side t caught a glimpse of his white face. There were tears in his eyes, and I knew there was a hidden tragedy in the story he hod boon trying to tell me. And then I rememliered in an instant where I had seen the man before. This was the waiter whose whispered wonls had so terrified the countess on the night I had captured the papers which proved to |>e forgeries. % And now then: was a halting in thr crowd. The men in front of us had pulled up suddenly: and we were jerked backwards like a string of, trucks on a railway when the engine pulls sharply up. I had long Iteen separated from the priest, for whom the {tropic had made a lane, my newly-found friend the waiter, was nowhere to lie seen, and crushed in the centre of a wavering little mob. detached slightly from the rest by an Obstructing droshky, which the driver had deserted In terror, I was unable to ma exactly what was going on In the main body. A confused babel of yells ami shrieks arose in the distance, and with blanched cheeks my immediate neighbours murmured In terrified tones : 'The Cossacks ! ". Nearer ami nearer jaiue the *hout.» and yell* My companions huddled >hem»elve* iii a frightened mass in the shelter ».f the droshky. and flghtrng my out from among them I clambered on the top of the vehicle. As I did so the soldier* swept past scattering the people in all direction" trampling them under the hoofs ol

•;, , i ■■■. :■■-.. -:i. ti -••*:' i r,g th<- (l-f<n«<l<s-- ',. .t- though (h-;. «.iv m> many :.| V-;is>:s. \ thss analogy crwwil my mind it . i!>r| on echo in a pretesting voice a -• yards ofT. \r- you men or tigers? " said an •:.(■ rly g»niletnan. shielding ns well i.s he could an old man who had fal-i--n undor the feet of the horses. For answer a huge Cossack turned in lis saddle, and with one blow cut the proti-sting man down, riding on with his spurs lo his horse in pursuit of another little crowd of fleeing iien. leaping off the droshky. I forced fiiy way towards the prostrate, bleeding gentleman as he fell- I recognized him in a moment. It was Von tfrahaun. I bent over him and brought such •ongh knowledge of Held surgery as 1 »<»:i.«cSM-<l iniu action, but even to my ay intelligence it wax evident that lothing could lie done for him. The .-ownnlly blow had practically several his head from his body. He died .viltuiiit n word. The wealthy man with too great a wealth of heart and »ympnlh>. had died in defence of th« •nor and the oppressed—a hero in a wise for which this world knew no vwnrd. As I kn-lt with my arm around his shoulder, a man l»ent over me and whis|ieriil : "Whnt did I sny. my friend ?" 1 looked up and my eyes met those ■»f the mysterious waiter. I was ahoiit to ask him what could lie done, *hen he interpreted my thoughts. ••We wnnt to get your friend's :»od\ nwny."

I n.iibled, and bending down ho .-rowil hi* hands with mine Itchind the ob! man's back. Lifting the ;|oo«l form gently \\v moved off in the lir.-ction indicated by the waiter. Wo pos««'d up n narrow opening then ■ ni(i a smaller street, and finally arrived at n hoiiso whore thero was no .•rowd anil no soldiers. The waiter Wn-tl tho door, and together we laid the lifeless form of Yon CSrahaun on n simple couch in a neatly furnished room. Not till then did the waiter speak again, and then, looking me full in the fnce. ho asked : "Who are you. and to what group do you belong ? " "I am a fri -nd and distant relative of this unhappy gentleman," I aid : "be,\ond that I know nothing. Yon. I have no doubt, are a fcllowronspirafor of his. I do not use the word o!Kcii.si\. ly. but you understand what I moan. You will therefore possibly have some idea as to the •■•.lii'i'i-olrniiis of his daughter." "His daughter ? t;«iod (Soil, yes ! What does this mean Utr her? She must bo told. I iiniM bring her to him. dead though ho bo. Wail you till I come back, and if any person comes In. say nothing but 'Time is on our side.' "

This u-fls exactly what Tony told me on the road to Siberia. I was picking up I hi- initial on I post phraseology of the order. nn«l would soon In- knowing far more nhout it than was healthy for n high ollicial of a friendly Government. However, ihi.s was not a time for drawing back. 1 sat clown at the far end of the couch, after covering up the dead man's face reverently, and waited with fear and trembling for the harrowing scene which must, 1 .Htippo.se. lie witnes'.sed. Apparently the house was empty ; there was a stillness in keeping with the ilipressing occasion. I had Itecn led into one of those houses where the "reformers "' met. and they had all gone forth into the street, many a( them. jH-rehance. never to return, unless they came back like poor old Von C.Vahnun.

As f «.nt there, resting my chin on the |>;ilm of niy hand, my soliloquy was overshadowed l»y n tnll figure noiselessly appeared at the o|m?ij doorway. "He would not lie warned ; but, I It.ink Cod. yon on- «nfe." I lioiimli (I to my feet like a man suddenly awakened from a dream. There stood ihi- countess, pointing sonowfully nt Von ill alia'in. •Vim here " I was abont to say "liend." but I r-membered that she hail Mood my friend when last we met. and mor<-o\er. j-Iv was in one of those siiltilu.il moods whieh alwn.\s attracted my .-\ mpaihy rather than my resentment. "I am here." kin* repeated. "I saw- vmi thrust \ourself into danger, and. escaping from the crowd myself, I followed you here. Your friendshave di-serted ih.» house, owl they arc mini Hit enough to leave everything o|ien when they have nothing to conreal."

This. then, explained hor noiseless entrance. The society. I began to realize, made a point of courting ulilirily when they were not actually in conference 11 v. as an awkward moment. WasI never to bo done with this woman'} I could not bully her. and nothing short of physical force seemed likely to prevail with her. A deliverance came sooner than I anticipated. •'Prepare yourself, my poor girl. Have courage.' l The countess withdrew her lustrous eyes from me at the sound of this voice and looked about her like a hunted tigress. Iteforc either she or I could decide on any action Flora Von Crahaun slooil beside* her- it} the doorway. With an icy look the girl passed on. and went towards the couch. The waiter beckoning me into the pasSM.Ke. quietly closed the door. "This is too public." he said in a low voice to me ; and then he turned resolutely towards the countess, who hnd already moved towards the outer <loor. "A moment." ho said ; "I have something to say to you,"Klf shuddered as he put his hanc on her shoulder and turned towards him with a look of fury which gradually melted into one of appeal. The man pushed o|»cn the door oi an adjoining room and bowing towards It, motioned her to enter. "Sol now '. not now ! '-' she murmured softly. "Xow," he said, again bowing ant 1 pointing to the open door "will yov have the goodness to enter ? Do a-* I command you." Still she hesitated. Her bosoir heaved, ber breath came and went ir frightened gasps, and with her bono tifiilly- chiselled nostrils distend-:*! she drew herself up with n last rl-v pernte effort a« outrac<-d dignify. •"You command me ? :- shr> repealed imperiously. "Y'-.f, I command L.--h'>-i!d haw

command'-d long aco. Remember, madam, J am yn'ir hux<and." CHAI'TKK XXV. Never ha.'l I :•':-;••••-! ir.-' rountoss rapablf of sm-h s'lSiiiis.-i'm. Dropping Ikt i.i'i.i. ] )j.-.-i<i .<-!:•• wr-.'.kcd slowly from the room and her husband followed her. Now I rcali'/.-d why 'his waiter had such an attract ion for m•- I knew I had seen those intellectual features in some other connection. He was not a Frenchman then, after all. It is remarkable what a difference a wig and a beard make to a man. But then while Count Itlaveski, as I knew him in the old flays, was a fair handsome man of the true type of the' North Russian nobility, this purson was dark and sallow. "I presume I need not throw on my disguise or rlean my face and restore the bloom to my ehoo'.s > " I heard him say to the countess. She did not answer, but paced th room like a panther in a trap. "You know me, I see. You kiu".v mo thai night when I whispered in your oar a warning which. I fear, mil liove despised. Olga, there are many things of which I know you to im> capable, but I thought you retained sufficient pride' to show yourself .some res|Hfl. The women of your house have at least iv-peetcd and observed their vows."

Still I could hear her walking up and down her room. The count had left the door open, and the situation was extremely awkward for mo. On the one siilc of the passage -was Flora, whose vigil with the dead was too sacred a thing for m.; to interrupt. es|»eciaHy in view of the unhappy circumstances. That wretched countess ap|K-arcd to !><• sent by unkind fate to prey upon me whenever Flora came in sight. Kxplanations I knew to be useless at this point, and if my. position towards Flora was awkward how much more. so was it towards the people on the other side of the passage '. I am told that there arc men in the world who rather pride themselves in the possession of a power to make other men jealous. But I would have given a good deal to miss this scene between a man whom I respected and a woman for whim I had lost even ordinary toleration. I knew nothing of the house : I could not well iro out of it and leave Flora alone. Here I was stuck in this passage in a most clumsy and altogether distasteful position I have ever been in in my life. The last sentence uttered by the count made it pretty evident that he was going to talk to his wife about nie. I wondered if he knew what my position was, or was it fair to myself that I should at once explain ? He saved me further worry on that particular point when he again addressed his wife. "Not only are you false to your vows, but you have so far lost your womanhood as to thrust your love on a man who has neither asked it nor shown himself willing to accept it." This taunt must have stung the woman out of her submissive silence. "What is that to you ? " she said. "-How do you know that ? And why do you accuse rac of breaking my vows ? May not a widow be as free | as a maid ? "

"A widow, yes ; but not a woman who knows she is still a wife. It is because I wished to spare you possible humiliation in your own eyes that I revealed mj'sclf to you that night In the hotel. Up to that point I had nothing to complain of. I would not interfere even now but that I know you are inflicting a cruel wrong upon a brave man and an honest girl. Olga. the world little knew when you and T were the pride of our friends at the Russian Court what a great gulf was fixed between us. Equal in birth, in rank, each of us young, well favoured by fortune. ami with world before us. how s|»eedily iml we discover that each was living a different life ! My shame when I knew my wife was a Court spy. not because of the needs of genteel poverty, but for sheer desire to intrigue, was only equalled. perhaps, by your dismay, when you discovered that your husband was a friend of freedom. You were of the dowager's iwirty, the party of the retrograde government and impossible bureaucracy. I was on the young Emperor's party, his devoted servant, his loyat friend, hoping and believing that by our united efforts we might deliver this land we love from the jierils that beset her and by wise generosity surround our young ruler with a body-guard created of the people'e love and gratitude." The countess halted and threw herself in u chair with badly-affected nonchalance. "Oh, yvH." the count went on, "I know the impatience with which you people regard otir schemes. It bores you to think that it is possible to treat this long-suffering Kussian peasantry as men and women wiih natural ambitions, but I was proof even against that." Up to now he had been speak inir In a cold voice of stern dignity, but his tones softened, and he walked slowly towards the countess. Putt myitis hand on the back of her chair ];•• leaned over as though tempted ev.-u now to clasp her in his arms. "Olga," he said, "do you remember that fateful night after the reception at the Winter Palace, uh-n 1 offered to renounce my rank avt prospects, when I implored you <•:■■ my bemled knee to quit the country with me —to go to England or v.uywhero and live together with only our love to guide us ? It was a little thing I asked of you. Olga. To a man the sacrifice of political ambition meant much ; to a woman whose first and last thought in 11r-* should be homo and love, it wa« surely no unnatural thing to give up a life of intrigue for a man whom you professed to love. Hut why do I talk of th»se things now •; It is j too late, too late.'.'. (To be Contin-i-d.)