Omar Kassam

Lake County Press, Issue 2137, 27 September 1906, Page 2

Omar Kassam

(All Rights Reserved.)

A MODERN FREE LANCE, —«. OR THE tsa—--4jss Jtomantfc Career -fl Baron's SDauobtcr. j .#..!..«. By St. George Rathborne, Author of "A Godcss of Africa," &c, &.C.. PART 11. CHAPTER XXVT. A TRUE DAUCHTKR OK RI'SSIA Could he have lived lo tile, age c Methusjileh. our hero might neve again have sufTeivd the anguish t. soul that overwhelmed him when hj thus saw that gentle, patricinn-bre daughter of Russia advance toward the spot where he stood, held fast i the grip of the ladronos. lie had hoped so fervently that sh might get. free, even though he pai the entire debt, with his life, an now to see her returning of her mv accord, gave him n fearful shock. As yet he could not grasp the tru meaning of it all. Surely she cold not rare enough for him to thu give up the only chance she had t> stand by him? No, no ; it nuis have been that she dared not ven ture alone upon the groat, will waste where the ferocious beasts c prey roamed ; ami she had chosen t< trust to the tender mercies of he kind, rather than run the risk of be ing devoured by tigers or wolves. Worst of all, she had returned ii time to see him die. He would hnv saved her that misery at least. W'h; had she turned back as soon as sh could regain the mastery of her steoi instead of keeping on in the hope 0 running across Charley and Michael The Ishmaelites of the doser deemed il a great joke, for many o them grinned with keen pleasure a they jostled each other in the desin lo see what this woman looked like Their faces were as fierce as the t.ypi ral wolf, and something in the glov of their black eyes gave Kassam ; chill. lie was the most wretched man oi the face of the earth at that moment and would willingly have change! positions with any criminal condom ned to the gallows or the garrotc. No one put out a hand to stay tin girl, and she rode straight on until before the prisoner. The emeiite had censed, so thai not a shout was heard, and even tin groans of Ihe wounded appeared tf be hushed. Every head was craned to watch this remarkable tableau, for the startling beauty of the highborn Russian princess acted upon tin senses of those who might be deemec next door to savages, showing that human nature is similar the world over, and admiration for an angelic face is not confined to refined and civilized circles. "Oh, monsieur, I feared yon must have been killed, the noise was so dreadful. I have suffered more limn 1 can tell you .' Why did you send mi? away from you? It was cruelcruel !" she cried, in her demonstrative French way. "Good heavens ; Pou't you under ■* stand. Kloise V I wanted to save you. I hoped you would esov.pe and find the others; but you Imve ruined It all by coming back. Ir was very wrong not to do ns I wished," he groaned more in mental anguish than because he suffered bodily. "I could not do that. We Russian women are tanghl not to forsake those who stand by ns. And besides, .Monsieur Kassam.* I might possibly never have found our friends no that lost on the desert, my fate would have been terrible. 1 obeyed the instincts of my nature. If I did wrong and have given you new anxiety, forgive mc, sir." "Jt is done, and cannot be remedied. God only knows whether it will be for the best or not ; but I would have saved you from seeing what they mean to do with me. 1 bail hoped you would not be found until it was all over, at any rate," he added, disconsolately. Her alarm increased, for it shone in her luminous eyes. "Do you mean that they will not treat you as a prisoner of war, that they will do you bodily harm ? Reassure me, T beg you, monsieur." "I would that I could do so, but we must look the worst, in the face, my poor girl. These nam have no element of mercy in their natures. They are a wild, reckless sot, owing tribute to no ruler ; and since I have created . .such havoc in their ranks, they will be satisfied with nothing but. my immediate death. I xpected nothing else. Indeed. it surprises me to know that f nm alive at this instant."

She wrung her hands in despair. "Monsieur, will nothing tempt, them to save you ? All the jewels that are in the tarantass shall be theirs—yes, I will pledge them ten limes as much when I am safe again They love money, and surely that may save yon. Do not shake your head so sadly. I tell you it must be done, find if you will not make an effort to will this man over, I shall." He smiled again at hearing this unconscious little feminine boast of power over the creature man, but, all the same, he knew she would plead in vain, for even the chief could not hold in check thfi mad passions of these pirates of the steppes, wild to balance their heaivy losses with his life.

Resides, Kassam saw with sinking heart the look of gloating which the chieftain had cast upon the beauty of the excited girl, and he knew it. would be his policy to put out of the way anyone who might clnallonge his right, as the possessor of so charming a prize. Eloisc was as good as her word.

Shu turned her horse and faced the loader although shuddering when she saw how his face lighted up with a look of greed at her approach. She spoke to him in the Russian tongue, hoping that, like- so many of his kind, he might have u smattering of her native language ; but he shook his head as if to indicate ibat lie could not comprehend the nature of I-.pr appeal. Then she clasped her hands nnrl made a vei \ dm mal i'gesture, after which she pointed al

Kassam in a manner to indu-ne her anxiety i onrerning hi.s wi-li'.i!■••. Now the chief understood, and as if to assure her that lhe other would not be neglected, hi" raised his hsn«l. and deliberately drew it a T.iss Ins ihronl in a horribly suggestive man nor. a! Ihe same linn l poinling lowards Ka'-sam and smiling h'andly. It was .in expressive .vny n| t•■ i. 111 u: her tin- cent lonian would ,iol suffer

any more than was absolutely necessary in Iho i ipern I inn Kloise n'avr a skriek ihai pierced Kassa m's heart, ami made It I m st niggle Id l)i*i»iil\ Imi-i' from his captors : but I hey were '»o m :to fur hilll, a nil lie was romp 'I !ei| I n :• i\'u up 11n• rash attempt, especially when niu' (.if thrin drew It's Umi'i- am! made as though I).- would lini.-!i the Mule opera I ion I here ind i hen.

.Moodily ha allowed lien in i <■<■ his hands behind his \,icn -ihis '>ic,:,i in

(Urate that they did net mean ; " immediately dispose of nim ; yet somehow the fact gave little satisfaction, for he could not see how delay was to he of any !>• • ii■ • fi; (o him not being able to raise the curiam u the future as far as an i.i"h

)>espair would not have sa: so heavily upon him could he have but taken one little peep at that it...iieiiit 1«' future.

Mis captors gave no indication of leaving this spot— indeed from Ihe manner in which they began to picket their horses it looked as if they intended lo spend the night there, waiting for the morning ere taking up the trail of the runaway I a rant ass.

Kassam saw them lay several silent forms outside (he circle of light cast by the lire, and he felt a grim satisfaction in the thought that it had been his hand by which these scoundrels of the desert had been sent to their Ins! account. Would to Heaven he had the opportunity to m)i\ to their number, and send the remainder of the gang in their wake; with what exceeding grace he would put a match to a magazine thai might blow the whole outfit to perdition, providing Kloise should not be harmed.

Was there .absolutely no hope'.' Alust he fall a victim to their savage thirst for blood, while she—How he shivered as with the ague when he thought of that fair creature at the mercy of that. fearful ogre ! Me seemed to feel that she belonged to bin', if his mental agony meant any tiling at all. So he writhed and twisted, poor fellow, praying for a chance to strike yet one more blow in her be half ere giving u)i his life. All I lie while hi.s eyes Were fust ened upon her figure while she moved among her captors. Thus far something had kept the rough men from touching her, but this would not always hist. and oh, how he suffered to think how powerless he was to raise a hand in her behalf < It was a scene that Kiissiint had never dreamed he would see. These Tartars were most picturesque looking fellows, with their strange attire and remarkable weapons, and. save for the pain of the withes with which his arms were bound, the prisoner might have easily imagined himself gazing a I some cleverly arranged modern stage, where a comic opera was in the course of representation—a sort of "Pirates of Penzance," us it were, or "AM Malta and the Kortv Thieves."

I laving nol hing else I o do he ! ried to COlllll the n as they moved hither and thither, and. while not positive that lie had covered them fully, si ill he reached the figure of Seventeen sound, and four wounded—rather long odds for any sane man to think of throwing down the gaunt |e| to.

That was rcrlainly the most lugubrious hour in the cxperieiu f this man of the world who had seen so many singular things happen in his time. He lived ages in Hie short space of minutes, and could not tear his eyes away from the figure of

Kloise. Before this occasion he had watched her. hut then it was with admiral ion. whereas now he felt only the most exquisite pain

He saw that with a woman's wit she was attempting to communicate with the pleased chieftain of this roving clan. ;\nt\ in a very small measure made him understand that she was a person of vast importance in holy Russia for whose safe return many haiulfuls of shining roubles would be gladly paid. She also turned and pointed towards Kassam. as though including him in the ransom, at which the Tartar laughed boisterously, and immediately shook his bead with a decided negative. Kassam was surprised and pleased lo see her grow angry, and stamp her foot imperiously, as she reiterated her demand, at which the others fell to laughing still more uproariously, fis though they considered her half-understood request in the light of a joke. At least she was faithful to this friend who had done so much for her and Kassa m's heart felt vevy tender as his eyes filled with briny tears, thinking what a terrible situation it was for such a young girl. Hit unprotected state did what all the tortures could not have accomplished—wrung tears from this usually impassive man.

He blamed himself for giving in to her pleading and allowing her to come on Ihi.s dangerous expedition ; and yet had he not put the thing plainly before her in the worst light, without breaking her spirit '.' Perhaps ii had been better if he had abandoned her in Vladivostok, and allowed the count to claim his in tended victim. Other women have married those they detested, ami even hid the secret from the world. At least if could nol have been quite so bad .as falling into Ihe hands of these unscruploilS robbers.

Whal shuttlecocks of fate men were after all ! }\rrc he had striven with the utmost zeal to win her freedom, and just when it had appeared as I hough he had a fair chance of success these new factors in the game had dashed upon the scene, and upset things generally. What would be the next move up on Ihe strange chessboard? Might he dare hope the chance would come to him again whereby his hand should strike out for a mastery in the game '.' Thus he was trying to bolster up his shrinking spirits, still for hei sake, when he saw her advancing towards him As he looked he detected a faint glow of what mighl be a nowly-nwnkened hope on her fair face, and he fell a little curiosity as to whal Ihe mil lire of her intended comrntiiiical ion might be.

"Monsieur, dicer up, I pray. }'n haps something will happen I ha I will be to our advantage. I have tried

• r I to induce him to ranson us tioin on lie only persists in laughing a I m< s Then do not think much iff I hoi i| | women in i his country. I must li. I. I lieve. which ma.\ be worth somethin s in us. Omar Kassam. Listen ' d i- von lin! heai the sound of hof.es ,- I The\ i hink il is more of i heir kind I perhaps those who pursued the wag e | iron coming to join them ; but n i- I sieur. I flo not belie\ e so. I hn\ .- heard the gallop of Cossacks 100 ol I ten ! o be misl aken now" she said ,| : u il hj ner\ i ins lias' e. a J "\\ ha I! " ali .i coaced K assam s I looking a I her Willi si arl led o; es i I ' <l<i yOU mean I lee..- are ( 'ossnck. e | eoniine down on u . -perhaps dear oil ii OrlolT and his gnllanl fellow- \> Co. e grant you ma.\ not be mistaken e You mighl .vol he saved from t lies, scoundrels I Hi. pra,\ it may be so!' s "Always thinking of me. monsieur bni I am grateful lor y our de\ ol ion indeed I am. I lark I o me. I hen | am but a woman, but even such ma; - show i hal sh • has ihe blood of S oi diors in her veins when death is nea i I have with me ;• kidiV. which shal f cut your bonds at the last minute Then, remember, dear Monsieur Kns ■ sain, you yourself insisted on m; t carrying a little weapon secreted oi Illy person. since you said I lie dan gers were so many. 11 is htfl'e snl'i f enough, and when your hands an free you shall have it to defend your i self—and me. Thai is all. my f friend." I "It is enough. I.et us now only . pray thai whal you suspect mnj l>. the truth, and that Orion' and lib j cowboys will soon come to town . I Another minute will tell the story whether we live, or whether we die' l he muttered, thrilled to the core more because she was coneoriioi about him than on account of tin , new hope that had arisen. CHAPTER XXVII. FROM THE CRYING-PAN INTO I THE I'lliK Strange that those shrewd Tartar.* Seemed lo haV" no suspicion of till. actual slate of affairs until il wn> , too late to range up in line of bat tlc or, on the oilier hand, llee from Ihi , spot ; for once i heir acknowledged , desert cunning piayed them false and the lucky star of Omar Kassam Seemed i|| 1 lie aseendn nt . The crash of hoofs bore down on the open bivouac, and already On moving hue of lignre.s had loomed up i hrongh ihe si arl igln . w hen a cry rang out -a shout of sudden alarm and constcrnal ifm as though the leader of the Indrones had made I. . ~ Ins discov cry i Kassam was a decpl.\ interested 'spectator, for he felt that hi- had < considerable a l si ake < He also knew the savage nature of the men in whose power he was. and Iha t it mas a principle wit hj I hem : o destroy that which I lie; could nol save as loot ||e believed thai. should t her,, a ppen r to be the relin U est possibility of the quarry eseapiin; I front t heir hands, an; one of ' he.se wretches would he more than v.illiiej tii murder ihe prjs mers on Ihe spi it Tin - phase of the sii u;i i ion was not at all to his likiue.. and he could not rettta i u iitdilferenl to the trumpet call that summoned him to I arouse himself and ! the dilhcnli; I w it li his usual viei >iir "The knife. Cloise ' ('ill these j bonds for heave,,-.- sake ' ' he eried, las he saw oi f the tleseri ro\ ers i beein t o run towards ihe spot w here I he slood She heard, even i hoiielt a' lhe un, I ineiit enihralleil b\ ihe music of J those .-hareine- steeds, Uussian bred. j and a link in ihe chain ' hal conned . I i«d h.-r with he, an. est ril | horn.. I heard. and was ! lirilled with the earnestness ~,' his address. iusl a' she had been previously drawn lo wards him by .-■• >me nuk in ,\\ n in , ibienre she rniild not underst and \|l ;tha I she 1. n.-w \' a - |ha t his voice I had a | ill iil r pi •» er o\ .r her. a 1 l hoiiuli it aw oke some responsix e , ; cord in Ihe flepl hs of her being. Nor was sh,- ni ~]! slow to cnrr.N lout his wishes, though as yet utter j ly in Ihe dark as lo Ihe cause oi his I hurr; ; sj,,. had not seen Ihe hot to. a--1 I'd Tart iir with the knife in hi.s hand | running i i iwa ids t hem . ii Kassam could not rest contented i wit hj ha\ ing a hand in e\ .-r\ i umpus itha tea me aln nil . w I,;, he uuisi , ~i course, be accomodated, though she would on her pari . ral her he remain eil at her side. The Cossack ,\e!l brol it, foi ! sueh men ni u Ue\ er m-o into anion j mule. and. refill; Kassam at the time I I hinking onl.v of her temporary safe- ; ly. t hough I he had seldom heard I more eh -I'ml music than sprang from the lusty throats of those rough riders from the Hon Slash went the knife. She was even 100 particular to sum eager ness, for thai murderous fiend had drawn perilously near, coming with great leaps, like the wolf ol hi.s na t ive w ibis : and if he reached si rikine distance with Kassam still held in the tenacious grip of I hose uil he- a terrible catast ropln- must follow . Fortunately, the \e,-\ desperation gave Kassam a strength far .above the ordinary. and the bonds about his wrists, having become weakened through the several faint slashes h'.loise had made, fearful of injuring his hands, lie was aide lo burst them asunder with one grvnl effort. i 11 was high t inn\ Thai blood I hirst; and ambit ions villain, who aspired lo make the possible victory of Ihe charging Cos j sacks a bootless one. had by thi time come desperately near, so thai ! whatever Kassam meant lo do in or- i tier to circumve.nl his brotherly all'ec I lion must be hurried along. A scr.-am from the girl announced J thai she had iusl caught sight of the j dark-skinned pirate bearing down up j on them under all sail. Somehow j the sound aroused our free lance j friend as possibly nothing else ~n j earth could have <\<<n,-. and. without saying "Ry your leave." he snatched the blade with which Kloise had been timidly hacking his cords, and turned to face the yellow peril What Kloise saw then she never j could forge I as long as life remained | In the ipdet watches of the night. while she rested in luxurious ipiar ters under the r,,of of eivilizal ion, I this scene must many many limes | appear before her menial vision, il I was so thrilling, so self-sacrilicing ! Again Ihi.s man Ihrew himself I gladly bet w«>n her person and the } impending e\ il, willingly . gladly . taking upon himself the chances thai ; always accompany a hand-to-hand ! combat, in order that she should sur ] vive. Iler eyes were li.ved upon him with a feeling she couUI not understand, il was so closely bordering on adorn lion givun to Uu- pulrun icon in her

t native land- a sensation that par- -. look of adoration. If this gallant r fellrw went down to his fate, she '- .would mourn hint as though the hotg ter par; ol her own life had boon 0 . lost. My this lime Ihe (wo opposing I, forces. Cossacks and Tartars, had J- ; come into conflict . Some of the lati- iter had succeeded in throwing ibom- .• .selves upon i lie backs of their horses ■ i and were in a condil ion I o meet Ihe I. I charge of the foe in a manner that, i might do i hem fair credit ; for, like i, the wandering Arabs, l hey were only .. j half men w hen afoot . s ; They weni up againsl each other il I without any preliminary evolutions, il | for ill the opposing force each seemed i. iln recognize a mil ul"l 1 foema u e ' worthy of his steel. It was quite a pre! ly lilt le lighl •; while it lusted—one i hat Omar Kassam, with his martial spirit would 1 have enjoyed exceedingly, either as a v witness, or, better still, as a participant. r It chanced, however, that he was I holly engaged on his own account just at thai moment, and in no conjdition to survey the remainder of Ihe c field, for the ambition:; rascal w lid •i Inspired to tlo them an ill-turn was - I not til ail dismayed at finding liimi! Self up against steel as keen as his ii j own, though wielded iii a far more honourable en use. Kassam knew his policy war: lo clutch the arm of hi- enemy if no-: , I sible, and prevent him from using •• j his knife, while at the same lime lie s | must slash away with his own . j weapon Strange lo say. that was . j just the not ion I hal entered Ihe !•• ad I of t hat rover of ihe descrl . and as a . j result there was a dual movement of I I hands t luit etide,; in hoi li of I hem lie- • ing held up. lingers clutching wrists in a convulsive manner, and eye glaring into eye with Ihe concentrated hale fell by furious souls. Kassam proved lo be I lie stronger. | while the Tartar was probably tinI more agile. There followed a few strenuous movements, and then the ' I two sprang back, breathing heavilv, I but as yet uninjured. ' \gaill the desert warrior leaped ' j full nt his inleiideil prey, proving ' that he was nol a coward, even if a I 'villain. 1 ! This I itne t hey closed, and went 1 j whirling round like two colossal .dancing dervishes ; , t their devotions, 1 ! Kloise held her very hfeal 11 w il hj awe. ' | Cnfjirl iinately. Kassam i ripped ' | over some obiect . and. quick to lake j advantage of the opportunity the 1 jot her bore him downwards lo Ihe 1 j ground K\ en I here he would not give over the struggle, and strove j like a Til an lo I brow oIY Ihe incub--1 | us t hal held him lo the ground. filled with a lierce exult at ion at the anticipation of overcoming one J who had [nit up such a stiff lighl ! against his attack. the Tartar rej doubled his mad efforts and gradual ly Kassam felt his strength giving I out . Ile was in such a posit ion Iha I his powers nied paralyzed, his leg bent under him. and his arm was ■ held as in a v ice. ; \ hove him was Ihe t riumphatil v i sage ol the desert thief, and if ever i ma n looked ' ike a delil' in it wns I hi.s j fellow, gloat tag i-\'-r his helpless | prey . Well nigh despnring. Kassam knew ; the end must he near. aml was en 1 ileav oiiring i o collect his energies j for a last desperate i hough seeming i i v hopeless elforl . vv hen he felt some I I hitig pushed into his hand wit hj ' feverish haste into the hand ! hal 'was \!\-.- from the toils of the enemy. It ga\e him a thrill lo feel the | well known grip of a pistol .-.lock, for : Kloise had thrust her lit He weapon ! sine,, of the game 1 Now. he could not swing his .-,rm j sullicieiil ly round t o cover Ihe head ; oi his assa ilanl . or ev en a vital por- [ | I ion of his luit eful anal oniy : bill it i was not absolutely necessary lo do ihis in order to trive him a galvanic jshock. The li rst intimation the wi irl hy | Tartar had of the change in u(Tail's i was W hen the weapon exploded and j he r.'cei ved Ihe content s in his a nit. ! Kassam managed to make an upheaval a I .iusl lhe same t hue, aml (lis i lodged his burden. the astounded j fellow staggering off to seek safely

I in flight having had, apparently opiitn { enough of warfare for t he time being | Of I'nins,. Knssnm's firs I inclination j I when he managed lr> regain his fee! ! wsis i o aim ;it I he hm-k of the iv j I ivut ing rascal who hud 1 n s <) i obligingly disposed towards himself, | but inst iini ly Kloise put her hand on ! his arm and begged him t.. let the I fellow t,l. "We ma\ n I every hit of lead I j inure dospcrnl eh . in order l o flefeiid , ourselves, monsieur." she said, ,-n- j , I rea i ingly. '; 11 is mhl hosiasm diminished under ! ' her gent li- influence— I hn t is. i he i I liloodt hirst \ cull for rctalial ion. so i [natural to his soldier training. gave s\ a,\ to anol her mood. I ,et i he I : w ret ch e •> i fee, !■ incv he had heen ] taught a lesson he would not soon i ! forget . Indeed, I her.- was not liing j she could ask which was in Ins j power i n grant i ha I he hi mid not j cheerfully st rive to do. | Why, her act ion in t hrusl ing t hat serviceable little weapon into his I eager grasp had saved his lite. I le I I could never forget t hat , and it | seemed I o hind her closer to him. There was no time to exchange j congratulations, however, for the | I lint lie still rajjed close at hand, as j I he warring' elements strove with i j em li other to u in out . The Cossacks had the upper hand, apparent j j |\ . and M looked as I hough ! he at- j I fair might have but one conclusion, j j which must he I he defeat of I hose I 'who fought upon their own ground. ! l-'ieree i hough i he Manchurian I i- j ; gers might he, t hey had met 1 heir masters in these hard,\ riders of the north, eager eyed ami ever ready for cough work. The destiny of I he count r\ seemed I o lie I hrcshed out then and I here, as though I lies,, lew puppets might represent their respcv I i \e clans, a ixl sooner < ir la t er I he whole territory south of the Amur miisi fall under t he dominion of l he M'isrio ite. i Kassiini would not have .stood I I here idle olll,\ I hill lie knew lie hail | I a charge to I p in guarding the girl j 1 against possible harm. She could I > see his e.ves turned upon the scene i oi deadly strife, and his chest heave | ; wit hj ill ion i hat could only pro [ t reed from an intense desire to throw j ' himself into I lie arena and win new j 1 glor.\ . Jndee,l. lOloise hail no hearl j " to walrh I he blnod.v work that was j t goillt; on so near at hand, and would I much ral her I p her e.\ ~, riveted on j ' him j I I ! wns nisi a . well I lial lie kepi ' watch and ward over Kloise. for pre sent l\ one of t he I'arlar hand broke i ' hivii) I'roln I he melee, and galloped ill I '

i he direction of their quarters, doubtless, having eonreived the brilliant idea that, since the battle seemed lost, lie might make at least a grand bluff ai carrying off the lady in (he case. Perhaps the recollection of her avowal that n rich re ward would be paid for her ransom influenced him ; or it might be he had darker and more venomous

t bought s. Kassam never troubled to ask him, but wailing until he was close up, he peppered I lie rider with a couple of pellets from the diminutive revolver. Kvidently he knew when he was hurl, for he proceeded to throw up his arms in regulation style and slide from Ihe saddle. And just about ihis time Kassam. conceived a bright thought, which, had he put it into execution, might have saved him from more or less anxiety in the near future. The pre-

seine of a horse without a rider gave lit in the idea naturally enough, for it suggested flight. While it was all wry good of the men under OrlofY to pounce upon i hese wild riders of the desert, and send them flying nboul their business he. of course, knew full well they acted nol from any love of him. but because ii was a part of their training to light whenever they ran across Tartars : that as soon as Ihe lii Id was won he would find himself held as a prisoner of war, to be carried hack to Vladivostok, tried on various trumped-up charges. and probably condemned to 1m- shot, or else sent to the penal colony for life which w.is even worse. Consequently who could blame the man for thinking how wonderfully a! tract ive thai horse looked just then, and allowing the inclination to make a capture have full sway over him. It was with this sudden inspiration in his mind that he advanced toward the animal that had borne the man whom his double shot had dislodged so neatly : but while Omar Kassam knew a good deal about horses in the general run, he had had a Very limited experience with the wild steeds of the Mauchiirian steppes, for evidently this beast did not fancy hi.s appearance, being used to a Tartar master, for it kicked up its heels derisively and galloped away. And now if escape came il would have to spring from another source. Surely he had no right to despair, after having been favoured by fortune so far : so he returned to Kloise content to lake whal came, if at the end her prospects were bettered. To be Continued. (101-1.) "Copyright."