All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LOVE GOES BLINDLY. about their daily tasks in Obtrusk— Cousin Olga's village—when the ca- reening equipage dashed through its single street. The yet sleepy-eyed countrymen ran to right and left in frantic haste to avoid the ruthless hoofs, They stared after the dwindling cloud of yellow dust in the droshky’s wake, asking each other: “By the rood, good man, what was that? Is it some courier riding upon the little father’s business? ” One old crone, peering from her window, affirmed this conjecture. ‘“T saw the Czar’s insignia on the driver’s cloak,’’ said she. Ten minutes later they were more truly informed by four fellow-peasants who thundered into their excited midst on blown plow-horses. The riders were helped stiffly down from their saddleless mounts and gulped down two or three jugs of water apiece be- fore they could speak. Then the eldest of the quartet shook back the tangled mane of hair from before his dirt-rimmed eyes and spread out his arms before the gaping crowd. “Look at me, people!’’ he cried. “Do you not recognize me? I am old Yakof, your neighbor—an_ upright man, known to you all.” “Tt is true—that is indeed old Yakof!” exclaimed a dozen voices in unison. Men and women crowded about. mouthing eager questions as to why he rode there in such haste and at such an hour. “Listen, listen, good friends!” shouted the old man above the babel. “A rascal has carried off my daugh- ter—laughing little Vera—you all know and like her. Did not a droshky pass through here a little while ago? She, my pure bird, was in it. For the love of the saints, give us fresh horses and help us in the pursuit!” “ What is that you say? An abduc- tion? Little Vera, whom Tomasz was to marry? Who its the villain?” and so on—a great chatter, interspersed with righteous curses and adjurations 841 to the saints. In the midst of it all, fresh horses and new recruits to hunt down the unknownsravisher. Meanwhile the fugitives had gained ground and felt more assured of escape, though Nikolai Iaroslaf did not permit the pace to slacken because of that. They dashed through several other villages where the smell of cooking food tantalized their nostrils and re- minded them of their hitherto disre- garded appetites. Yet they dared not pause. The risk was still too great. By nightfall they came to the edge of the great Svold forest, which all afternoon had lain like an approaching cloud on the horizon before them. ** Safe for a while at least,” breathed the nobleman as the tree-boles closed in behind the equipage and the last rays of the sun were blotted out in the mysterious, whispering twilight of the wood. Vera caught her breath sharply, but made no answering comment. She was too familiar with countryside super- stitions to feel at ease in that lowering forest at night-time. The road was a mere zigzag wagon- track, and the nobleman, perforce, let the horses make their own pace, which was slow. Their sides heaved and their heads hung, with nostrils dis- tended, welcoming the moist coolness round them. By and by they came upon a little glade where a glimpse of the darkening sky could be had through the leaves and where the sward was sweet-simell- ing with dew. Of their own accord the horses stopped to crop the grass, and Count Nikolai came out of his black reverie with a start. He turned to his © companion. “We may as well get out here and stretch ourselves while we have the chance.” said he, studying the white, drawn face the girl presented. He helped her out of the droshky stiffly and rubbed her arms and ankles until the numbness in them was suc- ceeded by aches that showed how the blood was circulating freely again. He comicloooks.com