Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-27

ana tnat gypsy was Ivan Ogaretf
In crossing. the Irtych the raft
was attacked by Tartar boats and
Nadia captured; but Strogo6,
though wounded with a lance,
escaped by swimming under water.
Without losing an hour in attempt
ing to trace Nadia, though he was
wounded, he was deeply interested
in her, the devoted carrier dragged
himself on to 0msk, where he
found her in the hands of Ivan
0gareff. Here he was recognized
in public by his mother, Maria,
who lived there, and was, unfortu-
nately, known to have son in the
corps of the czar's couriers; but by
disclaiming all he managed to dis
arm immediate suspicious and to
make his escape on a swift horse
which he had purchased. After
battling the Tartar horsemen dis
patched in pursuit by Ivan 0gareff,
who had arrested and imprisoned
Maria Strogof, he was captured by
the main body of the invaders un-
der Feofor Khan, who had just
defeated a Russian division and ta-
ken Kolyvan.
A few days. later 0garcff Joined
the emir, with his troops and cap.
tiyes. Among the latter, and
thrown together by the merest
chance, were Maria and Nadia
who were iealously watched by a
female gypsy devoted ito Ogareff
This untiring spy was present when
Maria noticed her son among q
crowd of captiyes, and though the
old woman instantly controlled hel
emotion, the circumstance was re
lported to the arch-rebel. The latter
to discover which of the captives
was the courier Strogof, adopted
the inhuman expedient of ordering
his mother to be knouted in public
AS the cruel instrument was about
to fall on the bare shoulders of the
heroic woman, Michael sprang from
the crowd, and seizing the knout
from the eXecutioner's hand, struck
Ogareff across the face, thus repay
ing the blow he had once endured
from the renegade.
The punishment of Michael was
decided, according to a Tartar Gus
tom, by a priest opening the koran
at random. The chief of the UIe-
mas thrust his finger on the text.
"And he will no more see the
things Of this earth" Blindness
was, therefore, the penalty imposed
by the emir and at the close of a
barbaric pageant the sentence was
inflicted by drawing a red-hot saber
across his eyes. At the conclusion
of this savage act, 0gareR, with su.
prenfe irony, held the letter of the
czar before Michael's eyes, saying
"Read now, and go to Irkutsk,
and repeat what you have read.
The true courier of the czar is Ivan
0gareff."
The crowd had dispersed, and
the noises Of a wild debauch were
heard in the distance. Michael
dragged himself over to his insen-
sible mother and kissed her white
locks. AS he did SO, a hand grasp
ed his and he heard voice:
Brother!" it said.
" Nadia" murmured Michael,
Nadia!"
Come, brother" replied Nadia,
"use my eyes while your eyes sleep.
| will lead you to Irkutsk."
+ T. 4 &
Three Tartar armies were con-
centrated before the capital of
western Siberia, and the garrison
was further depressed by the gloomy
tidings brought by a courier calling
himself Michael Stragof, who had
given the grand duke an autograph
letter from the car; warning him
to beware Ct treachery. The night
had come when the false courier
Ivan Ogaref, was to consummate
his treachery by opening a gate
while the garrison were distracted
by hostile demonstration in an,
other quarter and by the firing Of
naptha on the surface of the river
Augara, which flows through Ir.
kutsk,
An hour before the traitor was
about to give his preconcerted sig
nal to the besiegers, a raft which
had been worked by Siberian fugi-
tiyes, amid the seyerest hardships,
across lake Baikal, and down the
Augura, had finally been stopped
by the ice within half a verst Of
lrkutsk. Fired at by the Tartars
from both banks, a man and a girl
had stepped upon a detached block
of ice, and boldly launched it on
the current, The adventurous
couple, who had now ceased to call
each other "brother " and osister. -
reached the city just soon enough
to escape the burning naphtha, and
to enable Michael by its light 10
slay the bafiedftraitor Ogareff; for
Michael had never been blinded,
though he had thought it Unnecessary
IN nreteud tbot ofi;ot;o, uo L,1