St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-23
CHAPTER XII.
TIE RUINED FARM.

THE RUINED FARM.
Sandorf thinking all was safe went back
to the tree. lifted his companion in his
arms and laid him on the bank. lie knew
nothing of where he was or where he was
to go.
In reality this sheet of water, which
serves as the mouth of the Foiba, is neither
a lagoon nor a lake, but an estuary. 1t
bears the name of the Leme canal, and 1t
communicates with the Adriatic by mar
row creek between Orsea and Rovigno on
the western side of the Istrian peninsula.
But it was not known before this voyage
that its waters came from the tolba, and
were brought through the gorge of Buco
during heavy rains.
A few PAGES from the bank was deserted
hut, and Sandorf and Bathory after a short
rest took shelter in it. There they stripped
and waited while they sm-dried their
clothes. The fishing vessels were leaving
the Leme canal and rs far as they could see
the place was deserted.
The man who had been watching them
since they landed now got up and carefully
noted the position Of the hut. And then
he disappeared round a knoll and made off
towards the south.
Three hours afterward SandOrf and his
companion resumed their clothes. They
were still damp, but it was necessary to
move on.
eve must not stay too long in this hut, F"
said BathOry.
DO you feel yourself strong enough to
start?" asked Sandorf.
Il am almost exhausted with hunger.'
''Let us try to reach the coast. There
we may perhaps procure something to eat
and something to take us to sea. Come,
Stephen
And they left the hut, evidently suffering
more from hunger than fatigue.
SandOrf'S intention was to follow the
southern bank of the Leme canal until he
reached the sea. The country was deserted,
it is true but quite a number of streams in
tersected it on their way to the estuary.
This watery network along the banks is
nothing more. nor less than vast sponge,
and the mud is impossible, so that the fugi-
tiyes had to strike S0uthwardS Obliquely,
easily keeping their course by the sun,
which had now risen. For two hours they
kept on without meeting a human being.
and without finding anything to satisfy
the hunger that was devOuring them.
Then the country became less arid. They
found a road running east and west, which
boosted a milestone that gave no indication
as to the region across which they were feel
ing their way like the blind. There were,
however. some hedges of mulberry trees
and farther on a field of sorghum. which
enabled them TO allay their hunger or rather
to cheat the wants of their stOmachs. The
sorghum chewed and even eaten, and the
refreshing mulberries, might perhaps be
enough TO keep them from fainting from
exhaustion before they reached the coast.
But if the country was inhabtable, if
few fields showed that the hand of man was
employed about them, the fugitiveS had to
be careful how they met the inhabitants.
About noon five or six foot passengers
appeared on the road. AS a matter Of eau
ton Sandorf thought they had better get
out of sight. Fortunately an enclosure
round an old ruined farm lay some fifty
yards to the left. There, before they had
been noticed, he and his companion took
refuge ina kind of dark cellar. where in the
event Of any one stopping at the farm, they
ran little risk Of discovery if they waited
till the night.
The foot passengers were peasants and
salt-marsh workers. Some were driving
flock of geese. doubtless to market at some
town or village which could not be very far
from the canal. Men and women were
clothed in lstrian style, with the Jewels.
medals, earrings, breast crosses and filigree
pendants which ornament the ordinary cos
OuinC OlIDOSll SCANS ut Sdlu-HldISll WOlk-
erS were more simply dressed, as with sack
on back and stick in hand they marched
along to the saltens in the neighborhood.
or perhaps even to the important establish
mentS at StagnOn or PiranO in the west of
the province.
Some of them stopped when they reached
the farm and rested for little on the
doorstep. They talked in loud voice. not
without a certain animation, but only of
things concerning their trade.
The fugitives leant against the corner
and listened. Perhaps these people had
already heard of the escape and We're talk
ing about it? Perhaps they were saying
something which might reveal in what part
of Istria they then were.
Not a word passed on the subject. They
could only continue to guess.
eff the country people say nothing about
our escape, it is fair inference" said Sam
dorf, that they have not yet heard of it,"
That" said Bathory, would go to
prove that we are some distance from the
fortress. Considering the rapidity of the
current which kept us underground for
more than six hours, am not surprised at
that"
THAT must be it." said Sandorf.
A couple Of hours passed, and then some
salt workers as they passed the farm with
out stopping were heard to speak about
some gendarmes that they had met at the
gate of the town.
''What town? They gave it no name.n
This was not very reassuring. If gen
darmes were about, it was probable that
they were securing the country in search
of the fugitives.
But" said Bathory, considering how
we escaped, they might well believe us
dead, and never think of pursuit"
They viii believe we are dead when
they find our bodies, answered Sandorf.
There being no doubt that the police were
afoot and in search of them, they decided
to stay till it was night. Although they
were tortured with hunger, they dared not
leave their retreat; and they were wise.
About 5 o'clock the tramp of small
troop of horse was heard along the road.
SandOrf, who had been out TO the gate of
the enclosure. hurriedly rejoined his COM
panion and dragged him into the darkest
corner of the cellar. There they hid them
selves under a heap of brushwood, and re-
manned motiOnlesS.
Half a dozen gendarmes, headed by a
sergeant, were coming along the road to-
wards the east. Would they stop at the
farm? SandOrf anXiOusly asked. If they
searched the place they could not fail to
find them.
They halted. The sergeant and two of