The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-12-04
CHAPTER x.-ALMosT A TRAGEDY.

ftsOf naQ dG IrSG supposed, OF DIS otu dCO VI
{ ggression?
To explain this episode of our tale, we
must recur to some facts already known.
Yegor and M. Lafeur, after having hurl-
cd down the rock upon the chief Of police,
thought the latter crushed, buried forever
beneath the broken fragments of the block.
They were deceived-Yerna still lived.
When he saw the rock totter above him,
uicIdy dropping his horses bride, he
threw himself against the vertical wall
no latter presented a slight projection at
3 . tut mans height which preserved him.
Lf0Wever, some fragments wounded him on
he right leg. Yermac had only the loss OF
is horse to regret.
Screened by the pines dragged along by
inc rock in its fall and, besides, having in
.~ont of him the largest portion of the enOr-
nous mass precipitated from the sides of the
mountain, he was concealed from every eye.
As prudential measure, he remained in this
refuge all night
The next day, thanks to bathing it with
cold water the swelling on his leg diminish
oil: he cut cane for himself and managed
to reach Yakoute yourte, erected on one OF
tho slopes of the Verkho-Y ansk Noun
tains He remained there only long enough
to take some nourishment and to borrow
a Siberian horse. Then, despite his wound,
he ut once resumed the pursuit of the fugi
tiyes.
Shortly afterwards, he met a patrol OF
Ccssacks on horseback. These men, cues
toned in regard to the fugitives, whom, as
Yermac thought, they must have passed, as
serted that they had seen no one
He informed them that he was the chief
Of police of the government capital, and es-
tlblished his identity by means of docu
ments he bore about him. Then, he direct
ed the Cossacks to notify the chiefs OF
the posts-ostrogs that several exiles had
fed from Yal1outsk, accompanied by
foreigner a Frenchman, and gave them
the descriptions Of YegOr and his compan-
ions.
Some hours later, Yermac was walking
beside the vast forest in the midst of which
the fugitiyes had taken refuge. He passed
it, and then discovering no sign of them be-
yond it, retraced his steps, convinced that
they had penetrated into the forest and had
not yet quilted it.
What could they be waiting for, hiddenin
this spot? Without doubt, they wished to
put off the scent whoever might be seeking
to recapture them.
How was he to find them? How was he
to dislodgo them? He was alone and wound
ed they were numerous and well armed.
He was alone and the forest stretched over
an immense space. The struggle was too
unequal.
He reflected for a long while, and, at
last, thought he had found an auxiliary.
Why should he not employ method used
to destroy wild beasts? In his policeman's
eyes, these people were criminals-Yegor,
Nadege, and the lad, persons condemned
to labor forlife, and M. Lafeur an assassin.
He at first discarded this idea Of setting
ire to the forest, but it persistently returned
on the succeeding days. He finally became
used to it, and found it reasonable. The
trappers fire the forests to drive away by
means of the smoke the swarms of mosqui-
toes which incommode them. Besides, the
slender supply of provisions obtained from
the Yal1cute was diminishing, and, to cap
the climax, the horse loaned by the nomad,
wearying, perhaps, of its idleness, one morn
ng quilted the grass upon which it was
feeding in perfect freedom and returned to
its masters yourte.
While making up his mind what to do,
Yernlac climbed an eminence. There, over
.oolzing the immense plateau black with
pines and larches, pressed and heaped to-
gether as if to favor q confagratiOn, he
sought for a spot in which to ldndle the fire.
Should it be to the east or the west? Two
parallel mountain spurs enclosed the vast
forest as with insurmountable walls. To
start the fire at one of these extremities
would be to force the fugitiveS to make
their exit by the other. On the eastern
sSde, flight was possible only by passing
through steep defile with bare sides.
The chief saw how easy it would be for
aim to wait for them there, concealed behind
rock
When his plan was at last settled upon,
ne decided to devote the forest to a general
eonfagration. He piled dry branches add
brushwood at the feet Of the resinous trees,
and, when the night was far enough adj
vanced, set fire to them.
Then Yermac posted himself on the side
opposite to the conflagration, in the defile
which presented the sole means of free
agress. Hidden behind rocks intermingled
with dwarf cedars, he watched with an
eager eye for the explosion OF the volcano.
He Lad not long to wait; and when the
plateau resembled a sheet of fire and the
entire sky was as red as blood, Yermac re-
coiled in terror from his work of destruc-
ton. He passed long hours in anxiety, ask
ing himself if he had not gone too far!-if
he had not devoted to certain death the I'M
fortunates hidden in the depths of the
forest Finally, the gray of a tardy dawn
mingled with the reflections of the confiag-
ration.
The chief of police saw two Siberian
horses dash madly towards him-they were
Yegor's horses, the third having, doubtless,
persisted. His suggestions were verified.
He could not doubt that these horses be-
longed to the fugitives. But why did not
the fugit1ves themselves appear?
He had asked himself this disturbing
question many times, when he saw, emerg-
ing from the defle, a group of struggling
fugitives, whose huge shadows, produced
by the glowing furnace they had left behind
them, stretched out Enthusiastically in front OF
them.
'0They are here at lastl" cried he
He examined his arms-his gun and pis
tolls; they were in good condition. But his
osc9,1