Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-28
THE EXILES.
A RUSSIAN STORY


exclaiming, for he felt himself released
from heavy load.
'Thank heaven Ell? That's very charit-
ablel" muttered M. Lafleur But he is go
ing straight towards Mile. Davidof. Per-
h3ps, he has even seen US. What does the
men want?"
Alas the wretch has not been touched
by or adversely; he feels no pity for our
misery" murmured Yegor. He wants
my life and those of the poor children
am striving to save from oppression and in
famy!"
The chief Of police was constrained by the
force of the wind to continue his journey on
foot. He drew his gray horse along by the
bride.
what are you going to do, my poor
friend!" asked the Partisan.
What would you do IN my placer" said
the young man, full Of the strongest anxi-
ETY..
M. Lafleur seemed to have made decis-
ion,
Ma foil" said he, in tone void of all
hesitation, 81 should not make two bites Of
the cherry. should say: Since this mad
man persists in trying to undo me-since one
or the other of US must perish-let him be
the victim!"
"But 1 suffered so much M. Lafeur,
when [ believed I had killed himi"
"AnOther reason-he is your debtOrl"
While speaking, the dancing master made
sign to Tekel. He pointed out to him an
enormous mass of rock suspended on the
verge of the platform; a vigorous shake
could easily detach it and hurl it down.
The Yakoute Immediately comprehended
hat IN no crOt rid Of no
man and the horse would pass over the
very spot threatened with the fall of the
rock.
ooh! you will not do that" cried Yegor,
guessing the Parisian's intention.
Il certainly will not do tiff ] have not
sufficient strength-but [ will DO it, if 1 can
obtain the aid of Tekel's strength and yours
which you will not refuse, YcgOr."
''Ah! to what extremity do you wish to
reduce me?"
do you prefer the knoutl" said NJ LAT
leur
And he used as a lever his long ascension
pole.
For his part, the Yal1oute, bending over
the abyss, began to loosen the rock from the
outside by removing the fragments which
kept it in place.
II assume the responsibility of the affair It
is necessary for you, for Nadege for Mad
ege, my friend"
lie would have it sol" said Yegor, and he
seized the dancing masters white pole.
The three men moved the mass of rock.
Its centre of gravity displaced, slight eff
fort would suffice to precipitate it into the
chasm
Yermac had advanced directly beneath
them without seeing them, for they were
hidden by the block of stone and the briars
which bordcred the platform
The dancing-master followed with an at
tentiye eye the progress Of the man whom
he had devoted to death. He pointed the
block as an artilleryman points cannon
The Yal1oute waited but for the word of
command.
''One, two, and down with II" cried the
Partisan.
Good forgive mel" murmured Yegor
''Eiye la liberte!" cried the Partisan, in q
loud voice
The heavy mass tottcred and detached it.
self, acoclerating its speed and grazing with
a crash the perpendicular walls, the project
ing portions of which it tore away. 1t en-
cOunterud two tail pine trees which it car
red with it. The enormous block after
wards bounded from rock to rock hurting
afar its deoris; then it struck the ground
with ii formidable noise like a discharge OF
heavy artillery
The three men, seized with vertigo at the
sight of the gap they had made, recoiled af.
frighted closing their eyes.
Already. arounl, about, rolls of thunder
sped froIl echo to echo, dying away in the
distance.
The YakOute WAS tie first who had the
courage to advance to see the result of the
work. Wrecks covered the ground still
white with the &no..- which fell on the pre-
ceding day. The gray horse lay stretched
out and crushed. But the man-what had
become of the man! Was ne beneath the
pines, b u2s1h tAa mass of the block itsolf!
He had disappeared.
4 woman's cries were heard. They took
the shape of a despairing call
1T is Mile. Davidoff's voice." stammered
Yegor, pale and trembling.
1.-The poor child is frightened" observed
NJ Lafleur She, undoubtedly believes us
in danger. Let us go and reassure her
Now the success of your enterprise is Ger,
tain, and l have only to quit you as soon as
we shall have crossed the dGfilas-unless
this affair-this murder-well / am in d
nice fix for an honest trader and dancing
master! What about my Yakoute milliners.
my birch sap champagne, my glassware and
my collection for the museum of Chateau,
Thierry?"
Il was afraid of this, my dear Monsieur
Latieur" cried YegOr, overwhelmed with
trouble
DO not worry yourself for so little," re.
sumed the Partisan. What difference does
it make, if | have saved you! Well, I will
follow you to your journeys endl 1t will be
pleasant, indeed for me to return to the
Faubourg Antoine by way of Kamtchatka
or the north pole! Ali man holds the VIC
lin, but God directs the dancel"
Il am confounded!"
''Vive Ia lberte ,"'cried M Lafleur And
he added: Let us go and calm the terror
of your charming betrothed. We shall find
the descent from here easier than the as
cent"
CHAPTER vIII,-IN THE FOREST OF OSTRovoYE
Meanwhile, the night had come on, an6
not sound troubled the profound silence
not even the cracking Of branches, so fire.
quent in forests and the mysterious wits
pering of leaves, which suggests the secret
communin9s of the darkness. Yegnr haC
many times thrown himself on the ground
and placed his ear to the soil, but no vibra
ton had revealed the approach of a human
being.
In this gorge, abrupt, winding, narrow
bristling with rocks, and full of larch trees
with enormous black branches spreading
out in the gloom like immense bat wings
the obscurity was deep. Yegor was forced
to light the small dark-lantern with which