San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-10
THE EXILES.
RUSSIAN STORY.

or kamtchatka, In the country OF the
Tchouktchis, for he could not think Of go
ing towards either the west or the north
west
The frontier touched, so to speak, the
gates of the capital of the province. The
town of Kiakhta can be reached in three or
four days by sledge in winter. and there
China begins. But could Yegor expose
the weak Nadege and little Ladislas to
the perils incident to the crossing OF the
horrible solitudes Of the Desert Of Gobia
To put themselves in the hands Of the Chi
nese authorities would be to subject them
selves to cruel treatment, and, finally, ex-
tradition.
He thought that it would be less danger
Gus to 60 to the Sea Of Okhotsk, that is to
say the Pacific Ocean, following the banks
of Lake Baikal and skirting the Yablonvi
mountain chain, afterwards descending the
Lena to its mouth, ascending that river to
its source and, finally. crossing the Stanovoi
Mountains. Once at Oudskoi, on the shores
of the Sea of Okhotsk, they could reach
ship bearing the French, English, or Ameri-
can flag.
He adopted this last plan. In spite of all,
he no longer recoiled. neither for himself,
not abandon, from the terrible difficulties
that he would encounter in crossing immense
tracts Of country, avoiding habitations and
even keeping away from roads when there
were traces Of any.
In the evening when Ladislas was asleep.
the young people spoke in low tones of their
projects and, going beyond into their fu-
ture, Yegor pointed out to Nadege, upon a
small map he had drawn, the route to be
followed and explained to her the difficulties
to be overcome.
Far from offering any objection, she re-
piled to everything:
Il am ready to follow you"
Suddenly an incident happened which an.
initiated all their hopes.
One evening, Nadege saw her betrothed
arrive with troubled face.
"All is LOST" cried he, as he entered.
Have they discovered our plans!" asked
the young girl.
mo; but an unexpected accident has re-
duced them to nothing" said Yegor, drop
ping overwhelmed upon the bench which ex.
tended along the deal partition.
perhaps you exaggerate things" said
Nadege.
Judge for yourself" responded Yegor.
1.-THE governor Of Yakoutsk has been here,
as you know, for several days, on visit to
his colleague of eastern Siberia. This morn
ing, he had occasion to converse with me in
M. Nadeieff's offices. What could l have
| done to give him such high idea of my ca
pacityl After his departure, NJ Nadeieff
told me that, struck with my intelligence and
numerous talents, he had asked him to as.
sign me to him"
'And NJ. Nadeieff|"
He could not refuse so powerful per-
| sonage, although, as he assures me, he
strongly regrets losing his secretary. All
the statement for the Car is finished! My
consent has not been asked, you may be
sure of that, and l am ordered to attend
to the little formality at the chancellor's
office necessary on changing my proprietor"
"You must strive to gain time" said Mad
eye; you must speak of the authorization
to marry which we expect"
II have done so, but in vain. was
forced to limit myself to soliciting the favor
of taking you and little Ladislas with me-.
But what will the governor sayi Can he
not be brought over to uriuterestsl Can he
not be induced to keep you near him, since
he is friendly towards youl"
1.-THE governor-gener replied Yegor,
has already given his full consent"
1t was terrible blow, but it could not
be avoided. The young people were oblig-
ed to charge one of their new friends with
selling Davidoffs little house and certain
articles of furniture difficult of transport
ton.
few days afterwards, they set out in
the suite of the governor of Yakoutsk,
without forgetting Wab, beautiful brown
dog born in the Himalaya Mountains,
which bore the name of its race and had
been given to Yegor upon his arrival at Irk-
outsk
They We're to travel more than two thou
sand miles in bitter weather, partly in light
vehicles and partly on provosok, large
flat-bottomed boat, upon the Lena, which
already was carrying along with it its first
ice.
The night began at this time of the year at
three o'clock in the afternoon, and the jour
ney would last more than a month.
At length, the high functionary and those
whom he already called his proteges reached
Yakoutsk
The first person whom Yegor perceived in
this thoroughly oriental town, where he
thought he would find no known counter
ance was M. Lafleur. the dancing master,
with his pocket violin-M. Laf1eur, rosy and
fresh as his name, always smiling, always
polished, and always frisldng about like the
true dancing master he was.
To see him, clad in his swallow-tail coat,
tolerably out of fashion, with brass buttons,
in his white cravat, with his legs as thin as