San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-26
THE EXILES.
RUSSIAN STORY.

strange surprise which awaited us on ouI
return, have completely upset me-"
An instant afterwards, Yermac entered
the hut behind M. La1eur.
"Can one ask where you have been2" said
M. Lafleur to him, roughly. Certainly.
we have not been in the habit of troubling
you about your movements; but things
have happened here which make US desire
to know why you return at this hour Of the
night"
ITO what things do you sllude'" asked
the chief of police, who now perceived the
disorder of the hut and Yegor's detection
and OWNED the absence of Nadege and her
brother. HAS some misfortune occurredP
added he, questioning instead of replying
'Nadege!-Ladislas?"
"Gone!" said Yegor.
"Upon the sea, as was the case the other
day!-or lost along the coasts"
Abducted !" said M. Lafeur. 'eWhen we
arrived, everything here was in extreme
disorder"
Abduction violence" murmured Yer
mac, suddenly resuming his role of chief Of
police. But" added he. in a loud voice
and almost with an accent of triumph, chow
could you expose a young girl and a child
to such risks as you are running! 1t would
have been a hundred times better to have
gone back when l summoned you to do So
Then | would have interceded in your be-
half with the governor of YakoutSk. But
now" said Yermac, changing his tone, ''this
young lady and her brother, the poor little
Pole, are in the power Of a ~sangWoary
tribe in rebellion against the Cars author
ity, whose laws are made only by the cha
mans, and who, despite the fact that a large
number of natives nave been baptized, still
offer human sacrifices! See what your in
genious plans have brought you to, Mon
sieur Semenoff! !"
1--WE. shall all die, perhaps" answered
Yegor, with a deep sigh, "but we shall die
free!"
"Freel That is but a word" said Yer
mac.
"a word, Monsieur-the chief of police!'
cried the Partisan. "With that word man
things are done. |, who was born On the
Place de la Bastille, can assure you of tina
with a full knowledge of the facts. Vive Ii
liberte! But" added NJ. Lafleur, you dc
not tell us where you have been"
where l have been" answered Yermac
"Ah! do not ask me"
With these words, he sat down beside the
fire, his elbows upon his knees and his heac
in his hands.
Yegor and the Partisan signed to eaCl
other not to disturb him. On partially turn
ing, Yermac saw upon the table, which M
Laieur had righted, all sorts of provisions
arranged in good order.
so the nartas nave arrived" cried he
joyously, springing to his feet.
"No," said M. Laleur. 1--WE brought all
those things here a little while ago"
where did you get them9" asked he, ir
establishment.
"Ah do not ask me !" answered the Pa
~risian, repeating the chief of policies words
of a minute before. He even added the in
tonation.
Yermac understood, and, relapsing into
silence, resumed his place beside the fire.
We will now throw some light on tn.
mystery surrounding his absence from the
hut for an entire day and a large ~ rtion o.
the night.
The chief of police despairing of agair
seeing Teke and Chort, had resolved to try
to escape on foot. He started Immediately
after the departure of Yegor and NJ. LafleuI
for the chase, taking with him only the sup
ply of seal fat he had kept in reserve
After walking for five or six hours in the
exceedingly bitter cold, covered with heavy
clothing, he paused, uncertain as to whether
he should continue his journey or not.
Foxes, attracted by the odor of the seal
fat, pressed thickly about him. He threat
ened them with his stick, but without driv.
ing them very far away. 1t was a bad begin.
ming. The wind commenced to blow strong.
ly. What a prospect for the night! Where
should he sleepl If he stretched himself
out in the midst of the toundra, the foxes
would carry off his provisions and, perhaps.
attack him. Without food, no journey, nc
escape, was possible. Was he even certain
of the route he was following! The sky
was covered with clouds, and there were nc
stars to guide him. There was not a tree,
from the moss on the bark of which he could
ascertain the four cardisal points. His at
tempt seemed to him worse than foolish.
Never, under such conditions, could he
reach Nijni-Kolimsk.
Far better would it be to retrace his steps
and try to find the road he had passed over.
That was what he did. He disembarrassed
himself of the greater part of his provisions
upon which the foxes Immediately threw
themselves, and, a tritfe less loaded, regain
ed the coast, making an error which brought
him to the ocean several miles from the
hut. But once there, he discovered his
whereabouts from the configuration of the
capes and bays.
A few hours later, he ran against the
wooden cross which marked the grave of
his son. He knelt upon the tomb. When
he arose, he had no difficulty in finding the