Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-12-04
THE EXILES.
A RUSSIAN STORY.

their curlouSly Sculptured capitals, thu:
forming gigantic porUico-a vast gate o.
heaven, from which one might almost ex
pect to see defile the brilliant cortege Of The
radiant inhabitants Of a marvellous world
This portico, in its turn, sinking upon it
self, became fortress, with --assive bas
tions, numerous embrasures and Lofty, EN-
battled towers, an impregnable refuge, the
lines and shades Of which were as natura
as the reality itself could have been.
Then, at last, all grew confused; the mir
age faded away. Then Yegor and Nadege
again turned their eyes towards the sea anC
the coast. There, nothing was changed
there, no mirage bewildered.
But" suddenly said Nadege, breathless
ly, 'look-that is not an llusion-do you
see?"
Eyes, / see" stammered Yegor, turning
pale from emotion; ''it is a shipl"
Nadege threw herself into Yegor's arms.
as it safety, Yegor-is it safety!" criet
she, excitedly.
4 ct is safety!"
"But-what if the ship should be sailing
from us2"
The watched it with anxious eyes. In &
few minutes-how long they seemed Veg
or said:
II think am not deceived. The ship is
coming towards US. 1t is lacking to avoid
the floating ice blocks which cucumber
the entrance to the Bay of Onemene. If il
came straight on, it would only be delayed
by useless and dangerous struggle"
"Ah! this is, perhaps, the last day we
shall pass upon this shore, Yegor! But
what if it should be an enemy-a Russian
vessel!"
Let US hope for the best!" answered
Yegor. His voice tremblcd, for he also en-
tertained the fear felt by Nadege.
''When shall we know what fate is in re
serve for us?" asked Nadege.
''This evening, tonight, or tomorrow
morning at the latest, according to the diff
Guilty of the navigation amid the ice. l will
go to the ship in the baydare,"
"But if they should keep you-a prisoner
lost to me, to us?"
''Reassure yourself, Nadege. You look a.
everything in the worst light"
''No; do not wish you to leave mel will
go with you. We will take the emeralds
and offer them for our ransom"
go with me-in the baydare, a boat thai
the smallest shock might send to the bot
tom?"
Il have shown enough courage heretofore
to warrant you in trusting me at the las
moment. On seeing both of US, perhaps
they may be touched by our so little merit
ed misfortune"
II will go alone, Nadege; that am fully
resolved upon" said Yegor, firmly.
"You would expose yourself too much by
doing that, Yegor," said M. LaAeur, who
had advanced sufficiently to hear the con
versation between the two young people. -
will go on board the ship!"
"You?" cried Yegor and Nadege, in one
voice.
Certainly. l have nothing to fear. An
not a Freachman! [ will make recon
noiSsance."
This will be- hope, the last service tina
we shall receive from you, my dear Mon
sieur Lafeur" said Eegor, grasping the
Parisiaus hand.
''The last service" responded the latter,
In tone of protest. .'Ah! [ hope mott"
Yegor wished NJ Lafeur to take Nadege
back to the hut, in order that she might
rest from her excitement and prepare her
self for whatever might happen. AS to him,
he would remain at his post of observation.
In the evening, Nadege and M. Laf1eur
were compelled to come and tear him
away from it. The ship was moored to an
ice field, as near as possible to the shore Of
the bay.
The next day, at dawn, NJ Lafeur and
Tekel, drawing the baydare over the ice
along the coast, advanced towards the YES
sell When openings in the ice field pre-
scented themselves, the baydare was set
afoat and did its office. M Lafeur, on
quitting the hut had been much surprised
to misr Yermac whom he wished to make a
last effort to persuade to abandon at the
same time both Russia and the disagreeable
vocation he followed.
Although not a sailor, M. LafCV~, or
approaching the ship, very quickly recog
nized it's nationality 1t was an Austrian
vessel.
He reached the ship with his baydare
skillfully handled by Tel1el. The first face
he saw on board was that of the chief Of
police.
Yermac had, in fact, decided that the fug
itives should be baff1ed, and had gone to in
form the captain of the foreign vessel of his
situation and that of the exiles. He finished
by demanding his aid.
To reach the ship, the chief of police mad
been compelled to make, in the midst of the
night, long windings about the broken ice
fields In the morning, he hailed the shiI
a short distance away and boat was low
cred to meet him, which twenty times wa;
nearly crushed by the ice blocks. M. Laf
leur found the captain informed of every
thing
This captain, who had nothing very terri
BILE about him, was a young man, full of fire
of Russian nationality but commanding al
Austrian ship from the port of Trieste, sen
to Behring's Strait to meet NOrdensl1iold b,
some ship-owners of that city. These ship
owners, knowing, thanks to the letters O.
the Swedish navigator which had reached
Europe through some Tchouktchis and the
Siberian posts, the happy result Of voyage
which opened to commerce all the rivers O.
Siberia and immense beds of ivory in the
Archipelago of Lyakhoff, had decided t,
choose without loss of time some point OF
the coast of Behring's Strait for the estab
ishment of commercial depot, a MARITIME
station where whale oil could also be man
ufactured.
The first paragraph of the instructions o
the captain of the Austrian ship directe,
him to meet the illustrious navigator whel
he quilted the strait, where he had win
tered since the 27th of September of the
preceding year, blocked in by the ice
had he been only few hours earlier, h
could have passed through the strait in opel
water.
Meanwhile, Yegor and Nadege, who ais
had noticed the absence of the chief of DO
lice, began to be seriously disturbed. Seate,
upon the shore, they watched with terrible
anxiety for the return of NJ. Lafleur Lad
islas was beside him. When they saw tina
the Partisan was returning to land in