Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-14
CHAPTER VI.=TuE ESCAPE.

IL Will HiG-u Ilc CIOSC!E
Something. a secret prosentiment, told
him to beware of this fatal man.
CHAPTER vI.-THE ESCAPE.
Sumner came, the fair sess9n opened. and
the merchants of Irlzouts6 brought stu1fs.
utensils and tea, while from the shores of
the Arctic Ocean, from the borders Of the
Sea of Okhotsk and even from Kamtchatka
came fur-hunters loaded with spoils and
searchers for the tusks of the walrus and
mammoth.
Yegor Semenoff took advantage of the OPP
portunity offered to purchase provisions and
garments indispensable to the execution of
his project.
But, though he acted with the utmost
prudence, the chief of police Yermac, whe
watched all his actions with the evident de-
sire of taking him in fault knew that the
governors secretary had made considerable
purchases.
Further, the authorization of marriage de-
manded of the Gar had arrived and had
passed through the hands of the chief of
police, who could not comprehend why the
young couple lid not hasten to profit by it.
What could be their motive except to free
themselves by flight? The former Iprav-
snik Of Nertchinsk well knew the repug-
nance felt by the exiles for contracting these
marriages which bind the future of the
children they may have. His attention re-
doubled and took the character of veritable
surveillance
Yegor did not confine himself to procuring
what could assure materially the success OF
his attempt. He studied minutely all the
maps of the country he could procure, ques-
toned the merchants and hunters, and
learned the language of the natives. At last,
he found himself prepared to adopt the fol-
lowing plan:
Furnished with passport from the gov
ernor for himself and his betrothed, he
could, at the commencement of the journey,
take advantage of the relays Of horses es-
tablished upon the right bank of the Lena
as far as the spot where the Adam flows
into the great Siberian river. At Adam
skoi, town situated at the mouth of the
Aldan, he would find horses purchased by
M. Lafieur, and a Yakoute guide, selected by
the same NJ Laf1eur, whose kindness was
inexhaustible.
The Partisan, in his hatred of tyranny of
every kind, had placed himself entirely at
Yegor's disposal. He was to go on before
in the little cart serving to transport the
merchandise in which he dealt. Besides
the camp tent the provisions and the winter
garments. he was to take the little Pole
They could leave Yakoutsk without exciting
the least suspicion--Such was their belief at
any rate.
NJ. Lafleur would accompany the fugitives
to the Verlzho-Yensh Mountains This
chain of mountains crossed, the exiles were
to hide III one of the impenetrable forests
which cover the region beyond, there to
await the first SHOWS.
They counted upon winter as an auxiliary
to level the roads, freeze the rivers and
cover their fight with it's darkness 1t was
only with a sledge that it was possible for
them to go towards tile north as far as
Nijni-kolimsk, the last Russian town, stu
ated at the point where the Kolima pours
the tribute of its waters into the Arctic
Ocean, and not far from the polar regions
where the immortal Nordenskiold was able
to confirm his discovery of the north east
passage.
According to the calculations of Yegor
Semenotf, they could hope, with the favor
OF the long winter night, to penetrate to the
country of the Tcnoukchis. Although the
tribes Of these natives are not equally hos
pitable, Yegor did not shrink from the diff
culties he might encounter when this mo-
ment should come; nothing could ever ap-
proach the infamous life of a convict from
which he was escaping.
Among the Tnhoul1chis it was already lib
Grafton; it would only remain to find the
means of reaching Behring's Strait, on the
return Of the summer season and OF the
free waters. which bring yearly into that To-
A Itch, -I,.1a
The interesting daughter of the poet Davi-
doff. in whose eyes Yegor assumed unnatu-
raj proportions, drew from her chaste love
all the stimulants capable of increasing the
ardor of the man who was about to expose
his life for her, wishing to relieve her from
the shame of being an exile's daughter. She
could not forget that Yegor, thanks to the
favor he enjoyed with the governor, had
ameliorated and rendered supportable her
situation, and that it was, above all, to fulfil
the sacred promise made to the dying old
poet that he aspired to liberty.
YegOr already caught glimpse OF that
liberty.
But besides this seductive prospect, what
terrible punishment in case of failure, what
dolorous eXpiation! Yegor, in his moments
of weakness, remembered the convict dis
figured with sulphuric acid whom he had
seen on arriving at the Oul1boul mines, ex-
posed to every kind of insulting treatment.
What fate, if he failed, was he preparing for
poor Nadege and little Ladislas? For him
self an ignominious death and for them a
prison, that is to say, death also, slower but
as sure,
AT last, he could hesitate no longer!
One evening, in the early part of Septem-
Der, when the temperature was quite mild,
Yegor and Nadege quilted Yakoutsk. Yegor
had spoken for long while to the family OF
the governor of two or three days trip
| that he wished to make upon the right bank
| of the Lena which was still unknown to
him; he came very near having for COM
| panion on his journey the governors eldest
| daughter, who, more than once, had, on SIM
| liar occasions, imposed herself upon him.
The fugitives took hired boat to cross
| the Lena which is encountered with little
islands dividing it into several arms. One
| of these arms of the river was not less than
| three miles wide.
| Grave and serious, as at the commence
| ment of perilOus enterprise, they saw re
| cede without the least Joy the sad capital
| with its broad, deserted streets, it's dull
! habitatiohs ensconced behind high wooden
! enclosures, the belfrys of the four or five
| churches, and, towering little above the
| miserable huts, the convent and the bazar.
| The night was clear and starry. There
was not sound in the country, not shadow
| behind them. Soon, in the east, a faint gray
| dawn seemed to announce to them the morn
! ing of a free and happy existence.
Courage, YegorIn murmured Nadege,
| pressing the young mans hand.
| ..Ah. nv beloved!n said Yegor. smiling