Evening star., 1897-01-30

the old mar shutting back from the kitchen
n double-quick time. 1t was no tarantass
or telega. There had been no sound or
bells or wheels. Whoever the nightly WIS.,
tor was, he had come on foot. The old
man displayed no desire to open the door,
and showed signs of such uneasiness. that
then for the first time flashed across me
The words of my krasnoyarsk most: Keep
a good lookout about Touloung. They are
worse there than anywhere"
A second knock louder than the hrst, cut
short my reflections and induced me to
make signs to the postmaster that my re-
volver was loaded. Apparently reassured.
he then went to the door, unbolted it, and
let III the mysterious visitor.
A tall, spare man, with reddish gray
beard and mustache pushed rudely past
the postmaster and entered the room; and
then, divesting himself of a large bear
skin pelisse. sank into chair with sign
of satisfaction. AT last" he muttered in
Russian, and at the same time added
sharply, Il thought you were going to keep
me out there all night. Why did you not
open sooner? Come. quick! The samoVar
and some eggs and bread. Don't stand
there staring like fool
An UnwelcOme Guest.
That the stranger had no legitimate right
to order provisions in a government post
house without a podarozhna 1 was well
aware. This fact, however, did not seem
to occur to the postmaster, who shrank
a
get the refreshments. In the meantime,
being unobserved in the darkened apart
ment adjoining. 1 lay perfectly quiet. in
order to study more closely this unceremo-
nious visitor ani his movements.
He had not a reassuring countenance.
One thing especially aroused my suS-
picfon: he had not removed his cap on en-
tering the room. and apparently had no in
tention of doing so. 1t is an unwritten law
in Russia that on entering an apartment
the head shall be uncovered, more out of
respect for the sacred Ikon, which always
hangs in one corner of the room than out
of any polteness to the occupants. 1 had
never yet seen the rule departed from, and
felt sure that the man had some hidden
motive for remaining covered. His dress
was unique, il not becoming: pair of
gray tweed trousers surmounted by a
Siberian peasants caftan, secured by a
broad red sash around the waist, and a
pair of rough topboots. Save for thick
wooden cudgel, which lay on the table be-
side him, the stranger was apparently un-
armed. Who could the man be? And where
in heavens name had he come from this
wild. stormy night. or rather morning? for
1 had noticed with satisfaction that the
day was beginning to dawn.
one circumstance which occurred later
put an end to my conjectures and con-
WINGED me that my first suspicious were
meal of tea black bread and milk. he
pushed his chair back, and resting both
feet on the stove, lit cigarette. While SO
doing. his cap accidentally slipped off. and
l distinctly saw that one-half of his head
was shaved. the distinguishing mark of the
Siberian convict. That he was a katorgi
there was now no doubt. He left the post
house very quietly without paying for his
food, nor did the postmaster make any
further remarks regarding his strange vis-
itor. 1t might have got him into trouble
, with the authorities If he had.
Fugitives From Justice.
What kind of people these tramps are
| can easily be imagined when it is known
| that the very worst criminals are exied tc
! the mines and that men who are sent to
| settle in Siberia never have recourse tc
| fight. These fugitives from penal servi-
| tude, after having passed Irkutsk, follow
| the chief postroad. which is the only line
| of communication between eastern Siberia
| and European Russia. To forsake 1t would
| he impossible as on either side there Is
nothing whatever but uninhabited wastes
| the bradiasi must perforce follow this
| track, hiding in the bushes when they hear