San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-11-21

ana make up Tor losa Of rest at the mex
st9tion we reach.
but, your honor" stammered the
starosta, 81 am afraid---horses-they
are scarce, and his excellency will
want Here he paused and glanced
over his shoulder, but the Cossack, hav-
ing lent his presence to the edict of ex.
pulsion, had made his way unnoticed
into the courtyard.
Poussin readily interpreted these lit.
tie maneuvers. "Get me the horses, and
/ will give you 10 rubles extra" he
said. 81 want provisions also. Put me
in sufficient for five days travel. One
cannot procure food fit for a dog to eat
at the stations between here and Vladi-
vostok.
but food is even scarcer than
horses" said the starosta with greedy
twinkle in his eye. 'All that can be
procured will be consumed by his ex-
cellency and party"
provide what want, and will pay
your price," replied Poussin. MAKE
haste, now, and get our sledge ready
We will start at once, and his excel
lency can have this room"
Eyes, your honor" said the starosta,
81 will do my best" And, bowling low,
he departed. Poussin carefully closed
the door after him and crossed the room.
"You heard all our conversations" he
asked abruptly.
eyes," said Platoff. "Thank heaven
we are safel 1t was terrible fright,
and was sure that all was lost. Your
GOODNESS preserved us from fatal blum
der. You are a wonderful mani"
Eyes, it is true that we are safe for
the present." answered Poussin, "but
what have just heard has hidden
meaning that only could understand.
You remember my telling you that
journeyed from Irkutsk to Toluar in
company with two men under whose
names and with whose passports you
are now trayeling?"
Yes" said Platotf, 81 reco,lect.
WELL" resumed Poussin, "those
men, Miroff and Lyapin, are both Rus
sian officers, although they travelled in
cognito, and the passports made no men-
ton of their rank. From Irkutsk they
were sent ahead by his excellency the
inspector, and when we arrived at Toll
uar telegram reached them containing
instructions to await the arrival of the
inspector at that station. They travel
ed with me, you see, in order that their
rank might not be suspected. His excel
lency was not due at Toluar for some
weeks, but it appears now that he has
journeyed with unusual rapidity. He
will be here in an hour or two Miroff
and Lyapin are with him. An examina-
ton of passports will lead to the dis
covery of our ruse, and disaster will fol
low"
Poussin threw himself on q chair and
wiped the perspiration from his brow,
"a bad state of affairs indeedp' said
Platoff. "What can be done?''
Little, fear" replied Poussin. ~
have ordered the sledge at once, and we
may gain some hours ON his excellency
1t all depends, however, on single
thing--the examination of the passports.
1t is possible that no such inspection
will be made, since the inspector and
his party are of such high rank. In that
event all will 60 well, and by hard
travelling we can reach Vladivostok be-
fore the inspector, but if the passports
are requested by the officer who exam
ined ours last night, and he hears the
names of those men, the coincidence
will at once strike him, and discovery
will follow"
EITHER Cossacks will then be sent in
pursuit or orders will be telegraphed to
the next station to arrest us on our ar
rival"
"But the chances are in our favor"
exclaimed Maurice eagerly. cat least
SO it seems to me. If these men had
procured other passports, and these pass
ports had been examined at various
points along the route-points at which
our passports had also been examined
would not this discovery have been
made long ago?"
Yes" assented Poussin.
"And in that event." resumed Maui
rice, would it not have been simple
matter to telegraph orders for our ar
rest?"
Again Poussin nodded assent.
every WE'LL" said Maurice trium-
phantly; cit is plain that their passports
have. not heretofore been examined.
Why, then, would they be at this par
tioular point?"
THAT is clever reasoning" said
Poussin. "You are right. The chances
are greatly in our favor Moreover, it
is barely possible that these men are
not with his excellency at all. One can
not tell what may have happened. Per-
haps they were sent back to Irkutsk or
ordered to remain at Toluar, but we
will take no chances ON that. To stay
here an hour longer is dangerous. "
At that instant rap at the door was
heard, and a second later the starosta
entered.
"All is ready" he said, "the fresh