The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-02

log building with heavy doors and bar
red windows.
The boys were not slow to realize the
serious change in their situation. The
guards roughly fastened chains to their
legs and thrust them into dark, i'll
smelling room containing absolutely
nothing but a dirty straw bed in one
corner. The door was closed and locked,
and they were alone in darkness.
'What do you suppose they will do
with us?' asked Phil in despairing
tones. "Not that it matters much, for
don't seem to care any more what be-
comes of me. have lost all hope"
"No, Phil; don't give up" said
Maurice firmly. 1.-THE outlook is very
hard, but all hope is not gone. We
can't tell what may turn up yet in our
favor. Have courage, Phil; have cour-
age. Lieutenant Brosky may get us free
of this present scrape, and when we
learn just where they are going to take
us-and you know the lieutenant prom
Used to tell us-then we can see better
what our chances are"
Phil, however, refused to be comfort
ed and paced the front of the narrow
apartment until compelled to lie down
from sheer WEAKNESS. Maurice was far
from feeling the confident manner which
he had assumed. He was deeply i'm
pressed with the gravity of their pres
ent scrape. and even should they avoid
punishment for that through Lieuten-
ant Brosky's influence he realized that
Siberian exile offered no hope of escape.
Vladimir Saradotf would take every
precaution on that score.
AT the thought of his treacherous I'M
Gle Maurice ground his teeth and clinch.
ed his fists.
Presently he became more composed
and sat down on the bed beside Phil.
If any aid could reach them, it must
come from one souTce-home. His
guardian and Phil's friends would make
determined effort to find the boys
But here again Vladimir Saradoff
would no doubt be ready with some cum
ming tale to explain their disappearance.
Little did Maurice dream of the
startling truth as he sat on the wretched
couch thinking of the home and the
friends that he would probably never
see again.
He fell asleep at last, and when he
woke the guards were tramping heavily
past the prison, and from an adjoining
cell came furious cries and savage ours
ing, doubtless the wretched Grodno in
| a feverish delirium caused by his wound.
His rawlings continued until daylight,
completely putting an end to the boys
sleep.
They were provided with scanty,
unpalatable breakfast and then left
alone until after midday, when file OF
soldiers, led by young officer, entered
| the CELL They were taken outside
where they found Grodno supported by
two guards, his ugly face flushed with
fever. He glared at the boys with ma
| Lightly, and even made an effort tC
spring at Maurice, but was held bacl
by the soldiers. They marched across
the courtyard between crowds of con
victs, who surveyed them curiously
and, as close observer would have dis
covered, pityingly.
Maurice recognized among then
many familiar faces, his fellow voy
ayers on the convict barge, and he wa
glad to see that they had escaped tn
terrible death to which Grodno's GRIM
had so nearly consigned them.
Near the gates stood the office OF tn
prison, a gloomy two story building
Soldiers were all around it, some OF
guard duty, some chatting in groups
others holding fiery black horses, be
longing, no doubt, to officers who wer
inside. The boys were ushered into
large, dimly lighted room and in bar
red Enclosure along one side. Around
large table, lighted by "a lamp, sat half
dozen stern looking men in officers uni
forms, among whom Maurice recognize
Captain Stanisla, the Cossack captain
who recaptured the fugitives and Lieu
tenant Brosky. The rest were strangers
The two men were writing at tabl
near by, and dozen soldiers occupie
long bench across the room, but al
was very quiet and still.
"They are waiting for some person,
whispered Maurice to Phil. One of tn
guards observed the conversation an
raped the boys sharply on the shoul
ders with the fiat of his sword
ruo mn coNTrNIrED I