The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-04


ed about the fires, the wretched toilers
bending to their work with aching
limbs, and in fitting harmony were the
clank of chains, the creak of the wheel
barrows and the monotonous tap of the
picks. To Maurice this unacoustomed
labor was especially severe. In short
time his back ached and his hands were
blistered. Platoff tried to encourage
him from time 10 time, but he was COM
PEELED more than once 10 stop work
from exhaustion. The overseer showed
some leniency toward those convicts
who had Just arrived from Irkutsk, and
these short periods of rest were not re-
buked. AT midday a lunch of tea and
bread was served, and then the labor
continued without intermission until
late in the afternoon.
They marched back to the prison at
sunset, so weary that every step was
torture. The principal meal of the day
was now served, consisting OF weak
soup, rye bread and a small quantity of
meat, and then the convicts went to
sleep i'll rows on the bare platforms,
some with their coats rolled up for pill
lows, others without pillows at all. To
Maurice and Phil the first week at the
mines was period of horror, and for
the first time they began to realize the
unutterable misery of their situation
Platoff, with whom they were still able
| to converse at night, gave them nc
| hope, and indeed they could see for
| themselves how perilous an attempt to
escape would prove under the circum-
| stances. One poor fellow had made
dash for liberty while returning from
| the mines at SHUTDOWN, and his bullet
riddled body was brought to the prison
on plank.
"Try TO keep up your courage and
wait" said Platoff. THAT is all can
tell you. 1t may be that harder times
are before us. Captain Daroman was
summoned away the day after we ar
| rived here. When he returns, we shall
feel the change. Do you wonder now
that men turn against the car and his
governments"
"No," said Phil, with bitter laugh.
- am surprised at nothing, Platoff,
and / am getting desperate myself.
Some day / shall lose all control and
turn on these fiends"
Platoff looked ut the lad grimly,
noting his flashing eyes, his heaving
chest.
"You will be shot," he said quietly,
and then to himself he added: He's a
fine fellow, with good stuff in him. We
might do something after all. I'll have
to look into the matter.
Platoff was right The next day Cap.
tain Daroman returned, and the pre-
dicted change came with vengeance
The supply of daily food was shortened,
all conversation was strictly forbidden,
and the wretched toilers in the mines
were refused moments rest, with the
exception of scant ten minutes fol
lunch.
For a time these hardships were
borne without complaint, but it soor
became evident that the commandant
had special hatred against the three
political prisoners, and he lost no op
portunity of displaying his feelings.
One bitterly cold morning the con
victs ere trudging in pairs over thu
snow clad plains to their daily toll.
Maurice and Platoff marched il
front, and close behind them was Phil
who had been transferred to their gani
some time before. They had barely lief
the settlement and were passing alons
the base of q hill, part way up which
stood half dozen struggling cabins.
'Some of the free command live
there" whispered Platoff, and Mauric'
looAn1 with envy at the homes of thu
unfortunate people who were yet tel
times better off than himself.
Suddenly he saw, to his great surprise
q girl standing by the roadside few
yards ahead.
She was not more than is, slender o
figure and dressed in a long fur cloal
and cap. Her gaze was fixed compass
sionately on the approaching convicts
and Maurice's heart thrilled as he me
a plying glance from her dark eyes.
The sight of this innocent youn,
maiden in such a strange place remind
ed him irresistibly of home, and for {
moment mist swan before his eyes
and he staggered against his compan
ion.
"Who is that, Platoff?" he asked II
an undertone. "What can such crea
ture have to do with this miserable
placer"
"She must belong to the free com
mand," replied the Russian, "a daugh
ter probably of one of the exiles, ant
yet she does not look it," he added aft
er closer survey.
The convicts filed sullenly past. ant
still the girl stood motionless as
statue, her dark eyes looking unuttera
BILE sympathy at the doleful procession
TO BE CONTINUED