The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-06


with sharp edge, small sealed bot
tie and a scrap of paper covered with
close writing. This latter Platoff seized
and held close to the candle. AS he
tead, his face flushed and his hands
,rembled with suppressed excitement
All, this is indeed fortunate!'' he
said, turning to Maurice. "Your bravery
has obtained you rich reward. She is
truly noble grill Now repeat careful
ly what she told you, in order that I
may know how to form my plans.
And you really think escape will
be possible?" asked Maurice eagerly,
and in whisper he related in detail
all that had passed, explaining the To-
cation of the cave and by what signs
it could be discovered.
Platoff listened intently,. keeping
meanwhile watchful eye upon the
sleeping convicts.
"Did l not read Melikoff's character
rightly" he said when Maurice ended.
"And so he proposes shooting you or
sending you to Yakutsk. For my part
l should prefer the shooting"
at is province 1000 miles to the
north of Kara, F" replied Platoff grimly,
inhabited by barbarous, half civil
liked race, who dress in skins and live
six and seven in one small hut. The ex-
lie who goes there is domiciled with
one of these families and suffers fate
worse than death. And yet" added
| xutt
have known Russian women of refine
ment and education to suffer this most
degrading of punishments. But keep up
your courage, my boy. You shall not
go to Yakutsk if l can prevent it.
must say that circumstances are strong
ly in our favor. In fact we could hope
for nothing better, for if once we get
away from this prison the cave will af-
ford us secure hiding place until, as
the girl says, the pursuit has spread far
from here. Then for the valley of the
Amur and Vladivostok, and l for one
shall never be retaken alive"
A fearful expression that the boys
had never seen there before appeared on
Platoff' S face.
DuJ uOW, ut IiOlS
ly, 1--WE must consider the most dan
gerous and important step. We are not
yet out of the prison, and whether we
shall ever get out depends on our own
GOODNESS and daring. Without this pa
per it would be hopeless, but here, you
see, is description of the prison, which
makes our task much easier.
"This is what the girl says:
"'The prison lies in large court
yard, inclosed by stockade ON three
sides. This courtyard is broad and con-
stantly guarded by armed soldiers, but
the western end of the prison is built
close to the stockade, and the narrow
avenue between is visited only at inter
walls by single sentry. With the bottle
of chloroform stupefy the inmates OF
your cell. With the tools loosen board
in the floor and crawl under the prison,
which is built on piles. Gain the west
ern end, scale the stockade and &c
straight to the Kara river. Destroy this
writing.
THAT last injunction is important, .
said Maurice How shall we do it?"
For answer Platoff placed the scrap Of
paper in his mouth, and after chewing
il for a moment swallowed it with {
slight grimace.
''That disposes of that question, hi
said land now we must find hiding
place for our treasures.
This was by no means an easy mat
ter, but after much consideration TIT
knife and the wedge were driven lntt
the underside of the platform far bacl
from the edge, and the bottle was placed
IN crack in the wall and covered Will
a piece of dry plastering taken from an
other locality. Just at this point TIT
candle exhausted its last drop OF tallov
and went ont. and at the same time r
tramp of the guard was heard } L.
corridor.
mo more talking now" wbi-1 "
Platoif ''or We viii tie GreTcciCt
morrow night we Will make tie
tempt Keep up your courage and spii
its. "
Morning came, a cold, dreary day
with the snow still falling at intervals
and the convicts started as usual 10
, the mines. IUe DOys lOuhu ~ " $500
matter TO conceal their feelings unde
the watchful eyes of the overseers, bu
thew managed to pass through the OF
deal remarkably well, and nothing oc
Cured to arouse the suspicious OF thei
, companions or of the guards. Ihey az
sumed dull, listless expression at wor
and devoured their lunch with an az
parent greed which they were Tar fror
feeling.
|, , As for Platoff, he kept purposel
awav from them all day and joined Tn
, other gang on the return march az nlgh'
The evening verification was anotne
dreaded ordeal, but it passed wi.nou
incident and five minutes later Mau
|, rice and his six companions were eatin
supper in their cell. The chosen Tim
was at hand. J.. -,
The dishes were taken away by on
: of the guards, and the door was poite
on the outside. Platoff waited until a.
7 were stretched on the platform, an
J then he blew out the candle, leaving "a
. room in apparent darkness. IL was nc