Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-12-18

Alcide Jollvet was then Installed on
the fore part Of the raft, when he felt
hand rest on his arm. he turned
round and recognized Nadia. the sister
Of him who was no longer Nicholas
Korpanoff. but Michael Strogoff. cou-
i rier Of the czar A cry Of surprise was
about to escape him when be saw the
young girl place her finger on her lips.
Come" said Nadia 10 him.
And. assuming an air Of Indifference,
Alcide Jolivet. making sign to Harry
Blount to accompany him. followed her.
But If the surprise Of the journalists
was great at meeting Nadia on that
raft It was without limits when they
perceived Michael Strogoff. whom they
could not believe to be still alive. MI
chael Strogoff had not moved at their
approach.
Alcide Jolivet had turned himself to-
ward the young girl.
Gentlemen. he does not see you,"
said the young girl. "The Tartars have
burned out his eyes! My poor brother
is blind"
A deep feeling Of pity was pictured
on the face of Alcide Jolivet and his
companion.
An instant afterward both Of them.
seated near Michael Strogoff. warmly
shook his hands and waited for him to
speak.
.Gentlemen," said Michael Strogof
In a low voice. you must not know
who em nor what came to do In ST.
IBERIA. l beg you to respect my secret.
Do you promise me?
ION my honor" answered Alcide Joli-
vet.
ION my faith as gentleman" added
Harry Blount.
every we'll. gentlemen"
"Can we be Of any use to you?" ask
ed Harry Blount. "Would you wish
US to help you to accomplish your
task"
81 prefer to act alone" said Michael
Strogoff.
"But those scoundrels have burned
out your sight," said Alcide Jolivet.
81 have Nadia. and her eyes suffice" !"
Half an hour later the raft, after
having left the little port Of Livenltch-
naia, was fairly in the river. 1t was D
o'clock in the evening. Night was fast
coming on. 1t would be very dark and
very cold also. for the temperature was
already below zero.
Alcide Jolivet and Harry Blount, al
though they had promised Michael
Strogoff to keep his secret, yet did not
leave his side. They spoke In a low
voice, and the blind man. putting what
he already knew TO what they now told
him, was enabled TO form an exact Idea
of the state Of affairs.
He was certain that the Tartars were
actually investing lrkutsk and that the
three columns had already formed q
junction. One could not therefore doubt
that the emir and Ivan Ogaref were
before the capital.
But why that haste 10 arrive there
of the courier Of the czar. now that the
emperor's letter could no longer be re-
mitted by him to the grand duke. and
/ he did not even know its contents? AL
eide .Jolivet anu Harry Blount could
no more understand than could Nadia.
Besides. they had not spoken OF the
past up to the moment when Alciue
Jolivet thought it his duty to say 10
Michael Strogoff:
I'VE almost owe you some excuses
for not having shaken hands with YOU
before our separation at the posthouse
Of Ichim."
"No; you had a right to believe me
coward"
Anyhow" added Alcide .Iolivet. you
have splendidly whipped that villain
and he will carry the marks Of 1t long
time"
mo. not long time." simply answer.
ed Michael Strogoff.
In half an hour after the departure
from Livenitchnaia Alcide Jolivet anu
Harry Blount had heard all the details
Of the cruel trials through which MI
chael Strogoff and his companion had
successively passed. They could not
but openly admire an energy which the
devotedness of the young girl alone
had been able to equal. And or MI
chael Strogoff they had formed the
very same opinion which had been SO
we'll expressed by the czar at Moscow
"In truth, he is man.!
At 8 o'clock at night. as the aspect
Of the sky had forewarned them. an eX'
cessive darkness enveloped all the
country. The moon. being new, would
/ not rise above the horizon. From the
middle of the river the banks were visl'
BILE. The cliffs at not q great height
were blended with those heavy clouds
which they displaced with difficulty
At intervals breeze would come from
the east and seem to expire in that mar
row valley Of the Angara.
The old mariner. lying down on the
fore part Of the raft near his men, oc'
cupied himself altogether In turning
aside from the Ice blocks, O maneuvel
which he executed without making any
noise.
This drifting Of the ice, after all was
q favorable circumstance as long as !,
did not oppose an insurmountable OBJ
stacle in the passage Of the raft; fol
indeed this apparatus alone on the free
waters of the river would have run the
risk of being perceived even through
the thick shade. whereas 1t was no"
confounded with these moving masses
of all sizes and all shapes, and the Oil
produced by the grating Of the blocks
drowned all other suspicious noise.
There was a very keen frost. Thf