Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-11-26

EX proclamation by the head
kSQ Of the police came to an
SSA end an idea darted in
Ryy{ykxA stinctively into the mind
Et1SSxG Of Michael Strogoff.
what q singular coin
cidence," thought he, 'between this
proclamation expelling all foreigners OF
Asiatic origin and the words exchanged
last evening between those two gyp-
sizes of the Zingari race! The Father
himself sends us where We wish to go,
that old man said. But the Father Is
the emperor. He Is never called any
thing else among the people. How
could those gypsies have foreseen the
measure taken against them? How
could they have known it beforehand,
and where do they wish to go? Those
are suspicious people, and 1t seems to
me that to them the government procla-
nation must be more useful than In
furious"
But these reflections, though certain
" correct. were completely dispelled by
another, which drove every other
thought out of MichaePs mind. He for
got the Zingaris, their suspicious words,
the strange coincidence which resulted
from the proclamation. The remem-
brance Of the young Livonian girl sud-
denly rushed into his mind.
"Poor childr' he thought to himself.
"She cannot now cross the frontier"
In truth the young girl was from
Riga. She was Livonian, consequent
" Russian, and now could not leave
Russian territery. The permit which
had been given her before the new
measures had been promulgated was
evidently no longer available. All
routes to Siberia had just been pitiless-
" closed to her, and whatever was the
motive which was taking her to IT.
kutsk. she was now forbidden to go
there.
This thought greatly occupied Mi
chael Strogoff. He said to himself
vaguely ut first, that without neglect
ing anything of what was due to his
important mission it would perhaps
be possible for him to be Of some use
to this brave girl. and this idea pleased
him. knowing how serious were the
dangers which he, an energetic and
vigorous man, would have personally
to encounter through q country OF
which, however. the roads were IA
miliar, he could not conceal from HIM
self how infinitely greater they would
prove to a young, unprotected girl. AS
she was going to Irkutsk, she would
be obliged to follow the same road rs
himself; she would have to pass
through the bands Of invaders, as he
was about to attempt doing himself.
If. moreover. and according to all prob
ability, she had at her disposal only
the resources necessary for journey
taken under ordinary circumstances,
how could she manage to accomplish II
under conditions which late events
would render not only perilous, but ex'
pensive?
"WelI," said he, "if she takes the
route to Perm it is nearly impossible
hut that shall fall in with her. Then
I will watch over her without her sus'
pecting it. and as she appears to be us
nnxious as myself to reach lrkutsk she
will cause me no delay"
But one thought leads to another.
Michael Strogoff had till now reasoned
on the supposition Of doing a kind ac'
ton, Of rendering a service. but now
another idea flashed into his brain. and
the question presented itself under
quite new aspect. -.
"The fact is," said he to himself,
"that l have much more need OF her
than she can have Of me. Her pres
ence will be useful in drawing CT sus'
picion from me. A mail travelling alone
acrcse trn stcprcs riay lie easily guess
ed to be a courier to the czar. If, on
the contrary. this young girl accompa'
nies me, shall appear in the eyes OF
ali the Nicholas korpanoff Of my podo-
rojna. Therefore she must accompany
me. Therefore l must find her again
| ar any cost 1t is not probable t4ia,
since yesterday evening she has been
able to get a carriage and leave MINI
Noygorod. I must look for her. And
may God guide me!'
Michael left the great square OF MIN
| Novgorod, where the tumult produced
by the carrying out Of the prescribed
measures had now reached Its helght
determinations from the bnnished
strangers, shouts from the agents anc
Cossacks who were using them so bru
| tally, all together made an indescriDa
BILE uproar. The girl for whom III
vearched could not be there. 1t was
now 8 o'clock in the morning. The
steamboat did not start till II. MI
chael StrogolS had therefore nearly
three hours to employ In searching FOL
her whom he wished to make his trav
cling companion.
| He crossed the Volga again and hunt
ed through the quarters on the othel
side, where the crowd was much less
considerable. He visited every road
both in the high and low towns. HI
entered the churches, the natural ref
uge for all who weep, for NIL who suf
fer. Nowhere did he meet with thu
young Livonian.
i "And yet" he repeated, "she couft
not have left Mini Novgorod yet Wei
have another look"
| Michael wandered about thus for two
hours. lie went on without stopping
feeling no fatigue. but obeying the po
tent instinct which allowed him M
room for thought. All was in vain.
It then occurred to him that perhaps
the girl had not heard Of the order
though this was improbable enough, fol
such a thunderclap could not have
burst without being heard by all. Evi
IDENTIFY interested in knowing the small
est news from Siberia, how could sh'
| he ignorant Of the measures taken bI
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS which concern
ed her SO dIrectly7 But II she was ig
norant Of It she would come In an houl
to the quay. and there some merciles'
agent would brutally refuse her pas
sage. At any cost he. must see her be
forehand and do what he could to en-
able her to avoid such a repulse.