Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-10-30
CHAPTER II.

cess"
"AbroadY
"In Siberia ITSELF"
"Where does he come from"
"From Omsk. He is Siberian"
"Has he GOODNESS, intelligence. cour'
age?"
Eyes, sire; he has all the qualities
necessary to succeed even where others
might possibly fail"
What is his age?"
Thirty"
"Is he strong and vigorous"
"Sire,. he can bear cold, hunger, thirst,
fatigue, to the very last extremities."
"He must have q frame Of iron."
"Sire, he has,"
"And a hearth
"a heart of gold"
"His name?"
"Michael Strogoff."
"Is he ready to set out?"
"He awaits your majesty's orders In
the guardroonl."
"Let him come in," said the car.
In a few minutes Michael Strogoff,
the courier, entered the imperial IL
brary.
The car fixed q penetrating look
upon him without uttering q word,
while Michael stood perfectly motion
less.
Michael Strogoff was tall, vigorous,
broad shouldered, deep chested man.
His powerful head possessed the tne
features Of the Caucasian race. His
we'll knit frame seemed built for the
performance of fcats of strength. 1t
would have been Il difficult task to
move such q man against his will, for
when his feet were once planted on the
ground 1t was rs If they had taken root.
AS he doffed his Muscovite cap locks
Of thick curly hair fell over his broad.
massive forehead. When his ordinari-
ly pale face became at oil flushed, 1t
arose solely from more rapid action
of the heart, under the influence Of a
quicker circulation. His eyes Of q deep
blue looked with clear. frank, firm
gaze.
The slightly contracted eyebrows in
dicated lofty heroism-"the hero's cool
courage" according to the definition OF
the Psychologist. He possessed q fine
nose, with large nostrils, and a well
shaped mouth, with the slightly pro-
jecting lips which denote a generous
and noble heart.
Michael Strogoff had the tempera-
ment Of q man of action, who does not
bite his nails or scratch his head In
doubt and indecision. Sparing Of ges-
lures as Of words, he always stood mo-
tionless like soldier before his supe'
rior, but when he moved his step show
ed firmness, q freedom Of movement,
which proved the confidence and vivac-
ity Of his mind.
Michael Strogoff wore a handsome
military uniform, something resembling
that Of q light cavalry officer in the
feld-boots, spurs, half tightly fitting
trousers, brown pelisse, trimmed with
fur and ornamented with yellow braid.
On his breast glittered a cross and
medals.
Michael Strogoff belonged to the spe-
cial corps Of the cars couriers. rank
ing as an officer among those picked
men. His most discernible character
in his walk, his face
in the whole man, and which the czar
perceived at a glance that he was
q "fulfiller Of orders" He therefore
possessed one of the most serviceable
qualities in Russia-one which the cele.
brated novelist Turgeneff says "will
lead to the highest positions In the
Muscovite empire"
In short. If any one could accomplish
this journey from Moscow to lrkutsk
across the rebellious country, surmount
obstacles and brave perils Of all sorts,
Michael Strogoff was the man.
A circumstance especially favorable
to the success Of his plans was that he
was thoroughly acquainted with the
country which he was about to trav-
erse and understood its different dia.
lects, not only from having travelled
there before, but because he was Of
Siberian origin.
When he was fourteen, Michael Stro.
goff had killed his first bear quite
alone. That was nothing. But after
stripping it he dragged the gigantic
animals skin to his fathers house,
many versts distant, thus exhibiting
remarkable strength in boy so young.
Gifted with marvellous acuteness,
when every object was hidden in mist
or even in higher ATTITUDES, where the
polar night is prolonged for many days,
he could find his way when others
would have had no idea whittier to di.
rect their steps. He had learned tu
read almost imperceptible signs. the
forms Of icicles. the appearance Of the
small branches Of trees, mfsts rising
far away on the horizon. vague sounds
in the air, distant reports, the flight of
birds through the foggy atmosphere-a
thousand circumstances which are so
many words to those who can deciphcr
them. Moreover, tempered by snow
like Damascus blade in the waters Of
Syria, he had a frame Of iron, as Gen
eral Kissoff had said, and, what was
no less true, a heart Of gold.
The only sentiment Of love felt by
Michael Strogoff was that which he en-
tertaincd for his mother, the aged Mar
fa, who could never be induced to leave
the house of the StrogoIfs ut Omsk, on
the banks of the Istish, where the old
huntsman and she had lived so long to.
gether. When her son left her, he