Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-12-04
good lines for the newspapers. They


turned away with disdain when Ivan
Ogareff presented himself before the
emir, and they waited, not without
some impatience. for the feast to be-
gin.
"Do you see, my dear Blount," said
Alcide Jolivet, 1--WE are come too soon
like good citizens who must needs come
or lose their money. All this Is only
the rising of the curtain. 1t would
have been better taste to have arrived
only for the ballet"
"What ballet?" asked Harry Blount.
"The obligatory ballet, faith. But
think the curtain Is about to RISE"
Alcide Jolivet spoke as II he were at
the opera, and, taking his glass from
its case, he prepared to have look at,
as q connoisseur, the first subjects of
Feofars troop.
But a tedious ceremony was to pre-
cede the amusements.
Meanwhile most Of the prisoners had
passed before the emir, and in passing
each of them had to PROSTATE the fore
head to touch the very dust as q sign
Of servility. 1t was the slavery which
commenced with humiliation. When
the unfortunates were too slow In bend
ing, the rude hand Of the guards cast
them violently to the earth. Alcide
Jolivet and his companion could not
assist at such spectacle without feel
ing the greatest indignation.
"This Is cowardly! Let us go away
said Alcide Jolivet.
NO" replied Harry Blount; "we
must sec ALL"
"See all. Ahw cried Alcide Jolivet
suddenly. Selling the arm Of his COM
panion.
What Is the matter with you" ask
ed the former.
Look! Blount. 1t Is she"
"She?"
"The sister Of our fellow traveller.
Alone and a prisoner! We must save
herr'
Restrain yourself" coldly replied
Harry Blount. Our Intervention In
behalf of this young girl would be more
hurtful than useful to her"
Alcide Jolivet. ready to rush forward,
stopped himself. and Nadia. who had
not perceived them. being half yelled
by her hair. passed in her turn before
the emir. without attracting his atten-
ton.
In the meantime. after Nadia, Maria
Strogoff had arrived. and as she did
not throw herself quickly enough Into
the dust the guards brutally pushed
her.
Maria Strogoff fell.
Her son made q terrible movement.
which the soldiers who were guarding
him could with difficulty master.
But old Maria raised herself. and
they were about to drag her when Ivan
Ogareff interviewed. saying:
"Let this woman remain"
As for Nadia. she was thrown back
among the crowd Of prisoners. The
look Of Ivan Ogareff had not fixed It.
self upon her.
Michael Strogoff was then led before
the emir, and there he remained erect,
without lowering his eyes.
"Your face to the ground" Ivan Oga-
ref cried out to him.
"No" replied Michael Strogoff. Two
guards wished to force him to bend,
but 1t was they who were thrown to
the ground by the hand Of the robust
young man.
Ivan Ogareff advanced toward Mi
chael Strogoff.
"You are about to de" said he.
Il shall die" fiercely answered MI
chael Strogoff, "but your face Of trait
or, Ivan, will not the less bear and for
ever the Infamous mark Of the knout!
Ivan Ogareff at this answer became
horribly pale.
"Who is this prisoner? demanded
the emir In q voice the more menacing
because of It's calmness.
"a Russian spy" answered Ivan Oga-
ref.
In making out Michael Strogof a spy
he knew the sentence pronounced
against him would be the more terri
bic.
Michael Strogof moved toward Ivan
Ogareff.
The soldiers stopped him.
The emir then made gesture before
which The whole crowd bent their
heads. Afterward he motioned with
his hand for the Koran, which was
brought to him. He opened the book
and placed his finger on one Of the
pages.
1t was chance, or, rather, as these
orientals think, God himself. who was
about to decide the fate Of Michael
Strogoff. The people Of central Asia
give the name of "far' to this practice.
After having interpreted the sense of
the verse touched by the finger Of the
judge they apply the sentence, what
ever it may be.
The emir had left his finger resting
on the page Of the Koran. The chief
of the ulemas, then approaching. read
with q loud voice n verse which fin
ished with these words:
"And he shall see no more the things
Of the EARTH" Russian spy" said
Feofar-Khan. you came to see what
Is passing in the camp Of the Tartars!
Look, then. with all your eyes! Look
TO BE CONTINUED.
The fight between the Liberal and
Conservative armies of Colombia that
had been going on around Colon, 18th.