The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-12-11

even . moment absent lrOm LIS NluG
Not the presence OF the greatest dan
ger, the tortures Of hunger and thirst.
the WEAKNESS Of excessive fatigue, not
even all combined could cause him TO
forget that q momentous matter was
intruste6 to his courage, his zeal, bis
fidelity and his endurance Michael
Strogof was worthy Of this trust.
where am ~ asked he.
upon the right bank Of the Irish,
only five versts from Omsk," replied
the mujik.
What wound can l have received
which could have thus prostrated me:
1t was not q gunshot wound?'
'No; q lance thrust upon the head,
now healing" replied the mujik. aft
er few days rest, little father, thou
wilt be able to proceed. Thou didst fall
into the river, but the Tartars neither
touched nor searched thee, and thy
purse is still in thy pocket -
Michael Strogof gripped the mujik's
hand. Then, recovering himself with
sudden effort, Friend" said he, chow
long have been in thy hut:"
Three days"
Three days lost-'
Three days hast thou lain uncon'
scious."
Hast thou horse to sell me?'
"Thou wishest to go?''
"At once"
''I have neither horse nor carriage,
little father. Where the Tartar has
passed there remains nothing
"Well, I will go on foot to OmsS to
find q horse"
"a few more hours Of rest and thou
wilt be in better condition to pursue
thy Journey
''Not an hour
Come, now," replied the mujik, rec
ognizing the fact that it was useless
to struggle against the will Of his guest,
~ will guide thee myself. Besides,
he added, 1.-The Russians are still in
great force ct Omsk, and thou couidst
perhaps pass Ukperceived."
Friend" replied Michael, heaven
reward thee for ell thou hast done for
me-"
Reward! Only fools expect reward
on EARTH" replied the mujik.
Michael Strogoff went out Of the hut.
When he tried to walk, he was seized
with such faintness that without the
assistance Of the mujik he would have
fallen, but the fresh air quickly re.
vived him. He then felt the wound IN
his head, the violence Of which his fur
cap had lessened. With the energy
which he possessed he was not & man
to succumb under such trifse. Before
his eyes lay 4 single goal-far distant
Irkutsk. He must reach it. But he
must pass through Omsk without stop
ping there.
"God protect my mother and Nadia"
be murmured. "I have no longer the
right to think Of themr'
Michael Strogof and the mujik soon
arrived in the mercantile quarter Of the
lower town, and, although under mill
tary occupation, they entered it with
out difficulty. The surrounding earth.
work had been destroyed in many
places, and there were the breaches
through which the marauders who fol-
lowed the armies Of Feofar-Aahn had
penetrated.
The mujik was conducting his CUES:
straight to the posting house when in a
narrow street Michael Strogotf, COM
ing to a sudden stop, sprang behind a
jutting wall.
"What is the matter?" quickly asked
the muiik, much astonished at this sud
den movement.
"Silencew hastily replied Michael
Strogof, with his finger on his lips.
At this moment detachment de.
bouched from the principal square into
the street which Michael Strogoff and
his companion had been just following
At the head of the detachment, COM
posed Of twenty horsemen, was an OIL
Ger dressed in a very simple uniform.
Although lie glanced rapidly from one
side to the other, lie could not have
seen Michael Strogoff owing to his pre-.
cipitous retreat.
The detachment went at ful! trot into
the narrow street. Neither the officer
nor his escort concerned themselves
about the inhabitants. Several unlucky
ones had scarcely time to make way
for their passage. There were, there
fore, q few half stided cries, to which
the thrusts Of the lance gave an instant
reply, and the street was Immediately
cleared.
When the escort had disappeared,