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

young Livonian girl who had for 30
many hours been his travelling compan-
ion? Having nothing better to do. he
was thinking Of her.
"Alone." he said to himself; "alone In
the midst Of these wandering tribes!
And yet the present dangers are moth
ing to those she must undergo. Sibe-
ria! IrkutSk! l am about to dare all
risks for Russia, for the car, while
she is about to do 30 for whom? For
chat? She Is authorized to cross the
frontier! And the country beyond Is
in revolt! The steppes beyond are full
Of Tartar bands!"
Michael Strogof stopped for an in
slant and reflected.
without doubt" thought he, "she
must have determined on undertaking
her journey before the invasion. Per
haps she Is even now ignorant Of what
is happening. But, no; that cannot be,
for the merchants discussed before her
the disturbances in Siberia, and she
did not seem even surprised. She did
not even ask for an explanation. She
must have known it then. and, though
knowing It, she Is still resolute. Poor
girl! Her motive for the journey must
be urgent indeed! But, though she may
be brave-and she certainly Is so-her
strength must fail her, and, to say
nothing Of dangers and obstacles, she
will be unable to endure the fatigue Of
such a journey. Never can she pass
lrkutskv'
Indulsing in such reflections, Michael
Strogoff wandered on as chance led
him; but, being well acquainted with
the town, he knew that he could with
out difficulty retrace his steps.
Having strolled on for about an hour.
he seated himself on a bench against
the wall Of a large wooden cottage
which stood. with others, on a vast
open space.
He had scarcely been there five min
utes when q hand was laid heavily on
his shoulder.
"What are you doing here" roughly
demanded q large and powerful man
who had approached unperceived.
II am resting" replied Michael Stro-
goff.
do you mean to stay all night on the
bench?" asked the man.
"Yes, IL feel inclined to do So" an
swered Michael Strogoff in tone some
what too sharp for the simple merchant
y,o x,,iohad fo porcOnQfo
| Come forward, then, that l may see
you" said the man.
1T is not necessary" he replied, and
he calmly stepped back ten PAGES or So.
The man seemed, as Michael observ-
ed him we'll, to have the look OF bo-
hemian, such as are met at fairs and
with whom contact, either physical or
moral, is unpleasant. Then, as he look
ed more attentively through the dusk
which was coming on, he perceived
near the cottage large caravan, the
usual travelling dwelling Of the gypsies
who swarm in Russia wherever few
copecks can be obtained.
AS the gypsy took two or three steps
forward and was about to interrogate
Michael Strogof more closely the door
of the cottage was opened. He could
lust see a woman, who advanced quick
" and In q language which Michael
Strogoff knew to be q mixture OF the
Mongol and Siberian she said: "Anoth-
er spy! Let him alone and come TO
supper. It is waiting for you"
Michael Strogof could not help smil-
ing at the epithet bestowed on him,
dreadlng spies as he did above all
things.
But in the same dialect, although his
accent was very different, the Bohe-
mIan replied In words which signify:
You are right. Sangarre. Besides,
we start tomorrow.
Tomorrow repeated the woman IN
surprise.
ayes, Sangarre." replied the Bohe-
mian, tomorrow, and the Father bim-
self sends us-where we are going"
Thereupon the man and woman en-
tered the cottage and carefully closed
the door.
"Goodw said Michael Strogoff to him
self. "If these gypsies do not wish to
be understood when they speak before
me, they had better use some other IAN
guage."
From his Siberian origin and because
he had passed his childhood In the
steppes Michael Strogoff, it has been
said, understood almost all the Ian
kuages in usage from Tartary to the
Sea of Ice. AS to the exact significa-
ton Of the words exchanged between
the gypsy and his companion he did
not trouble his head. For why should
1t interest him?
An hour after Michael Strogoff was
sleeping soundly on one Of those Rus
sian beds which always seem SO hard
to strangers, and on the morrow. the
17th Of July. he awoke at break OF day
He had still FIVE hours to pass at
Mini Novgorod. 1t seemed to him an
age. How was he to spend the morn.
ing unless in wandering, as he had
done the evening before. through the
streets? BY the time he had finished
his breakfast. strapped up his bag. had
his podorojna inspected at the police
Office, he would have nothing to do but
start. But he was not man to lie IN bed
after the sun had risen, so he rose, dress
ed himself and placed the letter with
the imperial arms on 1t carefully at the
bottom of its usual pocket within the
lining of his coat, over which he fasten-
ed his belt. He then closed his bag and
threw 1t over his shoulder.
This done, he had no wish to return
to the City Of Constantinople, and, In
tending to breakfast on the bank OF the
Volga near the wharf, he settled his
bill and left the inn. By the way OF
precaution Michael StrOgoff went firs'
| to the office of the steam packet com:
pany and there made sure that the
Caucasus would start at the appointed
hour. AS he did SO the thought for the
first time struck him that since the
young Livonian girl was going to Perm
1t was very possible that her Intention
] was also to embark in the Caucasus, III
which case he should accompany her.
1 Michael Strogoff found himself In the
1 FIN Ancient Foe