Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-11-23
CHAPTER TX.

66MNAv Ogareff had been imme
vxHS&y diately transmitted to al
the approaches Of the
city and q full description Of Michael
sent to all the various commandants. II
order to prevent his departure from
Omsk. But he had already passed
through one Of the breaches In the for
tifications. His horse was gallopine
over the steppe, and. not having been
Immediately pursued. the chances OF
escape were in his favor.
It was on the 10Th of July. at 8 O'Clock
in the evening. that Michael Strogofl
had left Omsk. This town Is situated
about half way between Moscow and
Irkutsk, where it was necessary that
he should arrive within ten days If he
wished to get ahead Of the Tartar col
umns. 1t was evident that the un-
lucky chance which had brought him
into the presence of his mother had be-
trayed his incognito. Ivan Ogaref was
no longer ignorant Of the fact that q
courier of the czar had just passed
Omsk, taking the direction Of 1rkutsk.
The dispatches which this courier bore
must have been Of immense impor'
tance. Michael Strogoff knew. there
fore, that every effort would be made
to capture him.
But what he did not know and could
not know was that Maria Strogof was
in the hands Of Ivan Ogaref and that
she was about to atone, perhaps with
her life, for that natural exhibition OF
her feelings which she had been unable
to restrain when she suddenly found
herself in the presence Of her son. And
II was fortunate that he was ignorant
of It. Could he have withstood this
fresh trial?
Michael Strogoff urged on his horse,
imbuing him with all his own feverish
impatience. requiring Of him one thing
only-namely. to bear him rapidly to
the next posting house. where he could
be exchanged for a quicker conveyance.
At midnight he had cleared seventy
versts and halted at the station Of kou-
likovo. But there. as he feared. be
found neither horses nor carriages.
Several Tartar detachments had pass
ed along the highway Of the steppe.
Everything had been stolen or requisi-
toned both in the villages and in the
posting houses. 1t was with difficulty
that Michael Strogoff was even able to
obtain some refreshment for his horse
and himself.
1t was Of great Importance therefore
to spare his horse. for he could not tell
when or how he might be able to re-
place it. Desiring. however, to put the
greatest possible distance between him.
self and the horsemen whom Ivan Oga-
ref had no doubt dispatched in pursuit,
he resolved to push on. After one
hours rest he resumed his course across
the steppe.
And on July 80. at 4 p. m, Michael
Strogoff. needless Of fatigue. arrived at
Elamsk.
There he was forced to give a nights
rest to his horse. The courageous
beast could not have continued that
journey any longer.
At Elamsk there was no means of
transportation for the same reasons as
in the burghs already passed by-car-
riages and horses were gone.
Elamsk, a small town the Tartars
had not visited yet, was almost COM
plo<al1 dapopu1o Tod for a was worry
easy to invade it from the south and
almost impossible to succor it from the
north. So relay Of post, police station,
government building, all were aban-
doned by governmental order, and on
one side the functionaries, on the other
the inhabitants. had gone to Kamsk. In
the center Of the Baraba.
Michael Strogoff was obliged to pass
the night at Elamsk to permit his horse
to rest at least twelve hours. He re-
membered the instructions given him
at Moscow to cross Siberia unknown.
reach Irkutsk at all hazards, but also
to not sacrifice success to the swiftness
of his passage. Consequently he was
forced to spare the only means Of trav-
ell left him.
On the morrow Michael Strogoff left
Elamsk, and five days later, on the 9th
of August, twenty-one days since start
ing, he found himself 1900 versts yet
distant from Irkutsk.
Michael Strogoff was rapidly nearing
Kalyvan when distant detonations
reached his ears.
He stopped and distinctly heard the
dull, heavy reports which shook the
air, mingled with sharper and shriller
sounds, the cause Of which he well
knew.
He was only half a mile from Kaly-
van when long jet Of flame flashed
betwixt the houses Of the city, and the
spire Of a church crumblcd down in the
middle Of torrent Of cmberS and fire.
At that moment the detonations were
very violent. Soon the flames stretched
forth on the left Of the city. The fire
had devourcd a whole quarter Of Kaly'
van.
Michael Strogoff was running across
the plain, trying to reach the cover OF
some trees scattered here and there
when detachment Of Tartar cavalry
appeared on the right.
Michael Strogoff could no longer &c
in that direction. The horsemen ad
vanced rapidly toward the city. aud il
was difficult for him to escape. Sud
denly ut the corner Of thicliet he saw
a house which he might perhaps react
unperceived.
To run, to hide himself. to ask anC
to take there, If need be. something tt
renew his strength, for he was exhaust