Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-11-19
THE COURIER !
\ OF THE CAR I
BY Jules Verne


I ed the car. "T have received anony'
nous communications which did not
pass through the police department
and in the face Of events now taking
place beyond the frontier have every
reason to believe that they are correct"
"Do you mean, SIRE" cried the chief
| Of police, "that Ivan Ogaref has hand
| In this Tartar rebellionT
Indeed do. and will now tell you
something which you are ignorant OF.
After leaving Perm Ivan Ogaref cross
ed the Ural mountains, entered Siberia
| and penetrated the Kirghiz steppes and
there endeavored. not without success,
to foment rebellion among their no
madic population. He then went so far
south as free Turkestan. There in the
provinces Of BOkhara, Khokhand and
Koondooz he found chiefs willing to
pour their Tartar hordes into Siberia
and execute q general rising IN Asiatic
Russia. The storm has been silently
gathering, but it has at last burst like
q thunderclap, and now all means OF
communication between eastern and
western Siberia have been stopped.
Moreover, Ivan Ogareff, thirsting for
vengeance. aims at the life Of my
brother"
The car had become excited while
speaking and now paced up and down
with hurried steps, The chief Of police
said nothing, but he thought to him.
self that during the time when the en-
peror Of Russia never pardoned an ex-
lie schemes such as those Of Ivan Oga-
ref could never have been realized.
A few moments passed, during which
he was silent. then, approaching the
car, who had thrown himself into an
armchair, he said:
"Your majesty has Of course given
orders that this rebellion may be sup
pressed as soon as possibleT
"Yes," answered the car. "The last
telegram which was able to reach Mi
nj Udinsk would set In motion the
troops in the governments OF Yenisei,
Irkutsk, Yatutsk, as well as those IN
the provinces Of the Amur and Lake
Baikal. At the same time the regi-
ments from Perm and Mini Novgorod.
and the Cossacks from the frontier are
advancing by forced marches toward
the Ural mountains. But unfortunately
some weeks must pass before they can
attack the Tartars."
"And your majesty's brother, his
highness the grand duke, is now isolat-
ed in the government Of Irkutsk and ls
no longer in direct communication with
Moscow
"That Is So"
"But by the last dispatches he must
know what measures have been taken
by your majesty and what help he may
expect from the governments nearest
to that Of IrkutskT
"He knows that" answered the czar,
"but what he does not know is that
Ivan Ogareff. as well as being a rebel,
is also playing the part of a traitor and
that in him he has personal and bit
ter enemy. It is to the grand duke that
Ivan Ogareff owes his first disgrace.
and what is more serious is that this
man is not known to him. Ivan Oga-
refs plan, therefore, is to 60 to lrkutsk
and under an assumed name offer his
services to the grand duke. Then. aft
er gaining his confidence, when the
Tartars have invested Irkutsk. he will
betray the town and with 1t my broth
er, whose life is directly threatened.
This Is what have learned from my
secret intelligence, this Is what the
grand duke does not know and this Is
what he must know?
"Well, sire, an intelligent. courageous
COURIER
~ momentarily expect one"
"And 1t Is to be hoped he will be ex-
peditious," added the chief Of police,
.for allow me to add. sire. that Siberia
s a favorable land for rebellions."
All communication was interrupted.
had the wires between Kalyvan and
Tomsk been cut by Tartar scouts. or
had the emir himself arrived In the
Yeniseisk provinces? Was all the low
er part Of western Siberia In a fer
ment? Had the rebellion already
spread to the eastern regions? No one
could say. The only agent which fears
neither cold nor heat. which can nei-
ther be stopped by the rigors Of winter
nor the heat of summer and which fiet
with the rapidity Of llghtning-the elec
tric current-was prevented from trav
ersing the steppes, and 1t was no Longer
possible to warn the grand duke, shut
up In Irtutsk. Of the danger threaten
Ing him from the treason Of Ivan Oga
ref.
A courier only could supply the place
| of the interrupted electric current. II
would take this man some time te
traverse the $500 versts between Mos
| COW and Irkutsk. To pass the ranks Of
the rebels and invaders he must dis
play almost superhuman courage anc
intelligence. But with clear head anc
q firm heart much can be done.
"Shall be able to find this head ane
hearth thought the czar.