The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-12-25

and Of Spain. They became animated
at the noise of the cymbals which
changed on their arms and at the swell.
ing Of the "daires." kind of drum
sounded By the fingers.
Sangarre, holding one Of these daiIes,
which trembled between her hands, en-
cited this troop Of veritable cory5antes
Then came forward youthful gyp'
sy, some fifteen years old at most. He
held In his hand 4 doutare, the two
cords of which ne made to vibrate by 4
simple gliding Of the nails. He sang.
During the couplet Of bis song of fan
tastic rhythm q danseuse came and
placed herself near him and remained
immovable, listening to him, but each
time the burden came to the lips Of the
young singer she again took up her H.
terrupted dance, shaking her daire near
him and deafening him with the soUnG
Of her drum.
Then, after the last verse, the dancers
enlaced the gypsy in q thousand turn
ings Of their dances.
At this moment q shower Of gold fell
from the hands Of the emir and his al
lies, from the hands Of the officers of
all grades, and to tie noise Of the
pieces which struck the cymbals Of the
dancers were blended the last murmurs
Of the doutares and tambourines.
"Prodigal as freebooters!" said AL
eide Jolivet in the ear Of his compan-
ion.
And, indeed, it was stolen money
which fell in showers, for with the
Tartar tomans and sequins rained also
Muscovite ducats and rubles.
Then silence was made for an in
slant, and the voice Of the executioner,
placing his hand on the shoulder Of Mi
chael Strogof, again spoke those words
whose repetition rendered them still
more sinister:
"Look with all your eyes! Look''
But this time Alcide Jolivet observed
that the executioner did not hold his
naked sword in his hand.
Then suddenly, as if at given sig
nal, all the fires Of the fantasia were
extinguished, the dances ceased, the
dancers disappeared. The ceremony
was terminated, and the torches alone
lit up the plateau which some instants
before was so full Of lights.
At q sign from the emir Michael Stro-
goff was led into the middle Of the
square.
Little desirouS OF assisting at The tor
ture reserved for this unfortunate man.
Harry BIount and Alcide Jolivet then
re-entered the city.
An hour later they were Fastening
along the road to Irkutsk, and it was
among the Russians they would at
tempt to follow what Alcide Jolivet
called by anticipation ''the campaign
Of revenge"
The emir made q gesture. Michael
Strogof, pushed by the guards, ap-
preached the terrace, and then in that
Tartar language which he understood
Feofar said to him:
Russian spy, you are come to see.
You have seen for the last time. In an
instant thine eyes shall be forever shut
to the light!'
It was not with death, but with
blindness that Michael Strogof was
about to be stricken. Loss Of sight,
more terrible perhaps than loss Of life!
The unhappy man was condemned to
lose his eyesight.
Nevertheless Oh hearing the penalty
pronounced by the emir Michael Stro'
goff did not become weak. he remain
ed impossible, his large eyes open, as
if he were wishing to concentrate all
his life in this one last look.
To ask for pity from these fierce men
was useless and, besides, unworthy Of
him. He did not even think Of it. All
his thought was concentrated on his
mission that had irrevocably failed, on
his mother, on Nadia, whom he should
never see again! But he did not allow
to be seen any Of the emotion which he
felt.
Besides, the feeling Of vengeance, to
be accomplished at some future time,
carried away his whole being.
"Ivan," said he, with q menacing
voice, Ivan, the traitor, the last threat
Of my eyes shall be for thee"
Ivan Ogareff shrugged his shoulders.
But Michael Strogoff deceived him
self. 1t was not in looking at Ivan
Ogaref that his eyes were to be fixed
never more to open.
Maria Strogoft came and stood before
him.
"My motherw cried he. Yes, yes,
on thee must be turned my last look
and not on this miserable man! Re
main there before me, that may still
see thy beloved figure; that my eyes
may close while looking at thee1'
The old Siberian, without uttering
word, came forward.
"Driye away this woman!" said Ivan
Ogareff.
Two soldiers pushed back Maria Stro-
goff. She drew back, but remained
standing some PAGES distant from her
son.
The executioner appeared. This time
he held his naked sword in his hand.
That sword, heated to 6 white heat, he
had Just drawn from the iron pan
where the perfumed Goals were burn
ing.
Michael Strogoff was about to be
made blind according to the Tartar Gus
tom, with a heated blade passed over
his eyes!
Michael Strogoff did not seek to re-
sist. Nothing else existed in his eyes
than his mother, whom he deyoured
then with his look All his life was in
this last vision.
Maria Strogoff, with her eyes wide
open and her arms stretched toward
him, was looking at him.
The white heated blade passed over
the eyes Of Michael Strogof.
A loud cry Of despair was heard. Old
Maria fell lifeless to the earth!