The Iola register., 1902-01-17

worthy OF respect than he Is at tne
present moment"
The old woman was silent for a mo-
ment.
"Was he tall?" she asked.
every tall"
"And very handsome-is 1t not sof
Come, tell me, my girl"
"IIe was very handsome" answered
Nadia, blushing deeply.
at was my son tell you 1t was my
SON.! exclaimed the old woman, en-
braclng Nadia.
"Your sonv' said Nadia, amazed.
"Your sonv'
Come" said Maria, "let us get to
the bottom of this, my child. Your
companion, your friend, your protector,
had n mother. Did he never speak to
you of his motherp
"Of his motherT said Nadia. HE
spoke to me of his mother-as l spoke
to him of my father-often, always.
He adored her"
Nadia, Nadia, you have just told me
about my son." said the old woman.
And she added impetuously:
"Was ne not going to see his mother.
:=%om you say he loved, on his way
through OmskT
NO" answered Nadia; mo, he was
not" ,..'-. 80
"Notw cried Maria. You dare to
tell me notf'
IL have said it, but it remains for me
to inform you that from motives un-
known to me and which had to guide
him before every other consideration l
was given to understand that Nicholas
Korpanoff had to traverse the country
In the most absolute secrecy. 1t was
for him a question of life and of death
and, more sacred still, question Of
duty and honor"
"Of duty in reality, of imperious
duty" said the old Siberian, "of that
kind for which n person sacrifices ev-
erything, for the accomplishment Of
which he would deny himself every
thing, even the joy of coming to give
n kiss, the last perhaps, TO his Old moth
er All that you do not know, Nadia,
all that l did not know myself at this
moment | know. You have made me
understand all. But the light which
you have thrown into the deepest dark
ness of my heart, that light, alas,
may not cause to enter your own. The
secret Of my son, Nadia, since he has
not told 1t to you, l must keep for him.
Forgive me, Nadia. The good deed you
have done me cannot return to you."
Mother l ask nothing from you,'
answered Nadia.
All was thus explained to the old 81
berian, ALL even the ineXplicable con-
duct Of her son with regard to herself
in the inn at Omsk In presence of the
witnesses Of their meeting. There was
no doubt that the young girls compan
ion was Michael Strogoff and that @
secret mission, some important dis
patch to be carried across the invaded
country, obliged him to conceal his
quality of the cars courier.
"Ah, my brave boyw thought Maria
mo, will not betray you, and torture'
shall not 'wrest from me the nvowa
that it was you whom saw at 0msk.
Maria could with a word have pait
Nadia for all her devotion to her. Sh,
could have told her that her compan
ion, Nicholas Korpanoff, or, rather, Mi
chael Strogoff, had not perished in til,
waters of the Irish, since It was som,
days after that incident that she haC
met him, that she had spoken to him
But she restrained herself, she was ST
lent and contented herself with saying
Hope, my child. Misfortune will
not overwhelm you. You will see you
father again. l feel IL. And perhaps
he who gave you the name of sister Il
not dead. God cannot have allowed
your brave companion to perish. Hope
my child, hope. Do as l do. Tn
mourning which wear Is not yet 70
my SON."
Such was now the situation oe Marfi
Strogoff and Nadia toward each other
The old Siberian had understood all
and If the young girl was ignoran
Of the fact that her companion s.
much regretted still lived she knew a
least the relationship which he hel,
toward her whom she had made he
mother, and she thanked God for hay
ing given her that joy and pleasur
thus TO be able to replace at the sid
of the prisoner that son whom she ha
lost.
But that which neither the one no
the other could know was that Michae
Strogoff, taken at Kalyvan, was one O
the same convoy and was bound lik
themselves for Tomsk.
At length, on the 10th Of August, tc
ward evening, the convoy reached tn
little town of Zabedeiro, some thirt
versts from Tomsk. At this place tn
route again lay along the course of tn
Tom.
All this night the prisoners were t
camp on the banks of the Tom. Th
emir, in fact, had deferred until tn
next day the entry of his troops int
Tomsk. 1t had been decided that
military display should mark the II
auguration of the Tartar headquarters
. In this important city. Feofar-Kha