The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-01-08
eN~-E
BY Jules Verne
=:

tar army and tending always to the
! same end.
And must not expect any succor
from the provinces Of the west?" ask
ed the grand duke.
None, your highness-at least before
the end OF winter"
VERY we'll Listen to this, Michael
Strogoff: Should no relief come to me,
neither from the west nor the east, and
were there 100000 Tartars, would
I not give up Irl:utskv'
The wicked eye Of Ivan Ogaref light
" blinked. The traitor seemed to say
that the brother Of the czar was reck-
onins without treason.
The grand duke, of a nervous temper
ament, had great difficulty in preserv-
ing his calmness on learning this dis
astrous news. lie WG!kv,! Up and down
the room unde:, the eyes CT Ivan Oga-
ref, who covered him as prey re.
served for his vengeance. Ee stopped
at the windows. Ee looked out upon
| the Tartar fires. He was trying to
find out The ncise. the greater part Of
which was caused by the grating Of the
! ice on the river.
\ quarter of an hour passed without
his putting another question Then,
again taking up the letter. he read q
passage Of it and said:
you know, Michael S;rogof, that
there is question in this letter of q
traitor against whom I have to be Oh
my guard?'
"Yes, your highness."
"He is to attempt to enter 1rkutsk
disguised to win my confidence; then,
at the proper time, to deliver up the
town to the Tartars.'
81 know all that, your highness, and
| I also know that Ivan Ogaref has
sworn personal vengeance on the broth
er of the czar.'
"Why?"
"They say that that officer had been
condemned by the grand duke to q
most humiliating degradation"
! "Yes, l remember But he deserved
it, that wretch, who was afterward to
serve against his country and to lead
, there an invasion of barbarians.'
"His majesty the car" answered
Ivan Ogaref, relied especially on the
fact that you were aware Of the GRIM
inal projects Of Ivan Ogareff against
your person"
eyes; the letter informed ME of it,
"And his majesty told it to me him.
self, while warning me to mistrust that
traitor above all during my journey
across Siberia"
Have you ever met him.!
Eyes, your highness, after the battle
Of Krasnoiarsk. Could he have sus-
pected that + was the bearer Of let
ter addressed 20 your highness and. in
which all his projects were divulged
I should not now be standing before
you"
Eyes, you would have been lost" an
swered the grand duke. And how did
you escape?"
"By throwing myself into the Irish"
And how did you enter 1rkutsk?
During q sortie that was made this
very night to repel a Tartar detach-
mcnt joined in with the defenders OF
the town. l was able to make myself
known, and they at once conducted me
before your highncss.'
well done. Michael Strogotf, an
swered the grand duke. You have
shown courage and zeal during this
difficult mission. | shall not forget
you. Have you any favor to ask OF
me?'
None if it be not that of fighting by
the side Of your highness," answered
Ivan Ogareff.
LET it be so, Michael Strogof. From
this day l attach you to my person.
and you shall be lodged in this palace" !"
"And if in conformity with the inten-
ton which is attributed to him Ivan
Ogaren should present himself before
your highness under false name
1--WE would unmaS!l him. thanks to
YOU who know him, and by my order
he should die under the knout. Go.
Ivan Ogareff gave the military salute
to the grand duke, not forgetting that
ne was captain in the corps Of the cou-
riers of the car. and he withdrew.
Ivan Ogareff had just now played with
success his base role. The grand dukes
) confidence had been accorded him full
and entire. He could abuse it When
and where lie thought proper. He
would even live in that palace. lie
would know all tie secrets of the de-
fense. He held. therefore, the situation
in his hand No one in Irkutsk knew
him. No one could tear off his mask.
He resolved, therefore, to begin the
work without more delay.
Ivan Ogareff, having every facility
Of seeing, observing and acting, spent
the next day in visiting the fortihca-
tions. Everywhere he was received
with cordial congratulations by the
officers, soldiers and citizens. This cou-
rier Of the car was like tie which
1,.. hem to the. empire. Ivan Oga-
!, refore recounted to them all the
, le, .s Of his journey, and this with a
vivacity that was>never wanting. Then
adroitly, without at first insisting on 1t
too much. he spoke Of the gravity OF
the situation, exaggerating, as he had
done while addressing the grand duke,
both the successes Of the Tartars and
the forces at their disposal. TO listen
to him, the succor would be insufficient
should it even come, ard it was to be
feared that q battle fought under the
walls of Irkutsk would be as disas-
trous as the battles of kalyTan, OF
Tomsk and of Krasnoiarsk.
Ivan Ogareff was not at first lavish
in these sinister insinuations. He took
care they should penetrate by degrees
into the minds Of the defenders Of 1r-
kutsk. He seemed to answer only when
great many questions were put to
him and then as though with regret.
In any case he added always that 1t
,o,1ct 6ofen5 itself TO the last man, ana