The Iola register., 1902-01-03

enduring much fatigue, and Michael
Strogoff, accomplished horseman as he
was, could make good use of it.
The horse cost n high price. and a
few moments later Michael was ready
to start. 1t was then o'clock in the
afternoon.
Michael Strogoff, compelled to wait
till nightfall in order to pass the fortl-
fications, but not desiring to show him
self in the streets of Omsk, remained in
the posting house and there partook of
food.
There was n great crowd In the pub
lie room, it being the resort of numbers
of the anxious inhabitants, who at this
eventful period collected there to OBJ
tain news. They were talking Of the
expected arrival Of a corps of Musco-
vite troops, not at Omsk, but at Tomsk.
n corps intended to recapture that town
from the Tartars of Feofar-Kahn.
Michael Strogoff lent an attentive ear
to all that was said, but took no part
in the conversation.
Suddenly q cry made him tremble, a
cry winch penetrated to the depths of
his soul, and these two words, so to
speak, rushed into his ear:
my sonw
His mother, the old woman Maria,
was before him! Trembling, she smil-
ed upon him. She stretched forth her
arms to him. Michael Strogoff arose.
He was about to throw himself
The thought of duty, the serious dan
ger for his mother and himself in this
unfortunate meeting, suddenly stopped
him, and such was his command over
himself that not a muscle of his face
moved.
There were twenty people in the pub
lie room. Among them were perhaps
spies, and was it not known in the
town that the son of Maria Strogolf
belonged to the corps of the couriers Of
the cZar?
Michael Strogoff did not move.
"Michaelw cried his mother.
"Who are you. my good lady" Mi
chael Strogoff stammered, unable to
speak in his usual firm tone.
"Who am l, thou askest? Dost thou
no longer know thy motherW
you are mistaken" coldly replied
Michael Strogoff. "a resemblance de-
ccives you"
The old Maria went up TO him and,
looking straight into his eyes, said:
Thou art not the son of Peter and
Maria StrogoffY"
Michael Strogoff would have given
hiS lifo IN hnvp locked his mother I'm his
arms, but If he yielded 1t was all over
with him, with her, with his mission,
with his oath! Completely master of
himself, he closed his eyes in order not
to see the inexpressible anguish which
agitated the revered countenance of his
mother. He drew back his hands in
order not to touch those trembling
hands which sought him.
IL do not know, in truth, what 1t is
you say, my good woman" he replied.
stepping back.
"Michaelr' again cried his aged moth
er.
"NIy name Is not Michael. l never
was your son! am Nicholas Korpa-
noff, n merchant of Irkutsk."
And suddenly lie left the public room,
while for the last time the words re-
echoed:
my son, my sonw
Michael Strogoff, by a desperate ef-
fort, had gone. He did not see his old
mother, who had fallen back almost in
animate upon bench. But when the
postmaster FASTENED to assist her the
aged woman raised herself. Suddenly
n thought occurred to her. She denied
by her son! 1t was not possible. AS
for being herself deceived and taking
another for him-equally impossible. 1t
was certainly her son whom she had
just seen, and II he had not recognized
her 1t was because he would not 1t
was because he ought not, 1t was be-
cause he had some cogent reason for
acting thus And then, her mother
feelings arising within her, she had but
one thought-"Can | unwittingly have
ruined himp
81 am mad" she said to her inter
rogators. my eyes have deceived me!
This young man is not my child. He
had not his voice. Let us think no
more of it. If we do, l shall end by
finding him everywhere"
Less than ten minutes afterward a
Tartar officer appeared in the posting
house.
Maria Strogoff?" he asked.
at is l." replied the old woman in a
tone so calm and with a face so tran
quill that those who had witnessed the
meeting with her son would not have
known her.
"Come," said the officer. Maria Stro-
goff, with firm step, followed the Tar
tar officer and left the posting house.
Some moments afterward Maria Stro-
goff found herself in the chief square
and in the presence Of Ivan Ogareff, to
whom all the details of this scene had
been Immediately reported.
Ivan Ogareff, suspecting the truth, in
terrogated the old Siberian woman.