The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-05-10


of Europe can give no idea. But ths,
turned away with disdain when w..
Ogareff presented himself before n.
emir, and they waited, not withors
some Impotence, for the Feast 70 h.
gin.
"Do you see, my dear Blount" ss,a
Alcide Jolivet, 1--WE are come too soon
like good citizens who must needs conn
or lose their money. All this is onlv
the rising Of the curtain. 1t womb
have been better taste to have arrived
only for the ballet"
"What ballet" asked Harry Blount
"The obligatory ballet faith. But
think the curtain is about to RISE"
Alcide Jolivet spoke as if he were At
the opera, and taking his glass from
its case, he prepared to have look at
as a connoisseur, the first subjects ~
Feofar's troop.
But tedious ceremony was to pre-.
cede the amusements.
Meanwhile most of the prisoners had
passed before the emir, and in PASSING
each of them had to PROSTATE the fore.
head to touch the very dust as sign
of servility. 1t was the slavery which
commenced with humiliation. When
the unfortunates were too slow In bend.
ing, the rude hand of the guards cast
them violently to the earth. AlcIde
Jolivet and his companion could not
assist at such a spectacle without feel.
ing the greatest Indignation.
"This is cowardly! Let us 60 away!"
said Alcide Jolivet.
NO" replied Harry Blount; 1--WE
must see ALL"
"See all! All" cried Alcide Jolivet
suddenly, Selling the arm of his com.
panion.
/"What is the matter with your" ask
ed the former
"Look! Blount, 1t is shev'
"She?"
''The sister of our fellow traveller.
Alone and a prisoner We must save
herp
"Restrain yourself" coldly replied
Harry Blount. "Our Intervention in
behalf of this young girl would be more
hurtful than useful to her."
Alcide Jolivet, ready to rush forward,
stopped himself, and Nadia, who had
not perceived them, being half yelled
by her hair, passed in her turn before
the emir, without attracting his atten-
ton.
In the meantime, after Nadia, Maria
Strogoff had arrived. and as she did
not throw herself quickly enough into
the dust the guards brutally pushed
her.
Maria Strogoff fell.
Her son made a terrible movement,
which the soldiers who were guarding
him could with difficulty master.
But old Maria raised herself, and
they were about to drag her when Ivan
Ogaref interviewed, saying:
LET this woman remain"
AS for Nadia, she was thrown back
among the crowd of prisoners. The
look of Ivan Ogareff had not fixed it.
self upon her.
Michael Strogoff was then led before
the emir, and there he remained erect
without lowering his eyes.
"Your face to the groundr Ivan Oga-
ref cried out to him.
"Nov' replied Michael Strogoff. Two
guards wished to force him to bend,
but it was they who were thrown to
the ground by the hand Of the robust
young man.
Ivan Ogereff advanced toward MI.
chael Strogoff.
"You are about to die" said he.
u shall die" fiercely answered MI
chael Strogoff, "but your face of trait.
or, Ivan, will not the less bear and for
ever the infamous mark of the knout!'
Ivan Ogareff at this answer became
horribly pale.
"Who is this prisoner?- demanded
the emir In voice the more menacing
because of it's calmness.
"a Russian spy" answered Ivan Oga'
ref.
In making out Michael Strogoff spy
he knew the sentence pronounced
against him would be the more terri.
BILE.
Michael Strogoff moved toward Ivan
Ogareff.
The soldiers stopped him.
The emir then made a gesture before
which the whole crowd bent theil
heads. Afterward he motioned with
his hand for the Koran, which was
brought to him. He opened the book
and placed his finger on one of the
pages
1t was chance, or, rather, as these
orientals think, God himself, who was
about to decide the fate of Michae
Strogoff. The people of central Asia
give the name Of "faP' to this practice
After having interpreted the sense Of
the verse touched by the finger Of the
Judge they apply the sentence, what
ever it may be.
The emir had left his finger resting
on the page Of the Koran. The chiel
OF the ulemas, then approaching, reac
with a loud voice verse which I'm
1shed with these words:
And he shall see no more the things
CT the EARTH" Russian spy" sail
Eeofar-Khan, you came to see wha'
@ IN To-. Il. xf