The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-05-24

in this wild part OF the province but
to die there Of want and restitution?
And yet how many still remained to be
made of those COCO versts that the
courier OF the car should attain his
end? Only sixty versts along the shore
of the lake as far as the mouth of the
river Angara. and eighty versts from
the mouth of the Angara to Irkutsk-
in all hundred and forty versts, say
a three days journey for a strong and
vigorous man even on foot.
Some fifty people found themselves
assembled at the corner which forms
the southwest point of the lake.
Nadia first perceived this group when
Michael Strogoff, carrying her in his
arms. came out from the defile of the
mountains.
"Stopr she cried. The TartarsI The
Tartarsp'
The young girl feared for an instant
that it was nothing else than a de-
tachment Of Tartars sent to scour the
shores of Lake Baikal, in which case
fight would be cut off for both.
But Nadia was soon treasured on
this head.
"They are RussiansY she cried.
| And after this last effort her eyelids
closed, and her head fell down on the
breast of Michael StrogoR.
| But they had been perceived, and
some of those Russians running up to
them. led the blind man and the young
| girl to the border of little beach to
| which was moored a raft.
| The raft was about to depart.
rTbasa R1rcSiarc xx-ara f1ipftiyas of va
rious conditions whom a common in
| terest had gathered together on this
| point of the Baikal.
Driven back by the Tartar scouts,
| they sought to take refuge in Irkutsk,
and, not being able to reach that place
| by land, since the invaders had taken
up position on both banks of the Anga-
ra, they hoped to gain it by descending
the river which runs through the town.
| The fugitives had their raft fully pre-
| pared for the voyage, and had Michael
| Strogoff been even a few hours later
he would have found the place desert
| ed.
Now, he was welcomed and hidden
to go upon the raft at once, as its slow
motion rendered it advisable to lose no
| time in setting out.
| Their project made the heart of Mi
| chael Strogoff leap for joy. He could
now play his last chance. But he had
the strength to dissemble, wishing to
| preserve more strictly than ever his
incognita.
The plan of the fugitives WIS very
| simple. A current of the Baikal skirts
| the higher shore of the lake as far as
current which they counted upon max
ing use of to early reach the outlet of
Baikal. From this point to Irkutsk the
rapid waters of the river would draw
them along at speed of ten or twelve
versts the hour. In day and half
they ought to be In sight Of the town.
Every means for embarking was
wanting at that place.
They had to supply this want. A
raft, or, rather, float of wood, like
those which generally float on the ST.
beran rivers had been constructed.
| A forest of pine, which lowered along
| the shore, had furnished the floating
material. The trunks, dashed together
with willow branches, formed plat
form on which a hundred persons
would have easily found ROOM
1t was on this raft that Michael Stro-
goff and Nadia were carried The
young girl was once more herself. They
| gave to her some nourishment, as also
to her companion. Then, lying down
on bed of leaves. she Immediately fell
Into sound sleep.
To those who Intercepted him MI
chael Strogoff said nothing concerning
the events which had occurred at
Tomsk. He gave himself out as an in
habitant of Krasnoiarsk who had not
been able to reach Irkutsk before the
| troops Of the emir had arrived on the
left bank of the Dinka, and he added
that very likely the main body Of the
Tartars had taken up their position be-
| fore the capital of Siberia Even among
friends it was almost as important to
preserve secrecy as to his mission as if
| among enemies.
| One never knows what ears are lis
tening when the tongue speaks The
friend of today may be the foe of to-
morrow, and even the firm friend, If
indiscreet, is more to be dreaded than
the known enemy.
There was not, therefore, an instant
to lose. Besides, the frost became more
and more keen. The temperature DUR
Ing the night fell far below zero. Some
pieces of Ice had already formed on the
surface of the Baikal. If the raft could
easily make its way on the lake, it
would not be the same between the
banks of the Angara in case those
pieces of ice should come to impede IT'S
course.
Therefore for all these reasons it was
necessary that the fugitives should
start without delay
At o'clock at night the mornings
were unfastened, and under the action
of the current the raft followed the
lake shore.
Long poles, handled by robust mu-
1iks, sufficed TO guide it. An old sailor
of the Baikal had taken command of
the raft. He was man of sixty, all
Co.. "A