The Iola register., 1902-02-07

WltnOut resources, not knowing even
how to procure the least wants of life,
and they had still to make 400 versts!
And, moreover, Michael Strogoff now
only saw through the eyes of Nadia.
As for the friend whom chance had
given them, they had just lost him un-
der the most affecting circumstances.
1t was 10 o'clock at night. For the
last three hours and half the sun. had
disappeared below the horizon. There
was not n house, not n hut, in sight.
The last Tartars were lost in the dis
tance. Michael Strogoff and Nadia
were indeed alone.
"To what place shall lead you, MI
chaelY
"To Irkutsk," he answered.
"By the highroad"
Eyes, Nadia"
Nadia took the hand of Michael Stro-
goff, and they once more set out on
their journey.
Next morning, Sept. II, twenty versts
farther, at the town of Toulounovskoe,
both halted for a short time. The town
was burned down and was deserted.
During that day they had to pass the
little stream of the Okla, but 1t was
fordable, and that passage offered no
difficulty.
But, contrary to what Michael Stro-
goff had perhaps hoped, there was not
any longer n single beast of burden in
the country. Every horse, every cam
el, had been either killed or taken
away. 1t was therefore on foot they
must cross this never ending steppe.
And thus they walked on for three
days.
Several times Nadia was obliged to
stop. Michael Strogoff then took her
in his arms, and for the moment, not
having to think of Nadia's fatigue,
while carrying her he marched more
quickly and with his untiring pace.
On the 18th of September, at 10
o'clock at night, both reached ut length
Kimilteiskoe. From the top of hill
Nadia perceived a line little less dark
on the horizon. 1t was the Dinka.
Suddenly they stopped, as If their
feet had stepped into some crevice In
the ground
A dogs bark was heard across the
steppe.
"Do you hear?" said Nadia.
Then came lamentable cry, cry of
despair, like the last appeal of a human
being who is about to die.
"Nicholas! Nicholasv cried the young
girl, urged on by some evil foreDodlIlg.
Michael Strogoff, who listened, hung
down his head.
"Come, Michael, comep' said Nadia.
And she who just before could scarce
1ry Hroo, hnrcalf oIonO cud1anIu raonvpr.
ed her strength under the sway Of vio-
lent excitement.
"Have we left the road?" said Mi
chael Strogoff, feeling that he was
treading no longer the dusty road, but
the open grass field.
"Yes; it is necessarily answered Ma
dia. "It is from over there on the right
that the cry came"
Some minutes afterward the two were
only half n verst from the river.
A second bark was heard, and, al
though more feeble, it was certainly
nearer.
Nadia stopped.
ayes" said Michael. at is Serko who
is barking. He has followed his mas
ter"
"Nicholasw cried the young girl.
Her call remained unanswered. Only
some birds of prey rose up and disap-
peared amid the high clouds of heaven
Michael Strogoff listened. Nadia look
ed at the plain, lit up with flashes OF
lightning in rapid succession, but she
saw nothing.
And yet voice came again, which
this time murmured in plaintive tone
"Michaelw
Then a dog, all bleeding, came bound
ing up to Nadia. 1t was Serko.
Nicholas could not be far away. He
alone could murmur that name Of Mi
chael Where was he? Nadia had not
even the strength to call out to him.
Michael Strogoff, lying on the ground
searched with his hand.
Suddenly Serko gave a fresh barl
and rushed toward a gigantic bird
which was clawing the ground.
IL was a vulture. When Serko pre-
cipitated himself upon it, it rose up
but, returning to the charge, 1t strucl
the dog.
He again renewed the attack, but HI
received a blow ON the head from tha'
terrible beak, and this time Serko fel
back dead on the ground.
At the same time a cry of horror es
capped from Nadia.
"There, therew said she.
A head rose just above the ground
It would have struck against their fee
had 1t not been for the intense bright
ness that the heavens cast upon th'
steppe.
Nadia fell on her knees near tina
head.
Nicholas, buried up to the neck, ac
cordlng to the atrocious customs of tn
Tartars, had been abandoned on tn
steppe to there die Of hunger and thirs
and perhaps to be torn into pieces b.