The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-01-09


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 Russians" she cried 9
And after this last effort her eyelids
closed, and her head fell down on the
! breast of Michael Strogoff.
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.
I These Russians were, fugitives of va
rious conditions whom a common in
/ terest had gathered together on this
point ofthe Baikal. -. =
Driven back by the Tartar, scouts,
they sougAtfo take refuge. in Irkutsk,
and, not beiug able to reach that place
by land since the ~invaders had taken
up position both banks Of the Anga-
ra, they hoped to gah it by descending
the river which runs through the town.
The>fugitiNes had their raft fully pre-
! pared for the voyage, and had Michael
. Strogof been even d few hours later
he would have found the place desert
ed. ..tH = a .z...r 49,.
Now, he was welcomed and hidden
to go upon the raft at once, as its slow
! motion rendered it advisable to lose no
1 time in setting out. '3a 80
/ 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 eyer his
incognita. ,-,--.,/., $500.
The plan of the fugitives was very
| simple. A current of the Baikal skirts
! the higher shore of the lake as far as
the mouth of the Angara. 1t is this
current which they counted upon max
| ing use of to early reach the outlet of
Baikak 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 a half
they ought to be in sight Of the town.
| Every. means for embarking was
wanting at that place. ~ t-1.-'. 50.
! They had to supply this want. A
raft, or, rather, float of wood, like
! those which generally float on the ST.
berian 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 n plat
form on which hundred persons
would have easily found room. -.
1t was on this raft that Michael Stro-
/ golf 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 a 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. ..--7/ ~
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. 10 z = y ~. .--~-a
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, 1t
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 8 o'clock at night the moorings
We're unf: stoned. and under the action
Of the current the raft followed the
lake shore. ..,1..-. .,
Long poles, handled by robust mu-
jiks, sufficed to guide it. An old sailor
Of the Baikal had taken command OF
the raft. He was man of sixty, all
tanned with the breezes of the lake. A
white and very thick beard descended
on his breast. He had on his head a
fur hat. OF a grave, and austere ap-
pearance, his wide and long riding coat,
drawn tight at the belt, hanging down
to his heels, this silent old man, sit
ting at the stern, commanded by ges-
ture and did not speak ten words in
ten hours. r,.....
Besides, the whole management con-
sisted in keeping the raft in the cur
rent which ran along the shore, with
out allowing it to 60 far out into the
deep water.
Although the journey was not with
out danger, the voyagers might reason
ably hope to safely accomplish it.
At any rate they had become accus-
toned to both hardship and danger.
No fate could be worse than the one
that awaited them if they remained.
So despite. the past and present they