Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-01-14

Ihe old mariner rose up, ana the mu-
jiks took up again their boathooks.
All had as much as they could do. and
the management Of the raft became
more and more difficult, for the bed of
the river was becoming obstructed.
Michael strogoff had moved softly to
the fore part of the raft.
Alcide Jolivet had followed him.
Both listened to what the old sailor
ind his men were saying.
Guard there on the right"
"Look. The blocks Of ice are thick
ening on the left!'
"Keep it off! Keep 1t off with your
boathook"
Before an hour we shall be stop
pedw
"If God wills itv' replied the old sail
or. Against his will nothing can be
DONE"
"You hear themY said Alcide Jolivet.
YES" replied Michael Strogoff. but
God is with us.
Meantime the situation became more
Huu lllOTe stIiOuS. IL thS ioit oh>>
ceased to make headway, the fugitives
would not only never reach lrkutsk,
but they would be obliged to abandon
their floating apparatus, which, crush
ed by the ice blocks, would not be long
In sinking under the waters. The will
low bindings were already breaking,
the fir trunks, violently separated. were
becoming entangled under the hard
crust, and soon the unfortunate people
would have no other refuge than the
ice itself. Then, when daylight should
come, they would be perceived by the
Tartars and massacred without pity.
Michael Strogoff returned to the back
part Of the raft. where Nadia was wait
ing for him. He approached the young
girl he took her hand and put to her
that invariable question. Nadia, are
you ready" to which she answered as
usual:
81 am ready"
For some versts more the raft con-
tinued to make its way through the
floating ice. If the Angara should be
choked up with ice, it would form
barrier, and consequently it would be
impossible to follow the current. AL
ready the passage down the river was
slower. At every instant there were
collisions, or time was lost by having
to make long turnings. Here they must
escape landing on the ice; there they
must take Il narrow pass between it
In fine, many anxious drawbacks.
And now only few hours of the
night remained. If the fugitives did
not reach Irkutsk before . o'clock in
the morning, they must give up all
hope of ever entering there.
At length, at half past l. in spite OF
all their united efforts, the raft struck
against thick barrier and stopped al
together. The ice which was floating
down the river cast itself upon 1t and
forced 1t against the obstacle and held
1t motonless as IL it had been driven
upon reef.
At this place the Angara becomes mar
rowed to not more than half its normal
breadth; hence the accumulation or ice
blocks, which were by little and little
piled one upon another under the ACTON
of the double pressure, which was con-
siderable, and of the cold, whose in
tensity was redoubling. At 900 PAGES
down the river again became wide. and
ice blocks, detaching themselves by III
tie and little from the lower edge of that
field. continued to float down to lrkutsk;
hence it is probable that without that
narrowingof the banks the barrier would
not have been formed. and the raft could
have continued to descend the current.
But the evil was irreparable, and the
fugitives had to give up all hope OF
reaching the end of their journey. III
they had had at their disposal the tools
which the wbalers usually employ to
omen out canals across the icefields, II
they had been able to cut this field as
far as the place where the river be-
came wider, perhaps the time would
not have been wanting, but not single
saw, not a pickaX, nothing with which
to cut the crust which the extreme cold
had rendered us hard as granite.
What should they do?
At that moment rifle shots were heard
on the right bank Of the. Angara. a
shower of bullets was directed upon
the raft. Had the unhappy men been
perceived? Evidently, for other deto-
nations resounded on the left bank.
The fugtives. caught between two hres,
became a target for the Tartar marks
men. Some were wounded by these
balls, although in the midst OF the
great darkness they only fell by chance.
Come, Nadia" whispered Michael
Strogoff in the ear Of the young girl.
Without making any observation,
ready for everything, Nadia took the
hand of Michael Strogoff.
81 am thinking Of crossing the par
rier," he said to her In low voice.
Guide me. but let no one see US leave
the raft"
Nadia obeyed. Michael Strogoff and
she glided quickly over the surface or
the icetield in silence that was broken
here and there by the firing.
Nadia crept on in front OF Michaei
Strogoff. The balls fell around them
like a shower Of hailstOnes and crashed
upon the ice. The surface of the held'
rugged and with sharp edges. made
their hands bleed. but still they kept
| advancing.
Ten minutes afterward the lower
border of the barrier was reached.
There the waters Of the Angara again
became free. A few large blocks OF
| ice, becoming by degrees detached from
the field and floating with the current
descended toward the town.
Nadia understood what Michael Stro'
goff wished to attempt. She saw one
of those blocks Of ice that was only
held by narrow tongue.
"Come," said Nadia.
Ana beth lay down on this morsei OF