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.
.SThey are Russiansr' she cried.
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 a little beach to
which was moored raft.
The raft was about to depart.
These Russians were, fugitives Of va
rious conditions whom a common in
terest had gathered together on this
point ofthe Baikal. t@ -T4 5.sl
Driven hack by the Tartar scouts,
they sougA1do take refuge in Irkutsk,
and, not beipg able to reach that place
by land, siHees the>invaders had taken
up posi- ionon3bo banks of the Anga-
ra, they hoped TO gah 1t by descending
the river which Rms through the town.
The>fugihNes Ia their raft fully pre-
pared for the ypyage, and had Michael
, Strogof been BFena few hours later
he would have; found the place. desert
ed. ~.rftN Z a w T4f'T
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. 1N~ '-S4 .
Their project made the heart of Mi
: chaei 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
The plan of the fugitiyes 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 useaof, to early reach the outlet of
Baikak From this point to Irkutsk the
rapid waters Of the; river would draw
| them along at a speed of ten or, twelve
versts the hour. In a day and half
they ought to be in sight of=the town.
Every means for embarking was
wanting at thatplace. .e>-ILs22 90"
They had to- supply this want. A
raft, or, rather, a float of wood, like
those which generally float on the ST.
berian rivers had been constructed.
A forest of pine, which lowered along
the-shnre. had furnished the floating
material. The trunks, dashed together
with willow branches, formed n plat
form on which as-hundred persons
would have. easily found room. :-2g 10
1t was on this raft that Michael jStro-
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 a bed Of leaves, she Immediately fell
into a sound sleep. RIO 50. ,c':.-}~e--E 80
To those who interrogated him Mi
chael Strogoff said, nothing concerning
the events, which had occurred at
Tomsk., He gave himself out as an in
lhabitant of Krasnoiarsk who had not
been able. to reach Trkutsk before the
troops of the ernir 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. r.=a/ ~
One never Knows what ears are lis
! itening 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.1:eG a I ,yzgosQaa
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 couid
easily make Its way on the lake., II
would not be, the same. between the
banks Of the. Angara in case those
pieces of ice should come, to impede its
| course. {.
Therefore for all these reasons it
necessary that the fugitives should
start without delay. rss.hs. g, ~
At 8 o'clock at night the moorings
were unf:steped. and under the action
| Of the current the raft followed, the
| lake shore. |7'.-t 1,S->~'
Long poles, handled by robust mil-
jiks, sufficed to guide 1t. An old sailor
Of the LBaikaE 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. ,<5,.et
Besides, the whole management con.
sisted in keeping the raft in the cur
rent which ran along the shore, with.
out allowing it to go 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