The Iola register., 1902-01-10

~ lhltIliCtbg lhhANhNNh NhN hibh hHhh
of these Tartar chiefs. Then in the |
distance rose several thousand Of the
Turcoman tents, which had been car
ried on the backs of cames.
The camp contained at least hun |
dred and fifty thousand soldiers. as
many foot as horse soldiers, collected |
under the name of Alamanes. Among |
them and us the principal types of Tur-
kcstan would have been remarked the
Tadiiks from their regular features,
white skin, tall forms and black eyes
and hair. They formed the bulk of the
Tartar army, and Of them the ihanates
of Khokhand and Kouudough had fur
nishcd Il contingent nearly equal to
that Of Bokharl. With the Tadjlks
were mingled specimens of different
races who either reside in Turkestan
or whose native countries border On it.
There were Usbecks, red bearded, small
in stature, similar to those who had
pursued Michael. Here were kirghis,
with fiat faces like the Kalmucks,
dressed in coats of mail. Some car
ried the lance, bows and arrows of Ash
attic manufacture, some the saber, n
matchbox gun and little short ham
dled AK, the wounds from which inva-
rlably prove fatal. There were Mon
gols, of middle height, with black hair
plated into pigtails. which hung down
their backs. round faces, swarthy COM
pleXions. lively deep set eyes, scanty
boards, dressed in blue nankeen trim
med with black plush, sword belts Of
leather with silver buckles, boots gayly
braided and silk caps edged with fur
and three ribbons hutterng behind.
Brown skinned Afghans, too, might
have been seen. Arabs, having the
primitive type of the beautiful Semitic
races, and Turcomans, with eyes which
looked as if they had lost the pupil-all
enrolled under the emir's flag, the flag
of inccndiarics and devastators.
When the prisoners were brought into
the camp, the emir was in his tent. He
did not show himself. This was for
tunate no doubt. y sign, n word, from
him might have been the signal for
some bloody execution. But he in
trcnched himself in that isolation
which constitutes in part the majesty
of eastern kings. He who does not
show himself is admired and, above
all, feared.
AS TO the prisoners, they were to be
penned up in some lnclosure where, i'll
treated, poorly fed and exposed to all
the inclemencies of the weather, they
would await Feofar's pleasure.
The most docile and patient of them
all was undoubtedly Michael Strogoff
He allowed himself to be led for they
We're leading him where he wished to
go and under conditions of safety
which free he could not have found on
tue road from Kalyvan to Tomsk 70
escape before reaching that town was
to risk again falling into the hands OF
the scouts who were securing the
steppe.
At the same time with Michael Stro-
goff and many other prisoners Harry
Blount and Alcide Jolivet had also been
taken to the Tartar camp. Their for
mer travelling companion, captured like
them at the telegraph office, knew that
they were penned up with him in the
inclosure, guarded by numerous scnti-
nels, but he did not wish to accost
them. 1t mattered little to him. at this
time especially, what they might think
of him since the affair at lchim. Be
sides, he desired to be alone, that he
might act alone If necessary. He there
fore held himself aloof from his for
mer acqualntances.
From the moment that Harry Blount
/ had fallen by his side Jolyet had not
ceased his attentions to him. During
the journey from Ealyyan to the camp
that is to say, for several hours
. Blount, by leaning on his companion S
arm, had been enabled TO follow the
rest of the prisoners He had tried 10
mako known that he was a British sub
iGet, but Il had no effect on the bar
larians, who only replied by prods with
a lance or sword. The spondcu,
Of The Daily Telegraph was therefore
Obliged to submit TO the common lot,
resolving to protest later and TO obtain
.rrl0n for such treatment. But
|t.e journey was not the less Disagree
able TO him, for his wound caused him
much pain, and without Aicide Joliyct8
assistance be might never have reached
the camp
Jolivct whose practical philosophy
never abandoned him, had physically
and morally strengthened his Compau-
ion by every means n his power. His
first care WHOM they found themselves
definitely established iu the iuclosurc
was To examine R,OunCs wound. Hay