Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-12-22


the deck of the Caucasus from the new
arrivals.
This information could not but cause
him great uneasiness and increase his
wish of being beyond the Ural noun
tains, so as to judge for himself Of the
truth of these rumors and enable him
to guard against any possible contin-
gency. H,. was thinking of seeking
more direct intelligence from some ma
tive of Kasan when his attention was
diverted.
Among the passengers who were
leaving the Caucasus Michael recog-
nized the troop Of gypsies who the
day before had appeared in the Mini
Novgorod fair. There on the deck of
the steamboat were the old Bohemian
and the woman who had played the
spy on him. With them and no doubt
under their direction landed about
twenty dancers and singers from fif-
teen to twenty years of age, wrapped
in old cloaks, which covered their span
gled dresses. These dresses, just then
glancing in the first rays of the sun, re-
minded Michael Of the curious appear
ance which he had observed during the
night. 1t must have been the glitter
of those spangles in the bright flames
issuing suddenly from the steamboats,
funnel which had attracted his atten-
ton.
Evidently" said Michael to himself,
'this troop Of Zingari, after remain
ing below all day, crouched under the
forecastle during the night Were these
gypsies trying to show themselves as
little as possible? Such is not accord
ing to the usual custom of their race
Michael Strogoff no longer doubted
that the expressions he had heard
which so clearly referred to him had
proceeded from this tawny group and
had been exchanged between the old
gypsy and the woman named Sangarre.
Michael involuntarily moved toward
the gangway as the Bohemian troop
was leaving the steamboat, not to re-
turn to it again.
The old Bohemian was there in
humble attitude, little conformable
with the effrontery natural to his race.
One would have said that he was en-
deavoring rather to avoid attention
than to attract it. His battered hat,
Drowned by the suns of every cline,
was pulled forward over his wrinkled
face. His arched back was bent under
an old cloak, wrapped closely round
him Notwithstanding the heat. 1t would
have been difficult in this miserable
dress to judge of either his size or face
Near him was the gypsy Sangarre, 4
woman about thirty years old. She
was tall and well made, with olive
complexion, magnificent eyes and gold
en- hair, and carried herself to perfec-
ton.
Sangarre was regarding him with
peculiar gaze, as if she wished to fix
his features indelibly in her memory.
! 1t was but for q few moments when
Sangarre herself followed the old man
and his troop, who had already left the
vessel.
That's a bold gypsy" said Michael
to himself. could she have recognized
me as the man whom she saw at Mini
Novgorod? These COMPOUNDED Zingaris
have the eyes Of cat! They can see
in the dark, and that woman there
might well know
Michael Strogoff was on the point of
following Sangarre and the gypsy band,
but he stopped.
NO." thought he; mo unguarded pro-
ceedings. If l were to stop that old
fortune teller and his companions, my
incognito would run q risk of being dis
| nov IL 10, 4
ed, before they can pass the frontier l
shall be already beyond the Ural l
know that they may take the route
from Kasan to Ichim, but that affords
no resources to travellers, and, besides,
a tarantass drawn by four good Sibe-
rian horses will always go faster than
a gypsy cart"
BY this time the old man and San
garre had disappeared in the crowd.
An hour afterward the bell rang on
board the Caucasus, calling the new
passengers and recalling the former
ones. 1t was now 7 o'clock in the
morning. The requisite fuel had been
received on board, and about 10 O'Clock
in the morning the young LivOnian,
leaving her cabin, appeared on deck
Michael Strogoff went forward and
took her hand.
"Look, sister, said he, leading her to
the bows of the Caucasus.
The view was indeed well worth ex.
aiming.
The Caucasus had just then reached
the confluence of the Volga and the
Kama. There she would leave the for
mer river after having descended it fol-
more than 400 versts to ascend the lat
ter for AGO versts.
The Kama was here very wide. and
its wooded banks were lovely. A few
white sails enlivened the sparkling wa
ter. The horizon was closed by line
Of hills covered with aspens. alders
and sometimes large oaks.
But these beauties of nature could