The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-05-17

with his hands bound,
j" was held in front of the
emir's throne at the foot
UNN0Y%lv of the terrace.
SI0V His mother overcome
at last by so many phys
ical and moral tortures, had sunk down,
not daring to look or listen any longer.
Look with all your eyes! Look!'
Feofar-Khan had said, stretching out
his threatening hand toward Michael
Strogoff.
without doubt Ivan Ogareff, knowing
well the Tartar customs, had under
stood the bearing of that word, for his
lips parted for an instant in a cruel
smile. Then he went to take his place
near FeofarKhan.
A call of trumpets was heard imme-
diately. 1t was the signal for the
amusements.
"Now we have the ballet" said AL
eide Jolivet to Harry Blount; "but, con-
trary to all custom, these barbarians
give it before the drama" NJ
Michael Strogoff had been ordered to
look. He did look A swarm of female
dancers came upon the space reserved
for them. Various Tartar instruments,
united with the cultural voices of the
singers, formed a strange harmony.
There were mandolin with a long neck
made of the wood of the mulberry tree,
with two strings of twisted silk, a kind
of violoncello, open at the back, fur
nished with horsehair and made to
vibrate with a bow, long flute made
of a reed, trumpets, tambourines and
tomtoms. At once the dances began.
These dancers performed very grace
fully various dances, sometimes singly
and sometimes In groups. They had
their faces uncovered, but from time to
time they drew a light veil over their
figures, and one would have said that
cloud Of gauze was passing over their
sparkling eyes like a vapor over the
starry heaven.
When this first entertainment was
over, a grave voice was heard, which
said Look with all your eyesl Lookv'
The man who repeated these words
of the emir. a Tartar of high stature
was the chief executioner of Feofar
Khan. He had taken his position be-
hind Michael Strogoff, and he held in
his hand a sword with a broad and
curved blade, one Of those Damascus
blades which had been tempered by
the famous armorers Of Karschi or of
Hissar.
Near him some guards had brought
tripod on which was placed an iron
dish, where some redhot Goals were
burning without emitting any smoke.
The light crust which crowned them
was due only to the incineration of
resinous and aromatic substance, a
mixture of frankincense and benzoin,
which had been thrown on their sur
face.
Meanwhile another group of dancers
had succeeded the first. but of race
very different, which Michael Strogoff
at once recognized.
And we must believe that the two
journalists also recognized them, for
Harry Blount said to his confrere:
'These are the Zingari of Mini Nov
gorod."
"The very onesv cried Alcide Jolivet
81 imagine their eyes bring more mon
ey to these spies than their legsv'
And in milking them out to be agents
IN the service of the emir Alcide JOLT
vet, 1t is well known. did not deceive
himself.
In the first rank of the gypsies fig
ured Sangarre, in her superb costume,
strange and picturesque as it was.
which set off still more her beauty.
Sangarre did not dance, but stood in
the middle of her dancing girls. whose
fantastic steps partook of all the coun-
tries which their race had traversed in
Europe, of Bohemia. of Egypt of Italy
and of Spain. They became animated
at the noise of the cymbals which
changed on their arms and at the swell
ing of the "daires," a kind of drum
sounded by the fingers.
Sangarre, holding one of these daires.
which trembled between her hands, ex-
cited this troop of veritable corybantes
Then came forward youthful gyp-
sy, some fifteen years old at most. He
held In his hand n douta.e, the two
cords of which he made to vibrate by a
simple gliding of the nails. He sang
During the couplet of his song of fan
tastic rhythm a danseuse came and
placed herself near him and remained
immovable, listening to him, but each
time the burden came to the lips of the
young singer she again took up her in
terrupted dance, shaking her daire near
him and deafening him with the sound
of her drum.
Then, after the last verse, the dancers
enlaced the gypsy ia a thousand turn
ings of their dances.
At this moment a shower of gold fell
from the hands of the emir and his al
lies, from the hands of the officers of
all grades. and to the noise of the
pieces which struck the cymbals of the
dancers were blended the last murmurs
of the doutares and tambourines.
"Prodigal as freebooters!" said AL
eide Jolivet in the ear of his compan-
ion.
And, indeed, 1t was stolen money
which fell In showers, for with the