Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-02-22
Then he added ia his companions

Explain our affair, Blount You will
do me service This Russian colonel
in the midst of a Tartar camp disgusts
me, and although, thanks to him, my
head is still on my shoulders, my eyes
i would exhibit my feelings were / to
attempt to look him in the face"
So saying, Alcide Jolivet assumed a
look Of complete and naughty indifer-
ence.
Whether or not Ivan Ogaref perceive
ed that the prisoners attitude was in
sulting toward him, he did not let it
appear.
'eWho are you, gentlemen7" he asked
in Russian in cold tone, but free from
its rudeness.
| Two corresponds Of English and
4 French newspapers, = replied Blount la
/ conically. III
You have doubtless papers which
! will establish your identity 2"
Here are letters which accredit US
J! in Russia from the English and French
/ chancellor's Office"
Ivan Ogareff took the letters which
Blount held out to him and read them
attentfvely. Then said he:
| ''You ask the authorization to follow
ouY military operations in Siberian
eve ask to be free; that is all, an
swered the English correspondent dry
| ~.
eYon are so, gentlemen" answered
| Ogaref, '.and shall be curious to read
your articles in The Daily Telegraph"
| Sir, replied Harry Blount, with the
most imperturbab GOODNESS, sit is six
| pence a number, including postage"
And thereupon Blount returned to his
companion, who appeared to approve
completely Of his replies.
Ivan Ogareff, without frowning,
mounted his horse and, going to the
head of his escort, soon disappeared in
a cloud of dust.
|. "Well, M. Joliyet, what do you think
of Colonel Ivan Ogareff, general in
chief Of the Tartar troopsY asked
Blount.
II think, my dear FRIEND" replied
Alcide, smiling, 'that the housch- begui
made very graceful gesture when he
gave the order for our heads to be cut
off"
Whatever was the motive which led
Ogareff to act thus in regard to the
two correspondents, they were free aad
could rove at their pleasure over the
scene of war. Their intention was not
to leave it. The sort Of antipathy
which formerly they had entertained
for each other had given place to sin
cere friendship. Circumstances having
brought them together, they no longer
thought of separating. The petty ques-
tons of rivalry were forever extin-
guished. Harry Blount could never
forget what he owed his companion,
who, on the other hand, never tried to
remind him of it. This friendship, too,
assisted the reporting operations and
was thus to the advantage Of their
readers.
'.And now,'' asked Blount, what
shall we do with our iberty?"
"Take advantage of it, of course"
replied Alcide, 'sand go quietly to Tomsk
to see what is going on there"
'tUntil the time-very near, hope
when we may rejoin some Russian reg
iment." ....--,,.. F,-.3-a.
GAS you say, my dear Blount, it won't
do to Tartarize ourselves too much.
The best side is that of the most civil
lized army, and it is evident that the
people Of central Asia will have every
thing to lose and absolutely nothing to
gain from this invasion, while the Rus
slams will soon repulse them. It is
only matter Of time.'
The arrival of Ivan Ogareff, which
had given Jolivet and Blount their LID
erty, was to Michael Strogoff, on the
contrary, a serious danger. Should
chance bring the czar's courier into
Ogareff's presence the latter could not
fail to recognize in him the traveller
whom he had so brutally treated at the
Ichim posthouse, and, although Mi
chael had not replied to the insult as
he would have done under any other
circumstances, attention would be |
drawn to him, and at once the accom-
plishment of his plans would be rem |
dered more difficult. 4
This was the unpleasant side Of the |
business. A favorable result Of his |
arrival, however, was the order which |
was given to raise the camp that very
day and remove the headquarters to
Tomsk.
This was the accomplishment of Mi
chaePs most fervent desire. His inten-
ton, as has been said, was to reach
Tomsk concealed among the other pris:
oners- that is to say, without any risk
of falling into the hands of the scouts
who swarmed about the approaches to
this important town. However, in con-
sequence of the arrival of Ivan Ogaref
and in the fear Of being recognized by
him, he questioned whether it would
not be better to give up his first plan
and attempt to escape during the jour-
ney.
Michael would no doubt have kept to
the latter plan had he not learned that
Feofar-K Khan and Ivan Ogaref had al
ready set out for the town at the head
of some thousands of horsemen.