The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-04-12
for about two hours when the young
Livonian, addressing herself to Michael

for about two hours when the young
Livonian addressing herself to Michael
S1ogoff, said:
Are you going to Irkutsk, brotherY'
Eyes, sister," answered the young
man. Eve are both going the same
way. Consequently wherever l go you
shall CO."
Tomorrow, brother, you shall know
why l left the shores of the Baltic to
go beyond the Ural mountains"
II ask you nothing, sister"
"You shall know ALL" replied the girl,
with a faint smile. "a sister should
hide nothing from her brother. But
cannot today. Fatigue and sorrow have
broken me down"
"Will you go and rest In your cabin ?"
asked Michael.
"Yes-yes, and tomorrow
"COme, them
He hesitated to finish his sentence as
II he had wished to end it by the name
Of his companion, of which he was still
ignorant.
Nadia" said she, holding out her
hand.
"Come, Nadia" answered Michael,
"and make what use you like of your
brother Nicholas Korpanoff." And he
her off the saloon.
Michael Strogoff returned on deck,
and, eager for any news which might
bear on his journey, he mingled in the
groups of passengers, though without
taking any part In the conversation.
Should he by any chance be questioned
and obliged to reply he would announce
himself as the merchant Nicholas Kor-
panoff, going back to the frontier in the
Caucasus, for he did not wish it to be
suspected that special permission au-
thorized him to travel to Siberia.
The young Livonian did not come to
dinner. She was asleep in her cabin,
and Michael did not like to awaken
her.
Between II and 2, the moon being
new, 1t was almost dark Nearly all
the passengers were then asleep on the
deck, and the silence was disturbed
only by the noise of the paddles strik-
Ing the water at regular intervals.
Anxiety kept Michael Strogoff awake.
He walked up and down. but always
in the stern Of the steamer Once,
however, he happened to pass the en-
CINE room. He then found himself in
the part reserved for second and third
class passengers.
He stopped. Voices appeared to come
from group of passengers enveloped
In cloaks and wraps, so that 1t was i'm
possible to recognize them In the dark.
But it sometimes happened that when
the steamers chimney sent forth q
plume of ruddy flames among the vol
umes of smoke the sparks seemed to
fall among the group as though thou
sands Of spangles had been suddenly
illuminated. Michael was about to
step up the ladder when few words
reached his ear, distinctly uttered in
that strange tongue which he had heard
during the night at the fair.
Instinctively he stopped to listen.
Protected by the shadow Of the fore
castle, he could not be perceived him.
self. AS to seeing the passengers who
were talking, that was impossible He
was obliged to conf1ne himself to listen
ing.
The first words exchanged were of
no fmpOrtance-to him at least-but
they allowed him to recognize the
voices OF the man and woman whom he
had heard at Mini Novgorod. This, Of
course, made him redouble his atten-
ton. 1t was, indeed, not at all i'm
possible that the gypsies, scrap of
whose conversation he had overheard,
now banished with all their fellows,
should be on board the Caucasus.
And it was well for him that he lis
tened, for he distinctly heard this cues
ton and answer made in the Tartar
idfom:
1T is said that a courier has set out
from Moscow for Irkutsk."
1T Is so said, Sangarre, but either
this courier will arrive too late, or he
will not arrive at ALL"
Michael Strogoff started involuntarily
at this reply. which concerned him SO
directly. He tried to see If the man
and woman who had just spoken were
really those whom he suspected. but
the shadow was too deep, and he could
not succeed. m
In few moments Michael Strogofr
had regained the stern of the vessel
without having been perceived, and.
taking seat by himself, he buried his
face In his hands. 1t might have been
supposed that he was asleep.
He was not asleep, however, and did
not even think ofsleeping. He was re-
hecting on this, not without a lively
apprehension: "Who Is it knows of nv |
departure and who can have any inter
est in knowing it?"