The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-01-25
AZ length, az haif past !. IN spite o.

together. The Ice which was floating
down the river cast itself upon IL and
forced II against the obstacle and held
II motionless as II II had been driven
upon reef.
At this place the Angara becomes mar
rowed to not more than half its normal
breadth; hence the accumulation of Ice
blocks. which were by little and little
piled one upon another under the action
or the double pressure. which was con.
siderable, and OF the cold, whose In
tensity was redoubling. AZ 500 PAGES
down the river again became wide, and
Ice blocks, dctachlng themselves by IT.
tie and little from the lower edge OF that
field. continued TO lloat down 10 Irkutsk;
hence ii Is probable that without that
narrowingof the banks the barrier would
not have baen formed. and Tie raft could
have continued 10 descend the current.
But the evil was irgeparable and the
fugitiyes had 20 give UP all hope OF
reaching the end OF thcir journey. If
they had had at their disposal the tools
which the whalcrs usually employ 10
open out canals across the iceields. II
they had been able TO cut this Geld as
far as the place where the river be-
came wider, perhaps the time would
not have been wanting. but not a single
saw, not "A plckax. nothing with which
TO cut the crust. which the extreme cold
had rendered as hard us granite.
What should they %?
Al that moment ride shots were heard
on the right bank OF the Angara. a
shower or bullets was directed upon
the raft. Had the unhappy men been
percelvedl Evidently. for other dcto-
nations resounded Oh the left bank.
The fugitlyes, caught between two fires,
became a target for the Tartar marks
men, Some were wounded by these
balls. although in the midst OF the
great darkness they only fell by chance.
Come. nadia whispered Michael
Stfogoif in the ear OF tie young girl.
4 without making any observation.
ready for everything, Nadia took the
hand Of Michael Srogon
. Il am thinking OF crossing the bar.
rieE" he said 10 her Ia low voice.
"GulGe me but let no one see us leave
The raft"
4 Nadia obeyed. Michael strogor ana
she gllded quickly over the surface of
the leetlpld Nh a silence that was broken
+ here aud There hy ne fring
( NADIA crcut on ia front Of Michael
Strogoff. The balls fell around them
like a shower OF hailstones and crashed
upon the Ice. The surface OF the field.
rugged ana with sharp edges. made
their hands bleed lsr' sllli they kept
advancing.
\ Ten minutes afterward the tower
border Of the barrier was reached.
There the waters OF the Angara again
became free. = few large blocks OF
Ice. becoming by degrees detached from
the. field and boating with the current,
descended toward The town.
Il Nadia understood what Michael Stro-
goa wished 10 attempt She saw one
OF those blocks Of Ice that was only
held BY q narrow tongue.
Come" said Nadia.
And both lay clown on this morsel OF
Ice which slight rocking Ioosened
from the barrier
The block began 20 make It's way
down the river The river Itself be-
came wider. and the route was free.
Michael Strogof aud Nadia could
hear the firing Of guns. the cries Of dis.
tress. the shouts of the Tartars that
made themselves heard UP the river.
Then little by little those cries OF deep
anguish and OF ferocious JOY were lost
In the distance.
"Oh. those poor companlonsr' whIs-
pered Nadia.
For half an hour the current quickly
carried along the block of ice which
was bearing Michael Strogoff and Ma
dia. AT every moment they feared that
they might sink under the water. Be
Ing caught I'm the stream, II followed
the middle OF the river, and 1t would
not be necessary TO give II an oblique
direction until there was question OF
making for the quays OF Irkutsk.
Michael Strogoff. with his teeth set
and his ears ready TO catch the least
sound did not utter n single word
Never was hc. 80 near attaining his
end. He felt that he was about to sue
coed.
Toward . o'clock In the morning a
double row OF lights lit up the sonber
horizon on the two banks of the An
CARA.
On the right was the glare from the
lights OF Irkutsk, on the left the frcs
Of the Tartar camp.
Michael Strogoff was not more than
half yerst from the city.
AT lastr' whispered he.
But suddenly Nadia gave a cry.
At that cry Michael Strogoff rose up
from the block, which became very I'M
steady. His hand stretched out toward
the head OF the Angara. His face, all
liz up with the reflections OF blue lights,
became terrible to look at. and then, rs
though his eyes had been reopened TO
1.-THE light, he cried:
"Ah. God himself Is against usr'
CHAPTER XVII.
~ RKUTSK. capital OF east
Mtu prn Sihprio has In ordI.