Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-02-08

rather contemp tuously at, the young
man, waited to be questioned.
You belong to the country !" asked
Michael.
eyes.
DO you know that man who took
my horses?"
NO.
HAD you never seen him before?0
Never
"Who do you think he was r.
"A man who knows how to make
himself obeyed.'
Michael fixed his piercing gaze upon
the Siberian, but the other did not
quail before it.
DO you dare to judge mea'' exclaim-
ed Michael.
EYES," answered the Siberian, 'sfor
there are some things that even plain
merchant cannot receive without re-
turning"
'tBlows?'
Blows, young man. am Of an age
and strength to tell you so.
Michael went up to the postmaster
and laid his two powerful hands on his
shoulders.
Then in peculiarly calm tone he
said
BE off, my friend; be off! I could
kill you
The postmaster understood this time.
II like him better for that, he NUT
tered as he retired without adding an
other word.
At s o'clock the next morning, the
Oath Of July, three strong horses were
harnessed to the tarantass. Michael
and Nadia took their places, and Ichim,
with its disagreeable remembrances,
was soon left far behind.
The next day, July 20, at 3 o'clock in
the morning, the tarantass arrived at
the posthouse in Tioukalmsk, having
accomplished distance of 100 versts
since it had crossed the Ichim.
They rapidly changed horses. Here,
however, for the first time the driver
made difficulties about starting, declar-
ing that detachments of Tartars were
rowing across the steppe and that tray-
elers, horses and carriages would be a
fine prize for such robbers.
Only by dint of a large bride could
Michael get over the unwillingness Of
the driver, for in this instance, as in
many others, he did not wish to show
his podorojna. The last ukase, having
been transmitted by telegraph, was
known in the Siberian provinces, and
Russian specially exempted from obey
ing these orders would certainly have
drawn public attention to himself,
thing above all to be avoided by the
czar's courier. AS to the drivers hesi-
tation, either the rascal traded on the
travellers impatience or he really had
good reason to fear some misfortune.
However, at last the tarantass start
ed and made such good way that by 3
in the afternoon it had reached Kou-
Iatsinskoe, eighty versts farther on.
An hour after this it was on the banks
of the Irish. Omsk was now only
twenty versts distant. ~
The Irish is large river and one Of
the principal of those which flow to- |
ward the north Of Asia. Rising in the
Atai mountains, it flows from the
southeast to the northwest and emp
ties itself into the Obi after course of !
nearly 1000 yersts.
At this time Of year, when all the
rivers Of the Siberian basin are much |
swollen, the waters of the Irish were |
very high. In consequence the current |
was changed to a regular torrent, rem
lering the passage difficult enough. A
swimmer could not have crossed, how
ever powerful a one he might be, and
even in a ferryboat there would be
some danger. 81
But Michael and Nadia, determined /
o brave all perils whatever they, might T
De, did not dream Of shrinking from t
his one. s..I.s.! a- .,s F~-
However, Michael proposed to his
7oung companion that he should cross
irst, embarking in the ferryboat with
he tarantass and horses, as he feared
hat the weight of this load would rem
Ter it less safe. After landing the car
iage on the opposite bank he would
eturn and fetch Nadia. ..-
The girl refused. It would be the
lelay of an hour, and she would not
or her safety alone be the cause Of it.
The embarkation was made not with
ut difficulty, for the banks were partly
Looded and the boat could not get in
ear enough.
However, after half an hours exer-
lon the boatmen got the tarantass and
he three horses on board. Michael,
Jadia and the driver embarked also,
nd they showed off.
For few minutes all went well. A
title way up the river the current was
roken by z long point projecting from
he bank and formed an eddy easily
rossed by the boat. The two boatmen
ropelled their barge with long poles,
yhich they handled cleverly, but as
hey gained the middle Of the stream
grew deeper and deeper until at last
ney could only just reach the bottom.
he ends of the poles were only foot
bove the water, which rendered their
Sc difficult and insufficient. Michael
nd Nadia seated in the stern of the