The Iola register., 1902-02-21

michael Strogoff." y
1t was Ivan Ogareff. He had taken
the name and position of the man
whom he believed to be powerless
Neither the grand duke nor any other
person in Irkutsk knew him. He had
not even needed to disguise his fea-
lures. AS he had the means of proving
his pretended Identity, no one could
doubt him. He came, then, sustained
by will of iron, to hasten by treason
and assasslQtl ton the conclusion of the
drama of ~ invasion.
After the answer of Ivan Ogareff the
grand duke made sign, and all his
officers retired.
The fictitious Michael Strogoff and he
remained alone in the room.
The grand duke looked at Ivan Oga-
ref for some seconds and with the
greatest attention. Then he asked him:
you were on the 10Th of July at
Moscow"
eyes, your hghness, and on the night
from the 14th to the 10Th / saw his
majesty the czar at the New palace
"You have n letter from the czarY &
Here it ls."
And Ivan Ogareff handed TO the
grand duke the imperial letter, reduced
to dimensions almost microscopic. =
"Was that letter given to you in that
state?" asked the grand duke.
"No, your hlghness, but l was COM
PEELED to tear open the envelope in or
der to better conceal it from the Tartar
soldiers"
"Have you, then, been a prisoner of
the Tartars?"
"Yes, your highness, during n few
days." answered Ivan Ogareff. "It is
on that account that, having set out
from Moscow on the 18th of July,
only arrived at Irkutsk ON the I'd of
October after a journey Of sixty-nine
days"
The grand duke took the letter. He
unfolded 1t and recognized the sigma
ture of the czar, preceded by the sacra-
mental formula, written with his own
hand. Hence there was no possible
doubt concerning the authenticity of
that letter nor indeed concerning the
identity of the courier. If his fierce
look at first inspired mstrust, the
grand duke did not allow II to be seen,
and soon the mistrust disappeared al
together.
The grand duke remained some mo-
ments without speaking. He was read
ing slowly the letter in order to thor
oughly gather the sense of 1t.
Taking up again the speech, he ask
ed:
"Michael Strogofr. do you know the
contents of this letterT
"Yes, your highneSs. l might have
been compelled to destroy 1t to prevent
it from falling into the hands of the
Tartars, and If that should happen l
wished to bring its contents TO your
highness."
"Do you know that this letter enjoins
us to die at Irkutsk rather than sur
render the city?"
81 know It,"
"Do you also know that it points out
the movements of the troops who have
combined to check the invasionW
"Yes, your hlghness. But those move
ments have not succeeded"
"What do you mean"
81 wish to tell you that Ichim, Omsk,
Tomsk, not to speak of other important
towns of the two Slberias, have been
one after another occupied by the SOL
diers of Feofar-Khan."
But has there been battle? Have
our Cossacks ever met the TartarsY
Several times, your highness."
"And they were repulsedW
"They were not in sufficient strength" )"
"Where have the encounters taken
place of which you speakW
AT Kalyvan, at Tomsk."
Up to this time Ivan Ogareff had only
told the truth, but with the object of
fighting the defenders of Irkutsk by
exaggerating the advantages obtained
by the troops Of the emir, he added:
And n third time before Krasnoi-
arsk"
And that last engagement asked
the grand duke, whose firmly set lips
scarcely allowed the words to pass.
at was more than an engagement,
your highness," answered Ivan Oga-
ref; ait was battle"
"a battle"
Twenty thousand Russians, coming
Aipih bhV Va lhV AAOhhiSA ohA
from the government of Tobolsk, came
into collision with force of a hundred
and fifty thousand Tartars, and in spite
of their courage they have been ami
hllated"
"You lie." cried the grand duke, who
endeavored, but in vain, to master his
anger.
II tell the truth. your highness," cool
ly replied Ivan Ogareff. II was pres
ent at that battle Of Krasnolarsk, and
1t is there where l was made prisonerv'
The grand duke became calm, and by
n sign he gave Ivan Ogareff to under
stand that he did not doubt his verac-
ity.
ION what day did this battle of
Krasnoiarsk take placer he asked.
son the 0d Of Spntnm her -