The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-05-17
grand duke.

ITOul VI tie hlDilhd.
"Ahv' said Nicholas.
"What is the matter, friend?' asroa
Michael Strogoff eagerly, as 8 hlInd
man whom the least noise held on tbs
watch.
did you not seeY said Nichols.
whose smiling face suddenly became
cloudy.
Then he added:
'Ah, no, you could not see and If /.
happy for you, good father"
But l have seen nothing" said Ma.
dia.
$50 much the better! So much tho
better! But II have seem"
''What was it, then?" asked Michae,
Strogoff.
"a hare that came across our patbm
answered Nicholas.
In Russia when a hare crosses the
path of traveller popular telief looks
upon it as a sign Of approaching evil.
Nicholas, superstitious as are the
greater part Of the Russians, had ston-
ped the kibitka.
Michael Strogoff understood the hes.
itation of his companion, although he
did not share his credulity regarding
hares crossing the path and he wished
to reassure him.
eve have nothing to fear, friend.r
he said to him.
Nothing for you nor for her, know.
good father" answered Nicholas, "but
for me"
And, continuing. said he:
at is my destiny"
And he again put his horse to the
trot.
Meanwhile, in spite of the sad prog.
nostications, the day passed by with
out any accident
Next day, Sept. 8, at noon the kibitks
halted at the town of Alsalevsk, as de-
serted as was the surrounding country.
There on the threshold of house
Nadia found two of those knives with
long, sharp blades used by Siberian
hunters. She gaVe-one Of them to MI
chael Strogoff who hid it under his
coat, and she kept the other for her
self. The kibitka was not more than
sixty-fve versts from Mini Oudinsk.
Nicholas during the last two days
had not been able to regain his usual
good humor. The evil omen had fleet
ed him more than one could have be-
iieved, and he who up to that time had
never remained an hour without talk
ing had now long spells Of silence, from
which even Nadia could with difficulty
withdraw him.
In spite Of all his somewhat fatalistic
resignation he would not believe him
self safe except within the walls of
Irkutsk. Many Russians would have
thought like Nicholas, and more than
one, pulling the bride of his horse,
would have turned back after seeing
hare cross their path.
The next day, toward o'clock in the
afternoon, Nicholas deserted on the
horizon the high belfres Of the church
es Of Mini Oudinsk. They were crown
ed with thick columns Of vapor which
could not be clouds.
Nicholas and Nadia looked and COM
municated to Michael Strogoff the re-
suit of their observations. They must
decide their course of action at once.
If the town had been abandoned, they
could pass through it without any risk,
but if by movement that they could
not explain the Tartars already occu-
pied it they must turn it at any price.
LET us advance prudently," said Mi
chael Strogoff, but let us advance"
Another verst was made.
He was about to propose to Nicholas
to leave the route and in case of neces-
sity only to regain it after having turn
ed Mini Oudinsk, when the sound of
gun was heard on the right. A ball
Missed, and the horse in the kibitka,
struck in the head, fell dead.
At the same instant, a dozen horse
men threw themselves on the road, and
the kibitka was surrounded. Michael
Strogoff, Nadia and Nicholas, without
having had time to recover themselves,
were prisoners and being led rapidly
toward Mini Oudinsk
The next day, 18th Of September the
detachment passed through the town
of Chibarlinskoe
At that time an incident occurred
which was to have very serious conse-
quences.
The night had come. The Tartar
horsemen, having had a halt, were
more or less drunk. They were about
to continue their journey.
Nadia, who up to that time, as though
by a miracle, had been respected by
those soldiers. was insulted by one OF
them.
Michael Strogoff had been. able to see
neither the insult nor the insulting per-
son, but Nicholas had seen for him.
Then quietly, without having reject
ed, without perhaps having any con-
seriousness of his action, Nicholas mace
straight for the soldier. and before the
latter could make any movement 10
stop him, snatching a pistol from the
pommel of his saddle. he discharged II
full at his breast.
The officer who had command OF the
detachment ran up Immediately at the
sound of the pistol
The horsemen were about to cut Nicn-
OlaS In pieces but at q sign from the