Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-01-25

the courier Of the car. The young girl
took it after placing by her side mod.
i est travelling bag Of red leather which
i seemed to constitute her luggage. Then
seating herself with downcast eyes, she
4 prepared for journey which was still
to last several hours.
i Michael Strogof could not help look
4 ing attentiveIy at his newly arrived fell
i low traveller. As she was so placed as
to travel with her back to the engine,
4 he even offered her his seat, which she
might prefer to her own, but she thank
ed him with a slight bend Of her grace
A full neck.
4 The young girl appeared to be about
/ sixteen or seventeen years of age. Her
head, truly charming, was Of the purest
! Slavonic types-sligh Chilly severe, and
/ which would Whena few summers had
passed over her unfold into beauty
rather than mere prettiness. From be-
meath a sort of kerchief which she wore
on her head escaped in profusion light
/ golden hair. Her eyes were brown,
soft and expressive of much sweetness
of temper. The nose was straight and
sattachedto her pale and somewhat thin
| cheeks by delicate mobile nostrils. The
| lips were finely cut, but it seemed as If
they had long since forgotten how to
smile.
The young traveller was tall and up
right, as well as could be judged of her
| figure from the very simple and ample
pelisse that covered her. Although she
was still a very young girl in the liCeral
sense of the term, the development of
her high forehead and clearly cut fea-
lures gave the idea that she was the
possessor of great moral energy,
point which did not escape Michael
Strogof. Evidently this young girl had
already suffered in the past, and the
future doubtless did not present itself
to her in glowing colors. But it was
none the less certain that she had
known how to struggle and that she
had resolved to struggle still with the
trials Of life. Her energy was evident
~ prompt and persistent and her calm
ness unaltera BILE even under circum-
stances in which man would be likely
to give way or lose his self command
Such was the impression which she
produced at first sight. Michael Stro-
gof, being himself of an energetic tenn
permanent, was naturally struck by the
character OF her physiognomy, and,
while taking care not to cause her an
noyance by a too persistent gaze, he
observed his neighborgwith no small in
terest. The costume of the young trav.
eler was both extremely simple and
appropriate. She was not rich-that
could easily be seen-but not the slight
est mark of negligence was to be dis
cerned in her dress. All her luggage
was contained in leather bag under
lock and key, and which, for want of
room, she held on her lap.
81 She wore. long, dark pelisse, which
was gracefully adjusted at the neck by
a blue tie. Under this pelisse short
skirt, also dark, fell oyerNa robe which
reached to her ankles and Of which the
lower edge was or&mented with some /.
simple embroidery. Half boots of work
ed leather and thickly soled, as if cho-
sen in the anticipation Of long jour-
uey, COYeFeu ueF SIuau LeeI. rqsls5ss1s-t
Michael Strogof fancied that he rec
ognized by certain details the fashion
Of the costume of Livonia, and he
thought that his neighbor must be a
native of the Baltic provinces.
But whittier was this young girl go
ing alone at an age when the fostering
care of father or the protection of a
brother is considered matter of ne
cessity? Had she now come after an
already long journey from the prov
inces of western Russia? Was she
merely going to Mini Novgorod, or was
the end of her travels beyond the east
ern frontier of the empire? Would
some relation, some friend, await her
arrival by the train, or was it not |
more probable, on the contrary, that |
she would find herself as much isolated
in the town as she was in this COM
parfment, where no one, she must |
think, appeared to care for her? 1t
was proba bic.
Michael Strogof observed her with I
interest, but, himself reserved, he |
sought no opportunity of accosting her,
I
fore the arrival of the train at Mini |
Novgorod.
At last the train, at half past 8 in the
evening, arrived at the station of Mini 7
Noygorod.
Before any one could get Aout of the
carriages the inspectors Of police pre-
scented themselves at the doors and ex-
amined the passengers.
Michael Strogof showed his podo-
ROMA made out in the name Of Nicholas
Korpanoff. He lad consequently no
difficulty.
AS to the other travellers in the COM
partment, al bound for Mini Novgo-
rod their appearance, happily for them
was in noWise suspicious.
The young girl in her turn exhibited
not passport, since passports are no
longer required in Russia, but a permit
Endorsed with a private seal and which
seemed to be of special character
The inspector read the permit with at
tention. Then, having attentiyely ex-