Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-01-28

he on entering.
The grand duke went up to him.
"Are you a courier from the czarT
he asked him.
"Yes. your highness."
"YOu come FROM
Moscow"
"You left Moscow
1.-THE 10Th Of july"
"YOu are called
"Michael Strogoff."
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 assassination the conclusion Of the
drama Of the 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 ut Ivan Oga
ref for some seconds and with the
greatest attention. Then he asked him
You were on the 18th Of July al
Moscow"
"Yes. your highneSs, and on the nigh,
from the 18th to the 18th ! saw his
majesty the czar at the New palace"
"You have n letter from the czar?'
Here it is"
And Ivan Ogarefr handed to the
grand duke the imperial letter, reduced
to dimensions almost microscopic.
WAS that letter given to you in tina,
state?" asked the grand duke.
"No. your highness, but was com
PEELED to tear open the envelope In or
der to better conceal 1t from the Tartar
soldiers"
Have you, then, been prisoner Of
the Tartars"
"Yes, your highness, during few
days." answered Ivan Ogaref. 1T 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 journey OF sixty-nine
days"
The grand duke took the letter. he
unfolded it and recognized the sigma
ture of the czar, preceded by the sacra'
mental formula, written with his OWL
hand. Hence there was no possible
doubt concerning the authenticity OF
that letter nor indeed concerning the
identity Of the courier. II his fierce
look at first inspired mistrust, the
grand duke did not allow 1t 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 Strogoff. do you know the
contents of this letterr
Eyes, your highness. l might have
been compelled to destroy 1t to preven.
1t from falling into the hands Of the
Tartars. and IL that should happen
wished to bring It's contents 10 your
highness."
"Do you know that this letter enjoins
US to die at Irkutsk rather than sur
render the cityY
IL know II"
"Do you also know that 1t points on,
the movements of the troops who have
combined to check the invasion|
Eyes. your highness. 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 Siberias. have beer
one after another occupied by the sol
diers Of Feofar-Khan."
"But has there been a battle? Have
our Cossacks ever met the TartarsT
SeNeEul yOut
"And they were repulsedw
"They were not In sufficient strength
"Where have the encounters taker
place Of which you speak"
"At Kalyvan. at Tomsk."
Up to this time Ivan Ogareff had only
told the truth. but with the object Of
fighting the defenders OF lrkutsk oJ
exaggerating the advantages obtained
by the troops of the emir, he added:
"And a third time before Krasnoi
arsk."
And that last engagements? asked
the grand duke. whose firmly set lip!
scarcely allowed the words to pass.
at was more than an engagement
your highness." answered Ivan Oga
ref; lit was Il battle"
"A battle?
"Twcnty thousand Russians. comm,
from the provinces Of the frontier ant
from the government Of TobOlsk. CAM
into collision with a force Of hundred
and fifty thousand Tartars. and In spit
of their courage they nave peen ann'
hilated."
"You lie! cried the grand duke. VIII
endeayored. but in vain. to master Ill
anger.
Il tell the truth, your highness." cool
ly replied Ivan Ogareff. II was pres
eut at that battle of KrasnOiarsk. ant
n is there where | was made prisoner!
The grand duke became calm. and b!
q sign he gave Ivan Ogareff to under
stand that he did not doubt bis verac
ity.
ION what day did this battle o
Krasnoiarsk take placer he asked.
ION the I'd of September"
"And now all the Tartar forces ar
! concentrated around IrkutskT