The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-01-08

IL "a 5 ment brought all the
| 3 ~ members Of the council
toward the half open
EGSASggSs door, a courier from the
| SNSISSs cZar arrived at Irkutsk!
If the officers had re-
| fected for an instant on the improba-
bility of that fact, they would have GER
tainly considered it impossible.
The grand duke had quickly moved
toward his aid-de-camp.
THAT courier" said he.
4 man entered. Ie had the air Of
one worn out by fatigue. He wore the
costume Of a Siberian peasant, much
worn, even torn, and on which one
| could see bullet holes. 4 Russian bon
Let covered his head. A scar, badly
| healed crossed his face. The man had
xevidently followed long and trying
route. His shoes and stockings, in a
bad state, even proved that he had
made part Of his journey on foot.
His highness the grand duke?" said
he on entering.
care you courier from the czar?'
he asked him.
eyes, your highness.'
"You come FROM
Moscow"
"You left Moscow
''The 18th Of July
"You are called
Michael Strogoff.
It 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 20 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, 10 hasten by treason
and assassination the conclusion of the
drama of the invasion.
After the answer of Ivan Ogaref the
| grand duke made 4 sign, and all his
officers retired.
The fictitious Michael Strogof 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"
"Yes. your highnesS, and on the night
from the 18th to the 18th l saw his
majesty the car at the New palace"
"You have letter from the czar:"
Here t is"
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 highnesS, but was COM
PEELED to tear open the envelope IN or
der to better conceal it from the Tartar
soldiers
Have you. then, been q prisoner of
the Tartars"
eyes, your k;ghness, during 4 few
days." answered Ivan Ogaref. 1T is
on that account that, having set out
from Moscow on the 18th Of July, l
only arrived at Irkutsk on the I'd of
October after journey of sixty-n!ne
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 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 mistrust,' the
grand duke did not allow it to be seen.
and soon the rnistrust 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 it.
Taking up again the speech. he ask
ed:
Michael Strogoff, do you know the
contents Of this letter?'
Eyes, your highness. might have
been compelled to destroy it to prevent
it from falling into the hands Of the
Tartars, and if that should happen
wished to bring its contents TO your
highness."
do you know that this letter enjolns
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 INVASION?
"Yes, your highness. But those move
ments have not succeeded"
What do you mean?
81 wish to tell you that 1chim, Omsk,
Tomsk, not to speak Of other important
towns of the two iSiberias, have been
one after another occupied ty the SOL
diers Of Feofar-Khan."
But has there been battle? Have
our Cossacks ever met the Tartars"
Several times, your highress.'
"And they were repulsed?
"They-were not in sufficient strength
"Where have the encounters takeI
place Of which you speak?"
"At Kalyvan, at oomsk.'
Up to this time Ivan Ogaref 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 q third time before krasnoi-
| arsk"
And that last engagement" asked
the grand duke. whose firmly set lips
scarcely allowed the words to pass.
1T was more than an engagement,
your highness," answered Ivan Oga'
ref; "it was battle"
"a battle%
Twenty thousand Russians, coming
from the provinces Of the frontier and
from the government Of Tobolsk, came
into collision with force Of hundred
and fifty thousand Tartars, and in spite