Morris tribune., 1902-03-08
wnaI! You do not remember itf''

Il y
them, the shortest way is to be igno
rant Of them
This answer was characteristic ol
Nicholas Pigassof
However, the kibitka kept on it's easy
| course, which Michael Strogof would
! have liked to render more rapid, but
| Nicholas and his horse were accuStom
ed to a gait from which neither the one
nor the other could depart. The horse
walked for three hours and then rest
ed for one, and this day and night
During the halts the horse pastured
the travellers of the kibitka ate In com
pany with the faithful Serko. The XII.
bitka was provisioned for at least
twenty persons, and Nicholas had gen
erously placed the reserved food at the
disposal Of his two guests, whom he
believed to be brother and sister.
On the 22d of August the kibitka
reached the town Of Atchinsk, which
was $50 yersts from Tomsk. A hun.
dred and twenty versts still separated
it from Krasnoiarsk. No incident had
marked this journey. During the six
days they had been together Nicholas,
Michael Strogof and Nadia had re-
mained just the same, the one in his
unalterable ealmness, the other two
anxious and looking forward to the
moment when their companion would
separate from them.
On the evening of the 25th Of August
the kibitka was only half verst from
Krasnoiarsk. One could see on the
right and left the numerous wooden
crosses which are erected along the
road at the approaches to the town., It
was z O'clock at night.
The kibitka had stopped.
where are we, sisterW asked Mi.
chael Strogof. .ss
"a little over a half verst from the
first houses" answered Nadia.
Z ''Has the town, then, gone to sleepi
No noise strikes upon my ear"
Ten minutes afterward the kibitka
entered the principal street.
Krasnoiarsk was deserted! There was
not any longer an Athenian in this
"Athens Of the North" as it is called
by Nine. de Bourboulon. Not one OF
those equipages, so splendidly rigged
out, ratified along the handsome wide
streets. Not a foot passenger trod the
sidewalks that skirted those magnii.
cent houses Of wood, palatial in their
grandeur! p
Not a living soul remained in Kras.
noiarsk.
Michael Strogoff, Nadia and Nicholas
had not to search long for place in
which to rest. The first house Of which
they tried the door was empty, as were
all the rest. They found nothing there
but heap of leaves. For want OF
something better, the horse had to be
content with this meager food. As for
the provisions Of the kibitka, they were
not exhausted, and each one took his
share. Then, after having knelt be-
fore a modest picture of the Panaghia
that was hanging on the wall and
which the last fame Of a lamp still Lit
up, Nicholas and the young girl fell
asleep, while Michael Strogof remain.
ed awake, his anxiety driving away
all sleep.
The next day, 26th Of August, before
daybreak the kibitka was traversing
the park Of birch trees to reach the
banks of the Yenisei, which was cross.
ed by the little party on an improYised
raft. y
Michael Strogoff could at length be- !
lieve that the route was free as far as
Irkutsk. He had outstripped the Tar.
tars, and when the soldiers of the 'emiE |
should arrive at Krasnoiarsk they
would only find an abandoned town
there and no means % Immediate COM
between the evgO hanka az
the Ienisei; hence a delay or some days
until bridge Of boats, difficult to con-
struct, should open a passage to them.
For the first time since the unlucky
meeting with Ivan Ogarefss at Omsk
the courier of the czar felt himself less
Uneasy and could hope that no new
obstacle would arise to the accomplish.
nent Of his plans.
The kibitka, after having proceeded
Lbout fifteen vefsts toward the south.
asst, came to and retook the long high
Dad across the steppe.
On the 28th of August the travellers
lad passed the town Of Balaisk, which
vas eighty versts from Krasnoiarsk,
nd by the Goth that Of Ribinsk, forty
ersts from Balaisk.
The next day, after travelling more
han thirty-fve versts, they arrived at
Namsk, a more considerable town, wa
cred by the river Of the same name,
small afHuent of the Yenisei, which
escends from the mountains of Sa-
ansk. !
On going out from Kamsk Michael s
lformed Nadia and Nicholas that they
'ould find only one little town Of some {
Importance, Mini Oudinsk, before Ir-
utsk. Nicholas answered that he S
new that there was a telegraphic sta ]
on in that town. Therefore il Mini S
udinsk had been abandoned like
amsk he would certainly be obliged 4
seek for some occupation in the cap j
al Of eastern Siberia. 8
From Kamsk to the neighboring town s
I. -