Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-03-30

hand IN instant later would have deliv-
cred up the city.
"Ivan ogareffw cried she.
On hearing his name pronounced the
miserable wretch trembled. His true
name being once known, all his plans
would be ruined. He had only one
thing TO do-to kill the being. whoever
IL might be. who had just pronounced
It Ivan Ogareff threw himself on Ma
dla, but the young girl, with 4 knife in
her hand, placed her back to the wall,
resolved to defend herself.
Ivan Ogareffr' cried again Nadia,
knowing well that detested name would
bring succor to her.
"Ah, you shall be silentp' said the
traitor.
Ivan Ogareffw' cried third time the
intrepid young girl in a voice whose
hate had increased tenfold the force.
Drunk with fury, Ivan Ogareff drew
n dagger from his belt, rushed upon
Nadia and forced her back into q cor
ner Of the room. 1t was all over with
her when the wretch, suddenly knock
ed down by n tremendous blow, rolled
to the ground.
"AIichaelI' cried Nadia.
1t was Michael Strogoff. Michael
Strogoff had heard the appeal of Nadia.
Guided by her voice, he had arrived at
the room Of Ivan Ogareff, and he had
entered by the door which had been
left open.
Fear nothing, Nadia" he said as he
placed himself between her and Ivan
Ogareff.
"Ah," screamed the young girl, "take
care, brother. The traitor is armed!
He can see wellp'
Ivan Ogareff had risen, and, believ-
ing thatshe had the advantage over a
blind man, he threw himself upon Mi
chael Strogoff. But with one hand Mi
chael seized the arm of him who could
see well and with the other, turning
aside his weapon, he threw him a Sec
ond time to the ground.
Ivan Ogaref, pale with fury and
shame, remembered that he was carry
ing a sword. He drew it from the
scabbard and returned to the combat
He had also recognized Michael Stro-
goff. A blind man! He had only, in
short, to deal with blind man.
Nadia, terrified at the danger which
threatened her companion in such an
unequal struggle, ran to the door, call.
ing help.
shut that door, Nadia" said Michael
Strogoff. "Do not call any one, and let
mo do re h>o
nothing to fear today from this wretch.
Let him come at me IL be dare. am
waiting for him."
Meanwhile Ivan Ogareff, gathering
himself together, as it were, like IT,
ger did not utter O word. The noise
OF his step, his very breathing, he
would have wished to keep back from
the ear Of the blind man. He wished
to strike him before even he had any
warning of his approach, to strike him
with a certain blow. The traitor did
not dream Of fighting, but Of assas-
sinating him whose name he had sto-
len.
Nadia, frightened, yet at the same
time confident. contemplated with a
sort of admiration that terrible scene
It seemed that the old GOODNESS had
come back to him.
Michael Strogoff had as his only
weapon his Siberian knife. and he could
not see his adversary, who was even
armed with sword. But by what
favor from heaven was be able to ever
power him?
Ivan Ogareff glanced at his adversary
with q visible anxiety. That superhu-
man calmness worked upon him. In
vain, appealing to his reason, he kept
saying that in the inequality Of such a
combat all the advantage was in his
favor. That immovableness of the
blind man completely froze him. he
had sought with his eyes the place
/ where he must strike his victim. He
had found 1t. Who, then, was prevent.
ing him from giving the finishing blow
At length he made blow and thrust
his sword full at the breast of Michael
Strogoff.
An imperceptible movement of the
knife Of the blind man turned the blow
Michael Strogoff had not been touched
and coolly seemed to walt another at
tack without, however, challenging 1t.
A cold sweat ran from the face Of
Ivan Ogaref. He recoiled pace. ther
made another thrust. But the SECOND
blow, like the first. fell harmless. A
simple parrying with the large knife
had suficed to turn aside the sword o.
the traitor. The latter, mad with rag
and terror before that living statue
! fixed his terrified look on the larg'
open eyes Of the blind man. Thos'
eyes that seemed to read the very bot
tom Of his heart and which could no
see-those eyes seemed to have for hin
an awful fascination.
Suddenly Ivan OgareR gave a cry
An unexpected light had entered hi
brain.
NgHa oap soops ~riod no H1a CaI