Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-03-16

1t was Ivan Ogareff. He had taken
the name and position of the man
whom lie 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 a will of iron, TO hasten by treason
and assassination the conclusion of the
drama of the invasion.
After the answer of Ivan Ogaref the
grand duke made a 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 14th to the 10Th / saw his
majesty the car at the New palace"
You have n letter from the car"
"Here it 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 l was COM
PEELED to tear open the envelope in or
der to better conceal it from the Tartar
soldiers"
Have you, then, been a prisoner of
the Tartars?"
Eyes, your highness, during a few
days." answered Ivan Ogareff. cit 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 a journey Of sixty-nine
days"
The grand duke took the letter. He
unfolded it and recognized the sigma
ture of the car, 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 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 it.
Taking up again the speech, he ask
| ed:
Michael Strogoff. do you know the
contents of this letter?'
Eyes, your highness. l 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 it's contents TO your
| highness."
do you know that this letter enjoins
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"
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 been
one after another occupied by the sol
diers Of Feofar-Khan."
"But has there been a battle? Have
our Cossacks ever met the Tartars"
Several times, your highness."
"And they were repulsed"
'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 Irkutsk by
exaggerating the advantages obtained
by the troops Of the emir, he added:
''And a third time before Krasnoi
arsk."
And that last engagement asked
the grand duke, whose firmly set lip:
scarcely allowed the words to pass.
'It was more than an engagement
your highness," answered Ivan Oga
ref; sit was battle"
"a battleY'
Twenty thousand Russians, coming
from the provinces of the frontier ant
from the government Of Tobolsk, came
into collision with force of hundred
and fifty thousand Tartars, and in spite
of their courage they have been ami
hilated."
"You liew cried the grand duke, wh'
endeavored, but in vain, to master hi
anger.
Il tell the truth, your highness," cool
ly replied Ivan Ogareff. Il was pres
ent at that battle Of Krasnoiarsk, ant
1t is there where was made prisoner!
The grand duke became calm, and b.
. sign he gave Ivan Ogaren to under
stand that he did not doubt bis verac
ity.
| HOn What dor did fh;o hof a,