Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-02-23

On going out from Kamsk Michael
Informed Nadia and Nicholas that they
would find only one little town of some
Importance. Mini Oudinsk. before IT.
kutsk. Nicholas answered that he
knew that there was telegraphic sta
/ ton in that town. Therefore If Mini
Oudinsk had been abandoned like
Kamsk he would certainly be obliged
TO seek for some occupation in the cap
ital of eastern Siberia.
From kamsk to the neighboring town
was very long. about a hundred and
thirty versts.
! After having crossed the little river
/ OF Biriousa the kibitka reached Biriou-
/ sinsk on the morning of the 4th of Sep
/ TENDER. There, very fortunately. Mich
| olas, who saw his provisions becoming
/ exhausted, found in an abandoned bake
/ house a dozen cakes, prepared with
mutton fat, and q large supply of boil
! ed rice.
| After reasonable halt they contin-
ued their journey once more on the aft
crnoon of the Sth of September. The
| distance to Irkutsk was not more than
| 800 versts. Nothing in their rear sig
| nailed the advance guard of the Tar
| tars. Michael Strogoff had therefore
settled down to think that his journey
would not again be interrupted and
that in eight days or in ten at the most
| he would be in the presence of the
| grand duke.
| In coming out of Biriousinsk a hare
crossed the road about thirty PAGES in
front of the kibitka.
"Ahr' said Nicholas.
"What is the matter, friend" asked
Michael Strogoff eagerly, as a blind
man whom the least noise held on the
watch.
did you not see?" said Nicholas,
whose smiling face suddenly became
cloudy.
Then he added:
"Ah, no, you could not see, and it is
happy for you, good father!'
But have seen nothing" said Ma
dia.
$50 much the better! So much the
better! But II have seenp'
what was it, then?" asked Michael
Strogoff.
"a hare that came across our PATH"
answered Nicholas.
| In Russia when q hare crosses the
path of a traveller popular belief looks
upon it as a sign of approaching evil.
Nicholas, superstitious as are the
greater part of the Russians, had stop
ped the kibitka.
Michael Strogoff understood the hes
itation of his companion, although he
did not share his credulity regarding
hares crossing the path, and he wished
to reasSure him.
eve have nothing to fear, friend"
he said to him.
Nothing for you nor for her, know,
good father" answered Nicholas, "but
for mer'
And, continuing. said he:
ut is my destiny"
And he again put his horse to the
trot.
Meanwhile, in spite of the sad prog
nostications, the day passed by with
out any accident.
Next day, Sept. 8, at noon the kibitka
halted at the town of Alsalevsk, as de-
serted as was the surrounding country.
There on the threshold of a house
Nadia found two of those knives with
long, sharp blades used by Siberian
hunters. She gave one of them to Mi
chael Strogoff, who hid it under his
coat, and she kept the other for her
self. The kibitka was not more than
siXty-five versts from Mini Oudinsk.
Nicholas during the last two days
had not been able to regain his usual
good humor. The evil omen had affect
ed him more than one could have be-
lieyed, and he who up to that time had
never remained an hour without talk
ing had now long spells of silence, from
which even Nadia could with difficulty
withdraw him.
In spite of all his somewhat fatalistit
resignation he would not believe him
self safe except within the walls OF
Irkutsk. Many Russians would have
thought like Nicholas, and more thar
one, pulling the bride of his horse
would have turned back after seeing 6
hare cross their path.
The next day, toward o'clock in tht
afternoon, Nicholas deserted on the
horizon the high belfries of the church
es Of Mini Oudinsk. They were crown
ed with thick columns of vapor which
: could not be clouds.
Nicholas and Nadia looked and com
municated to Michael Strogoff the re
suit of their observations. They mus
decide their course Of action at once
= II the town had been abandoned, the.
could pass through it without any risk
) but if by a movement that they coult
l not explain the Tartars already occu
pied it they must turn it at any price.
? "Let us advance prudently," said MI
chael Strogoff, 'but let us advance|
; Another verst was made.
t He was about to propose to Nicholas
: to leave the route and in case of neces