CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1903-03-19

roil' bifhs VI Iist 'cHS uP hinhP
peared amid the high clouds of hea ven
Michael Strogon listened. Nadia look
ed af the plain. lii up with flashes of
lightning In rapid succession. but she
saw nothing.
And yet a voice came again. which
this time niurmured in olaintive tone.
"MIchaelv'
Then dog. all bleeding. came bound
1 ing up TO Nadia. 1t was Serko
Nicholas could not be far away. He
alone could murmur that name Of MI
] chael. Where was he; Nadia had not
even the strength TO call out to him.
Michael Strogor. lying on the ground.
searched with his hand.
Suddenly Serko gave a fresh bark
and rushed toward a gigantic bird.
which was ella awing the ground.
II was a vuiture. When Serko pre-
I cipitated himself upon II. II rose up;
but. returning to the charge. 1t struck
the dog.
He again renewed the attack. but he
received a blow on the head from that
/ terrible beak. and this time Serko fell
back dead on the ground.
At the same time a cry of horror es-
capped from Nadia
| There. therer' said she.
A head rose just above the ground.
1t would have struck against their feet
had II not been for the intense bright
ness that the heavens cast upon the
steppe.
Nadia fell on her knees near that
head.
Nicholas. buried up TO the neck. ac-
! ~. -
/ Tarars. had been abandoned on the
steppe TO there die of hunger and thirst
and perhaps TO be torn into pieces by
the fangs OF wolves or the beaks OF birds
OF prey. A most horrible punishment
/ for the victim thus Imprisoned In the
earth. who presses the earth without
being a5ie to cast II on. having his
arms tied and fastened to bis body like
those OF a corpse in a coffin. The VIC
tim. living In this clay mold. which he
is unable to brrak. can do nothing but
l implore death. which Is too slow in
coming.
II was there the Tartars had Inferred
their prisoner for three days For
three days Nicholas had been waiting
for succor. ftc3 had come Mt last too
late.
The vnitures had perceived that head
exposed to the suns rays. and for some
hours the dog defended his master
against these ferocious birds.
Michael Strogon dug the earth with
his claspknife to release 1, from that
imprisoned body.
The eyes OF Nicholas. closed until
then. once more opened themselves
II
Then he murmured:
"Adieu. friends I am happy TO have
seen you once more. Pray for me"
And these words werr the last.
Michael Strogon continued to dig the
soil. which. being strongly troslden
down, had the ha ardness OF rock. and
nt length he succeeded in drawing from
IL the body Of the unfortunate mau.
He listened II his heart still beat IL
beat nc more,
He wished then to bury II. that II
might not remain exposed on ,he
steppe. and that hole In which Nicho-
lhs had been buried alive he enlarged
and decpcncd In such a manner as to
be able to lay him there when dead.
The faithful Serko was placed near his
MASTER.
AT that moment great noise yis
heard on the road about half a v>rst
away.
Michael StrogofY listened.
! By the noise he knew at once that q
detachment OF cavalry was advancing
toward the Dinka-
voice.
At his voice Nadia. who had remained
In prayer. rose up.
you see them! You see thcm.' he
said to her.
THE Tartars," she murmured.
II was indeed the advance guard OF
the cmir which was defiling quickly on
the road to Irkutsk.
They shall cot prevent me from in
terrlng him." said Michael Strogor.
And he continued his work.
Soon Nicholas body, with his hands
Joined on his breast. was laid In the
tomb. Michael Strogoff and Nadia,
knecing down. prayed the last time for
that poor being. good and inoffensive.
who through dcvotedncss to them had
lost his life.
"And now" said Michael, throwing
back the earth, "the wolves OF the
steppe shall not devour him."
Then his hand stretched In menace
toward the troop Of horsemen which
was passing.
"on our journey, Nadiar' said he.
Michael Strogoff could no longer fol.
low the highroad. now occupied by the
Tartars. He must throw himself across
the steppc and turn Irkutsk. In doing
this they would have to cross the Din
ka and thus would be relieved from one
great anxiety.
Nadia could no longer drag herself