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

graph operator.
"And you remained at your post 10
the last momentr
"Ehl 1t is especially at that moment
one ought TO be there"
cit was the day when an Englishman
and n Frenchman. rubles in their
hands, disputed the turn at your wick
ct, and when the Englishman telegraph
cd the first verses of the BibleT'
THAT. my good man, is possible. but
do not remember it"
"What! You do not remember itT'
81 never read the dispatches which l
transmit. My duty being to forget
them, the shortest way is to be igno-
rant OF them"
This answer was characteristic OF
Nicholas Pigassof.
However, the kibitka kept on its easy
course, which Michael Strogoff 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 be
believed to be brother and sister.
On the ODD of August the kibitka
reached the town of Atchinsk, which
was $50 versts from Tomsk. 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 Strogoff and Nadia had re-
manned just the same, the one in his
unalterable calmness, 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 a 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. 1t
was o'clock at night.
The kibitka had stopped.
"Where are we, sister" asked Mi
chael Strogoff.
"a little over a half verst from the
| first houses" answered Nadia.
HAS the town, then, gone to sleep?
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 equpages, so splendidly rugged
out, ratified along the handsome wide
streets. Not foot passenger trod the
sidewalks that skirted those magnif-
| grandeur!
Not a living soul remained in Kras-
noiarsk.
Michael Strogoff, Nadia and Nicholas
had not to search long for a 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 a heap of leaves. For want OF
something better, the horse had to be
content with this meager food. AS fol
the provisions of the kibitka, they were
not exhausted, and each one took his
share. Then, after having knelt be
fore n modest picture of the Panaghia
that was hanging on the wall ant
which the last flame of a lamp still lii
NtAI,D IL n,N1 AhA ~, 81 col
asleep, while Michael Strogoff remain
ed awake, his anxiety driving away
all sleep.
The next day, Goth of August, befor,
daybreak the kibitka was traversins
the park of birch trees to reach the
banks of the Yenisei, which was cross
ed by the little party on an improviseC
raft.
Michael Strogoff could at length be
lieve that the route was free as far a
Irkutsk. He had outstripped the Tar
tars, and when the soldiers of the emf
should arrive at KraSnoarSk the,
would only find an abandoned tow
there and no means of immediate com
munication between the two banks o
the Yenisei; hence delay of some day
until bridge of boats, difficult to con
struct, should open passage to them
For the first time since the unluck
meeting with Ivan Ogarer at Omsl
the courier Of the car felt himself les
uneasy and could hope that no ney
obstacle would arise to the accomplish
ment of his plans.
The kibitka, after having proceede
about fifteen versts toward the south
east, came to and retook the long higl
road across the steppe.
On the 2Sth OF August the traveller
had passed the town of Balaisk. whic
was eighty versts from Krasnoiarsl
and by the Goth that of Ribinsk, fort
versts from Balaisk.
The next day, after travelling NOR
than thirty-five versts, they arrived a
Kamsk, more considerable town, wa