Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-03-02

W AAahC AAC dthGL1PA
Alcide Jolivet ut once placed himself
in communication with the old mariner
and asked passage for his companion
and himself. offering to pay the fare he
fixed. whatever it might be.
Here one does not pay anything"
gravely answered the old mariner.
Zone risks his life: that is ALL
The two journalists embarked, and
Nadia saw them take their place in the
fore part of the raft.
Harry Blount was always the cold
Englishman who had scarcely address
ed a word to her during the whole Jour-
ney across the Ural mountains. Alcide
JOlivet seemed little more grave than
usual. and one would acknowledge that
his gravity was justified by that OF the
circumstances.
Alcide Jolivet was then installed on
the fore part Of the raft. when he felt
O hand rest on his arm. He turned
round and recognized Nadia. the sister
Of him who was no longer Nicholas
Korpanoff. but Michael Strogoff, cou-
rier Of the car. A cry of surprise was
about to escape him when he saw the
young girl place her finger on her lips.
Come" said Nadia to him.
And. assuming an air Of Indifference.
Alcide Joliyet. making a sign to Harry
Blount to accompany him. followed her.
But If the surprise of the journalists
was great at meeting Nadia on that
raft 1t was without limits when they
perceived Michael Strogoff. whom they
I-f.@ g. ~ -t.U off
chael Strogof had not moved at their
approach.
Alcide Jolivet had turned himself to-
ward the young girl.
Gentlemen. he does not see you,"
said the young girl. "The Tartars have
burned out his eyes! My poor brother
is Blind"
A deep feeling of pity was pictured
on the face of Alcide Jolivet and his
companion.
An instant afterward both of them,
seated near Michael Strogoff. warmly
shook his hands and waited for him to
speak.
"Gentlemen," said Michael Strogoff
IN a low voice, you must not know
who am nor what l came to do in ST.
IBERIA. | beg you to respect my secret.
Do you promise me"
ION my honor" answered Alcide JOLT
vet.
ION my faith as gentleman" added
Harry Blount.
VERY well. gentlemen"
"Can we be of any use to you?" ask
ed Harry Blount. would you wish
US to help you to accomplish your
task?'
! 81 prefer to act alone" said Michael
Strogoff.
j But those scoundrels have burned
: out your sight," said Alcide Jolivet.
81 have Nadia, and her eyes suffice"
! Half an hour later the raft, after
having left the little port of Twentieth
naia, was fairly in the river. 1t was
o'clock in the evening. Night was fast
coming on. 1t would be very dark and
i very cold also for the temperature was
already below zero.
Alcide Jolivet and Harry Blount, al
though they had promised Michael
Strogoff to keep his secret, yet did not
leave his side. They spoke in q low
voice, and the blind man, putting what
he already knew to what they now told
him, was enabled to form an exact idea
of the state of affairs.
He was certain that the Tartars were
actually investing Irkutsk and that the
three columns had already formed a
junction. One could not therefore doubt
that the emir and Ivan Ogareff were
before the capital
But why that haste to arrive there
of the courier of the car. now that the
emperor's letter could no longer be re-
mitted by him to the grand duke, and
he did not even know it's contents? AL
eide Jolivet and Harry Blount could
no more understand than could Nadia.
Besides, they had not spoken of the
past up to the moment when Alcide
Jolivet thought it his duty to say to
Michael Strogoff:
1--WE almost owe you some excuses
for not having shaken hands with you
before our separation at the posthouse
of Ichim.'
mo; you had a right to believe me a
| coward"
Anyhow" added Alcide Jolivet, you
have splenddly whipped that villain
and he will carry the marks of it a long
time"
NO, not long time," simply answer.
ed Michael Strogoff.
In half an hour after the departure
from Livenitchnaia Alcide Joliyet and
Harry Blount had heard all the details
of the cruel trials through which Mi
chael Strogoff and his companion had
successfully passed. They could moi
but openly admire an energy which the
devotedness of the young girl alone
had been able to equal. And of Mi
chael Strogoff they had formed the
very same opinion which had been sc
well expressed by the car at Moscow
Gin truth, he is a manr'