Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-03-23
The Courier
of the Gar
By jules Verne

Ogaren, who availed himself OF this
opportunity TO have daily relations
with the commandant. Did the rene
gade think he could turn that circum
stance to his own proht7 Did he judge
all men by himself7 Could he believe
that Russian, even n political exile,
could be so mean as to betray his coun-
try? Whatever was the case, Ivan
Ogareff met with skillfully feigned ca
gerness all the advances made to him
by the father OF Nadia. The latter, the
very next morning after the arrival OF
the pretended courier, went TO the pal
ace OF the governor general. There he
informed Ivan Ogareff OF the clrcum.
stances under which his daughter had
to leave European Russia and told him
now what was his anxiety in her re-
gard.
Ivan Ogaref did not know Nadia, al
though he had met her at the post
house of Ichm the day on which she
was there with Michael Strogoff. But
then he had paid no more attention to
her than the two journalists, who were
at the same time In the posthouse. He
could not therefore give any news OF
his daughter to WassilI Feodor.
But at what time" asked Ivan Oga-
ref, had your daughter to leave Rus
sian territory
AT nearly the same time as you," re-
piled Wasslli Feodor.
Il quilted Moscow on the 18th Of
July"
"And Nadia also had to leave Moscow
on that date. Her letter told me so ex-
pressly."
"She was Mt Moscow on the 18th of
JulyT asked Ivan Ogareff.
Yes, ceI\nly at that date"
Every WELL" replied Ivan Ogareff.
Then, recollecting himself, he added:
"But, no; l was forgetting. | was
about to confound dates. 1t is unfortu-
nately too probable that your daugh-
ter has had to cross the frontier, and
only one hope remains-that she may
have stopped on receiving news Of the
Tartar invasionr
Wassill Feodor hung down his head.
He knew Nadia, and he knew well that
nothing would prevent her setting or.
BY this statement Ivan Ogareff had
just committed gratuitously an act of
real cruelty. With one word he could
reassure Wassili Feodor.
Although Nadia had passed the FROM
tier under the circumstances previous
ly described, Wassili Feodor, by COM
pairing the date ut which his daughter
was certainly at Mini Novgorod and
the date OF the order forbldding any one
TO leave II, would without doubt draw
this conclusion-that Nadia could not
have been exposed to the dangers OF
an invasion and that she was still, in
tory Of the empire.
Ivan Ogareff might have said that
word. He did not say IT, Wassili Fec.
dor withdrew heartbroken. After that
interview his last hope was destroyed
During the two following days the
grand duke several times asked for
the pretended Michael Strogoff and had
him repeat all that he had heard in the
imperial cabinet OF the New palace.
Ivan Ogareff, prepared for all those
questions, answered without ever hest
tating. He did not conceal designedly
that the government of the ear had
been altogether taken by surprise by
the invasion; that the rising had beer
prepared with the greatest secrecy
that the Tartars were already masters
of the line OF the Obi when the news
reached Moscow, and finally that moth
ing was ready in the Russian provinces
TO throw into Siberia troops sufficient
to repel the invaders.
Afterward Ivan Ogareff, entirely
free in his movements, began to study
Irkutsk, the state of its Notifications
their weak points, in order eventually
to make use Of those observations Il
any circumstance should prevent thu
consummation OF his treason. He de
voted himself more particularly to tn,
examination of the Bolchaia gate
which he intended treacherously to sur
render. Twice at night he came to in
spect that gate and the fertilization
around Il. He walked about there with
out any fear OF exposing himself to tn,
missiles OF the besiegers. whose frs
posts were less than a verst from the
ramparts. He knew well that he wa
not exposed-nay, even that he wa
recognized. He had had a glimpse o
n shadow which had glided TO the foo
of the ramparts.
Sangarre. risking her life. had jus
come to try to put herself in communi
cation with Ivan Ogareff. Besides, tn
besieged for two days had enjoyed
tranquility TO which they had not beer
accustomed since the Tartars first in
vested Irkutsk. 1t was by order o
Ivan Ogareff.