Cañon City record., 1903-01-08
anining.

Kama. There she would leave the for
mer river after having descended II for
more than 400 versts to ascend the lat.
ter for AGO versts.
The Kama was here very wide. and
its wooded banks were lovely A few
white sails enlivened the sparkling wa
ter. The horizon was closed by line
of hills covered with aspens. alders
and sometimes large oaks.
But these beauties of nature could
not distract the thoughts of the young
Livonian even for an instant. She had
left her hand in that of her companion
and soon, turning to him, said:
"At what distance are we from Mos
cowP
mine hundred versts." answered Mi
chael
Mine hundred out OF seven thou
sandw
The bell now announced the break
fast hour. Nadia followed Michael
Strogoff to the restaurant. She ate lit
tie, as a poor girl whose means are
small would do. Michael Strogoff
thought 1t best to content himself with
the fare which satisfied his companion.
and in less than twenty minutes Mi.
chael Strogoff and Nadia returned oil
deck. There they seated themselves In
the stern, and without other preamble
Nadia. lowering her voice 50 as to be
heard by him alone, began:
Brother, | am the daughter of an ex-
lie. My name is Nadia Fedor. My
mother died at Riga scarcely a month
ago, and l am going to Irkutsk to re-
Join my father and share his exile"
81, too, am going to Irkutsk." answer
ed. Michael, land l shall thank heaven
II 1t enables me to give Nadia Fedor
safe into her fathers hands,
THANK you, brother" replied Nadia.
Michael Strogoff then added that he
had obtained a special poio.Oi.:a for
Siberia and that the Russian authori-
ties could in no way hinder him.
Nadia asked nothing more. She saw
In this fortunate meeting with Michael
a means only of accelerating her jour
ney to her father.
II had" said she. "a permit which
authorized me to go to Irkutsk, but the
order of the governor of Mini Novgo-
rod annulled that. and but for you.
brother, should have been unable to
iehNt bht toN anu
should have perished."
And dared you alone. Nadia" said
Michael, attempt to cross the steppes
of Siberian"
'The Tartar invasion was not known
when | left Riga" replied the young
girl. 1T was only at Moscow that
learned that news"
"And Notwithstanding that you con-
tinued your Journey"
''It was my duty"
This word showed the character of
the courageous girl.
She then spoke of her father, Wassili
Fedor. He was n much esteemed ply
sician at Riga. but his connection with
some secret society having been as
serted he received orders to start for
Irkutsk. and the police who brought
the order conducted him without delay
beyond the frontier. Wassili Fedor had
but time TO embrace his sick wife and
his daughter. so soon to be left alone.
when, shedding bitter tears. he was
led away.
A year and a half after her husbands
departure Nine. Fedor died in the arms
Of her daughter. who was thus left
uioht anu peliuhtss- C.
dor then asked and easily obtained
from the Russian government an au-
thorization to join her father at Ir-
kutsk. She wrote and told him she
was starting. She had barely enough
money for this long journey. and yet
she did not hesitate to undertake 1t.
She would do what she could. God
would do the rest.
The next day. the 10Th of July. the
Caucasus reached Perm. the last place
at which she touched on the Kama.
The government of which Perm IL
the capital is one of the largest in the
Russian empire and. extending over the
Ural mountains, encrOaches on Sibe-
rian territory. Marble quarries. mines
OF salt. platinum. gold and coal are
worked here on a large scale. Although
Perm by its situation has become an
important town. 1t is Dy no means at
tractive, being extremely muddy and
dirty and possessing no resources. This
want Of comfort is of no consequence
TO those going from Russia to Siberia.
for they come from the more civilized
districts and are supplied with all nee,
essaries. but TO those arriving from the
countries Of central Asia. after long
and fauguing journey. it would no
doubt be more satisfactory If the first
European town of the empire, situated
on the Asiatic frontier. were better sup
piled with stores.
At Perm the travellers sell their vehi.
cles, more or less damaged by the long
Journey across the plains of Siberia.
There. TOO, those passing from Europe
to Asia purchase carriages during the
summer and slelghs in the winter sea
son before starting for a several