Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
A SIBERIAN ExlLE-s SURPRISE.
IOriginal.l


high roller. He spent money like
king, was generous. impulSive and
knew no such word as fear or fail
While abroad Chauncey had three
meetings with a girl of twenty. the
daughter of a Russian nobleman. The
first and second meetings We're social;
the third was seeing her marched with
an exile gang TO Siberia.
There is place in that cold country
called Kara, where there are gold
mines and prisons. The prisoners are
worked in the mines. curiously enough
producing in misery the wherewithal
for the bureaucratS of Russia TO live III
luxury. One morning an American APP
peared at the headquarters of the colo
mel commanding the prisons and. an
nouncing himself as Chauncey Eaton,
correspondent for one OF the great
New York newspapers, requested per-
mission to inspect the prisons. The
colonel received him politely and show
ed him all he cared to lave him see.
Eaton made an excuse of writing up
his notes to remain there some time.
He was lodged with subordinate pris-
mel had ordered to watch his every
movement.
One day Eaton took his travelling
eQuipage and visited the outpost on
the main road leading southwark.
There he spent some time with the
commandment, and when he left said TO
the officer:
The journal l represent pays for
everything it gets The information
you have given me is invaluable. l
therefore leave with you this bag OF
gold, containing 5000 rubles."
The officer looked at the American
in astonishment. but took the bag.
81 do not desire that my papers shall
be examined before L leave. l shall
pass here some night with them pack
ed in a box under the robes in the bot
tom of the vehicle. Look carefully I'M
der the front seat and you will find
bag containing another 5000 rubles.'
The officer said nothing, but gave the
journalist a look that satisfied him.
That night Eaton, declaring that he
was tired, went TO his room early.
When all were asleep he made a rope
ladder of his bedclothing and silently
let HluSell lEOIn iliS NIndONs AAhN'AS
in deep snow Then he stole away
and walked rapidly to a clump of huts
some distance down the road. They
comprised the "free command" and
in them dwelt such political exiles
as had served their terms in prison.
Approaching one of the huts, he
raped softly on the door and an old
woman replied to the summons.
as Elizabeth Kalturin here"
Eyes"
without waiting for an invitation,
he entered and shut the door. The
woman barred it and lighted a lamp.
'In there" she said, pointing. "She
is i'll in bed"
Eyes; l know But for that she
would he in prison. 1 have learned
all about her, both in Russia and since
1 came here"
Eaton went into the other room.
where a girl sat up in bed. She stared
at him with great lustrous eyes and,
taking him for a visiting official, said:
I'm not well enough to go back to
prison yet; indeed I'm not
Then the old woman hello up the
candle and the invalid recognized
Chauncey Eaton.
Il have come for you" he said.
"Why?"
Because love you"
"But you knew me only a week"
gasped the astOnished girl.
THAT was enough"
Eaton spent an hour in the hut-he
dared not stay longer-during which he
told the girl of plan he had conceived
to rescue her Then he left her to re-
turn to his room, climbing by his i'm
provised rope.
The next day he gave orders for his
horses to be ready at II o'clock that
night and spent the day in an agony of
suspense. At the appointed hour he
was at the stable.
Drive to the junction of the roads
leading from here and the free COM
mand.'" he said. land wait till l
come"
Ten minutes later Eaton was at the
hut of Elizabeth Kalturin and found
her dressed and expecting him. Taking
her in his arms, he carried her through
the darkness to his sleigh and placed
her in the bottom, concealed by robes.
On reaching the outpost he was stop
ed for the commandment, who recOg-
nized him. searched the front part of
the sleigh and. Withdrawing a bag,
gave permission to proceed
Not far from the outpost Eaton or
dered the driver to turn northeastward
and. skirting the base of the noun
tains, shortly before daylight struck a
point on Kara bay where his yacht
was riding at anchor. Eaton gave a
signal. and a boat came ashore and
took them to the yacht. Steam had
been kept up for n week, and the an
Choir was no sooner raised than the lit
tie craft. painted lead color to be the
less readily seen. steamed away
through the Arctic ocean. During the
day they touched on the Swedish coast |
for hasty marriage ceremony and
thence away again, not stopping till |
they reached old England