The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1905-07-14
The Special Correspondent
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
We have two hours to wait at KILL
Arvat. Although the day Is closing In,
could not employ my time better than
In visiting this little town. which con-
tains more than two thousand inha Bit
ants, Russians, Perians and Turko-
mans.
At nine o'clock the signal to start was
given. The train leaving Kixil Arvat
went of In a southwesterly direction
toward Askha bad, along the Persian
frontier.
If remained awake It was because
was troubled in my mind. I was think
Ing of my famous packing case, Of the
man II contained, and this very night l
had resolved to enter into communication
with him. l thought Of the people who
had dope this sort of thing before. In
1859. 1891 and 1892 an Austrian tailor,
Herman Zeitung. id como from Vienna
to Paris. from Al sterdam to Brussels,
from Antwerp to Ohristiania, In box.
But I must wait until Popof had re-
tired to rest. The train would not stop
until 1t reached Check Tepe, at one
O'Clock In the morning. During the run
from Kizil Arvat to Check Tepe l reck-
oned that Popof would have a good
sleep, and then, or never. would put
my plan into execution.
Half an hour went by, and the noise
OF door shutting on the platform Of
the car told me that our guard had just
entered his little box. In spite of my de-
sire to visit the baggage car, waited
patiently, for 1t was possible that Popof
was not yet sound asleep.
rise / draw aside the curtain Of
one of the lamps. look at my watch.
IL Is q few minutes past eleven.A Still
two hours to Check Tepe. The moment
has come. glide between the seats to
the door of the car. l open 1t gently
and shut 1t after me without waking any
one.
Assured Of my safety, cross the
gangway and am in front Of the baggage
van. The door is only fastened with
bar which is hung between two staples.
/ open it and shut it behind me.
Although the darkness is deep In the
van, although there is no side window,
/ know my position. know where the
case Is placed; 1t is in the left corner
as enter. Carefully feeling with feet
and hands. reach the case.
Idly against the other panel. There was
no sound Of breathing.
The products of the house Of Strong,
Rulbul & Co., of New York, could not
be more noiseless in their boxes. A fear
seizes upon me-the fear Of seeing all
my reporters hopes vanish. Was l de-
ceived on board the Astara?
No! Feeble as it s,.I detect a move
m ant fnsfdA tho cocof hnoorra. voor>
distinct, and I ask II the panel is going
TO slide, If the prisoner Is coming out
Of his prison to breathe the fresh air?
Suddenly a slight cracking greets my
ear. l am not the sport of an illusion;
It Is the crack of match being lighted.
Almost Immediately q few feeble rays
pierce the ventilation holes of the case.
A minute elapsed. Nothing shows that
the panel has been moved, nothing gives
me reason to suppose that the unknown
II coming out.
Cautiously I wait. Then I have an
Idea to make something out Of this light.
The case h lighted within. put my
eye close to one Of the holes.
There 10 man In the box. His fea-
lures I can make out clearly. He IL
from Is to 26 years Of age. He does not
thave, and his beard 10 brown. He IL
Of the true Roumanian type. He IL good
looking, although his face denotes great
energy Of character, and he must be
energetic to have shut himself up In q
boz like this for such a long Journey.
But what Is he doing now? Well. he
10 seated ON the bottom Of his case and
placidly eating his supper BY the light of
. little lamp. A box Of preserves ID on
his knee. biscuit IL not wanting, and In
little cupboard notice a rug and
overcoat hooked up on the wall.
Evidently No. IL IL quite at home. He
d there In his cell Nike a snail In his
shell. His house goes with him; and
he saves the thousand francs It would
have cost him to Journey from Tifis
b Pekin, second-class. l know he IL
committing a fraud. and the law pun.
ishes such fraud. He can come out of
his box when he likes and take a walk
In the van, or even at night venture on
the platform.
An idea occurs 10 me which may NOT
perhaps be as good as 1t seems. That ia
to rap lightly on the box 80 az to enter
Into communication with my now COM
panion, and learn who he Is and whence
he comes. for know whittier he goes,
win tell him that l am a French
man. and Roumanian knows he can al
ways trust a Frenchman. will offer
him my services. he will have nothing
to regret from my visits, and nothing to
fear from my impudences.
I rap the panel. The light suddenly
goes out. The prisoner has suspended
his respiration. ! must reassure him.
"Open!' say to him gently In Rus.
dan. "Open-"
cannot finish the sentence; for the
train gives q sudden jump and slackens
speed. There II q noise outside. l rush
out Of the van and shut the door behind
me.
It was time. I have scarcely reached
the platform before Popof's door opens.
and, without seeing me, he hurries
through the van on to the engine. AL
most Immediately the train resumes It's
normal speed, and Popof reappears a
minute afterward.
"What is the matter, Popofr'
"We have smashed a dromedary. Poor
brute! He might have thrown US of the
tine"
CHAPTER VIII.
al - A. l. ~