Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-06-02
CHAPTER VII.


tains more than two thousand inha bit
ants. Russians, Persians and Turko-
mans.
At nine o'clock the signal to start was
given. The train leaving Kizil Arvat
went off in a southwesterly direction
toward Askha bad, along the Persian
frontier.
If l remained awake it was because
I was troubled in my mind. l was think
ing Of my famous packing case, OF the
man it contained, and this very night l
had resolved to enter into communication
with him. 1 thought of the people who
had done this sort of thing before. In
1889, 1891 and 1892 an Austrian tailor
Herman Zeitung, had come from Vienna
to Paris, from Amsterdam to Brussels,
from Antwerp to Christiania, in box.
But l must wait until Popof had re-
tired to rest. The train would not stop
until it reached Check Tepe, at one
o'clock in the morning. During the run
from Kill Arvat to Check Tepe l reck-
oned that Popof would have a good
sleep, and then, or never, l would put
my plan into execution.
Half an hour went by, and The noise
of a 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. L walted
patiently, for it was possible that Popof
was not yet sound asleep.
rise, l draw aside the curtain of
one of the lamps. / look at my watch.
It is a few minutes past eleven. Still
two hours to Check Tepe. The moment
has come. l glide between the seats to
the door of the car. 1 open it gently
and shut it after me without waking any
one.
Assured of my safety, I 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,
l know my position. | know where the
case is placed; it is in the left corner
as 1 enter. Carefully feeling with feet
and hands, reach the case.
l leaned over and placed my ear tim
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
my reporters hopes vanish. Was l de-
ceived on board the Astara?
No! Feeble as it is, 1 detect a move
ment inside the case! 1t becomes more
distinct, and 1 ask if the panel is going
to slide, if the prisoner is coming out
of his prison to breathe the fresh air?
Suddenly slight cracking greets my
ear. I am not the sport of an illusion
L. ~, Izs-, ,A,I
Almost Immediately few feeble ray
pierce the ventilation holes of the case
A minute elapsed Nothing shows tina
the panel has been moved, nothing give
me reason to suppose that the unknown
Is coming out.
Cautiously l wait. Then I have a.
idea to make something out of this light
The case is lighted within. put m
eye close to one of the holes.
There is man in the box. His fea
lures l can make out clearly. He
from 25 to 26 years Of age. He does NO
shave, and his beard is brown. He
of the true Roumanian type. He is good
= looking, although his face denotes grea
energy of character, and he must b
energetic to have shut himself up in
box like this for such a long journey.
But what is he doing now? Well,
Is seated on the bottom of his case an
placidly eating his supper by the light G
a little lamp. A box of preserves is o
bis knee, biscuit is not wanting, and
little cupboard 1 notice rug an
overcoat hooked up ON the wall.
Evidently No. II is quite at home. b
Is there in his cell like snail in h
shell. His house goes with him; an
he saves the thousand francs it woul
have cost him to journey from Tiff
to Pekin, second-class. I know he
committing a fraud, and the law pul
ishes such fraud. He can come out
his box when he likes and take a wa
In the van, or even at night venture q
the platform.
An idea occurs to me which may n,
perhaps be as good as it seems. That
to rap lightly on the box so as to ent,
into communication with my new COZ
panion, and learn who he is and when,
he comes, for l know whittier he goes.
l will tell him that l am Frenc
man, and Roumanian knows he can 6
ways trust a Frenchman. l will off
him my services. He will have nothi1
to regret from my visits, and nothing
fear from my impudences
l rap the panel. The light sudden
goes out. The prisoner has suspend,
his respiration. l must reassure him.
"Openr' 1 say to him gently in Ru
sian. "Open-"
1 cannot finish the sentence; for t
train gives sudden jump and slacke
speed. There is noise outside l ru
out of the van and shut the door behil
me.
1t was time I have scarcely reach
the platform before Popof's door oper
and, without seeing me, he hurri
through the van on to the engine. 1
most Immediately the train resumes
normal speed, and Popof reappears
minute afterward.
"What is the matter, Popof?"
"We have smashed dromedary. Pc
brute! He might have thrown US off t
line"
CHAPTER VIII.
Before the train reaches Ghoek TIE
] am back in the car. Confound t
q I, 1l