The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-09-02
CHAPTER XIV

iety. Tonight win try and visit hirn
have taken care to lay in q few provis-
Ions at SOu-Teheau.
We started at o'clock. We have got
more powerful engine on Across this
undulatins country the gradients are oc-
easionally rather steep. Seven hundred
kiiometers separate Us from the impor-
tant city Of Ian Tcheou, where we ought
TO arrive tomorrow morning, running
thirty miles an hour.
At dinner Mr.. and Mrs. Ephrinell. sit
ting side by side, hardly exchanged a
word. Their intimacy seems TO have de
creased since they were married. Per
haps they are absorbed In the ealcula-
ton OF their reciprocal interests.
We have had bad night. The sky. Of
purple, sulphury tint, became stormy to-
ward evening. the atmosphere became
sitting. the electrical tension excessive.
IL meant highly successful" storm, to
quote Caterna. In truth. the train ran
through zone. so TO speak, of vivid
lightning and rolling thunder. which the
echoes Of the mountains prolonged in
definitely. think there must have been
several lightning strokes. but the rails
acted as conductors. and preserved the
cars from injury. 1t was a fine spectR-
Gle, little alarming. these fires In the
sky that the heavy rain could not put
Out-these continuous discharges from
the clouds, in which were mingled the
strident whistlings Of our locomotive as
we passed through the stations Of Yanlu,
from Tcheng. HOulAn-Sien and Da-
fishing.
By favor Of this troubled night was
able TO communicate with Kinko to take
him some provisions and to have a few
minutes conversation with him.
Is It the day after tomorrow" he
asked. that we arrive at Pekiny'
Yes. the day after tomorrow, If the
train is not delayed"
oh, am not afraid Of delays, But
when my box is in the railway station |
at Pekin, l have still to get to the Ave
nue. Cha-Coua."
What does il matter. viii not the fair I
Zinea klork come and call for itT'
No. ! advised her not to do so.
And whyY
Women are 50 impressionable. She |
would want to see the van in which |
had come, she would claim the box with /
such excitement that suspicious would 1
be aroused. In short. she would run 4
the risk Of betraying me-"
You are right, Kinko."
A ~@~N~'F AAlAAA EEAGH IHE STATION L
b the afternoon, very late in the after
noon, perhaps, and the unloading of the
packages viii not take place until next
morning"
Probably"
well. Monsieur Bombarnac, II 1 am
not taking too great liberty, may ask
a favor Of your
What Is ftP'
THAT you will be present at the de-
parture Of the case, % as to avoid any
mistake"
Il viii be there. Kinko. l will be
there. Glass, fragile, | will see that they
don't handle ii too roughly. And il you
Ike | viii accompany the case to Ave
nue. Cha-Coua."
Il hardly like to ask you to do that"
You are wrong. Kinko. You should
not stand on ceremony with a friend.
and | am yours, Kinko. Besides, it will
be pleasure to me to make the ac-
quaintance Of MademoiseHe Zinco Klork.
l will be there when they deliver the
box, the precious box. I will help her
TO get the nails out Of it,
The nails out Of il, Monsieur Bonn
barnac? Ny panel? All, l will jump
through my panel" +
terrible clap Of thunder interrupt
ed our converse ton. I thought the train
bad been thrown OF the line By the com
motion Of the air. left the young
koumanian and resained my place with
In the car.
In the morning-26th Of May. I a. m.
we arrived at Ian Tcheou. Three
hours to stop. three hours only.
Come, Major Noltitz; come, Pan I
Chao; come. Caterua; we have not
minute to spare" II
But as we are leaving the station We
are stopped by the appearance Of a tall
fat. gray, solemn parsonage 1t il the
governor Of the town in a double roba Z
Of white and yellow silk. fan in hand
buckled belt. and a mantilla-a black {
mantilla, which would have looked much :
better on the shoulders Of a manola. Hs .
Is accompanied by a certain number Of i
globular mandarins, and the Celeatisls
salute him By holding out their two fists Z
which they move up and down as they
nod their heads
"Ah. What is this gentleman poinz ,
TO dor Is il some Chinese Formative I :
A visit to the passengers and their bag.
gagef And Kinko. what about himF'
Nothing alarming, after all II il oulv
about the treasure Of the Son Of Heav. :
en- The governor and his suite have I
stopped before the precious van. boIted {
and sealed. and are booking AZ il wien
that respectful admiration which il er. =
perienced, even in China, before lov :
many millions.
ask Popof what is meant by the gov. II
rrnor's presence, has it anything 10 do
with US?
mot at all" says Popof: the order T
has come from Pekin to telegraph tho !
arrival Of the treasure The rgvarnor !.
mas done 50. and he is awaiting a renIv :
~ to whether he Is to send il on ~ :.
Pekin, or keep it Professionally at Ian
rcheOu.' I
II the imperial treasure was n matter n
II Indifference 10 Us 1t did not seem D., =,
'e so TO Faruskiar. But whether tbf. II
AN started or did not whether il was q
ttnched 70 our trnin or loft hrhLna -. Il