The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-07-29
CHAPTER XVI.

On leaving Ian IcheOu, the railway
crosses a well-cultivated country, wat
cred by numerous streams, and billy
enough to necessitate frequent curves:
There is a good deal of engineering
work; mostly bridges, viaducts on wooden
trestles of somewhat doubtful solidity,
and the traveller is not particularly COM
Portable when he finds them bending un-
der the weight of the train. 1t is true,
we are in the Celestial Empire, and q
few thousand victims of a railway &C
cident is hardly anything among a popu-
lation of four hundred millions.
Besides" said Pan Chao, "the Son
of Heaven never travels by railway"
At 6 o'clock in the evening we are at
King-Tcheou, after skirting for some
time the capricious meanderings of the
Great Wall. OF this immense artificial
frontier between Mongolia and China
there remain only the blocks of granite
and red Quartzite which served as its
base, its terrace of bricks with the para
pets Of unequal heights, a few old can
mons eaten into with rust, and hidden
under a thick veil of lichens, and then
the square towers with their ruined bat
Elements. The interminable wall rises,
falls, bends, bends back again, and is
lost sight on the undulations Of the
ground.
All night was spent in running three
hundred kilometers. A fog lasted all
day. and this hindered the progress of
the train. These Chinese engine drivers
are really very skillful and attentive and
intelligent. Luckily, the fog rose early
II, fhn oyonir~ 80 ,;~b !.
very dark night, too.
The idea occurs to me to walk to the
rear of the train, and / stop for an in
slant on the gangway in front of the
treasure van.
The passengers, with the exception of
the Chinese guard, are all sleeping their
last sleep-their last be it understood, on
the Grand Transasiatic.
Returning to the front of the train, l
approach Popof's box, and find him
sound asleep. 1 then open the door of
the van, shut it behind me, and signal
my presence to Kinko. The panel is low
cred, the little lamp is lighted.
1t is ten minutes to 1. In twelve min
utes we shall pass the junction with
the Nankin branch. This branch is only
completed for five or six kilometers and
leads to the viaduct over the Ton Val
ley. This viaduct is a great work, and
the engineers have as yet only got in
the piers, which rise for a hundred feet
above the ground.
As l know we are to halt at Fuen-
Choo, l shake hands with Kinko, and rise
to take my leave. At this moment /
seem to hear some one on the platform
in the rear of the van.
Look out, Kinkov' 1 say, in a whis-
per.
The lamp is instantly extinguished,
and we remain quite still. am not mis-
taken. Some one is opening the door of
the van.
your panel" I whisper.
The panel is raised, the car is shut,
and am alone in the dark Evidently
1t must be Popof who has come in.
What will he think to find me here? The
first time came to visit the young Rou-
manian hid among the packages. Well,
will hide q second time. If l get be-
hind EphrinelPs boxes it is not likely
that Popof will see me, even by the
light of his lantern.
do 30, and watch. It is not Popof.
for he would have brought his lantern.
try to recognize the people who have
just entered. 1t is dif1cult. They have
glided between the packages, and after
opening the further door, they have gone
out and shut it behind them.
They are some Of the passengers. evil
IDENTITY; but why here-at this hour? /
must know. have a presentiment that
something IL in the wind. l approach
the front door Of the van, and in spite
Of the rumbling Of the train hear them
distinctly enough.
Thousands and ten thousand demons!
am not mistaken! It il the voice of my
lord Faruskiar. He IL talking with
GhAngir In Russian. It In indeed Faru-
skiar. The four Mongols have accom-
panied him. But what are they doing
thrs! For what motive are they on the
platform, which IL Just behind the ten
derf And what are they saying1
OF these questions and answers ex-
changed between my lord FaruAkiar and
his companions, LIDO not lose word.
when shall we b. at the junction r
I'm q few minutea."