The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1905-09-01
CHAPTER XIV.

have taken care to lay In Few provis-
Ions at Sou-Tcheou. n
We started at 8 o'clock. We have got
a more powerful engine on. Across this
undulating country the gradients are oc-
casionally rather steep. Seven hundred
kiloEeters 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 calcula-
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.
1t meant a '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. l think there must have been
several lightning strokes, but the rails
acted as conductors, and preserved the
cars from injury. 1t was fine specta-
Gle, a 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, I was
able to communicate with Kinko, to take
him some provisions and to have few
minutes conversation with him.
us 1t the day after tomorrow" he
asked, 'that we arrive at PekinT
Eyes, the day after tomorrow, IL the
train Is not delayed"
"0h, am not afraid of delays! But
when my box Is In the railway station
ut Pekin, / have still to get to the Ave-
nue. Cha Coua."
What docs It matter, will not the fair
Zinca Klork come and call for it?'
mo. advised her not to do So"
"And why"
women are 80 impressionable. She
would want to see the van In which
had come, she would claim the box with
such excitement that suspicious would
be aroused. In short, she would run
the risk of betraying me-"
"You are right, Kinko."
Besides, we shall reach the station
u the afternoon, very late in the after
noon, perhaps, and the unloading of the
packages will not take place until next
morning"
Probably"
"Well, Monsieur Bombarnac, If am
not taking too great liberty, may ask
favor of you?"
what is lit"
''That you will be present at the de-
parture of the case, so as to avoid any
mistake"
II will be there, Kinko, I will be
there. Glass, fragile, will see that they
don't handle it too roughly. And If you
like / will accompany the case to Ave-
nue. Cha-Coua."
II 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, 1t will
be a pleasure to me to make the ac-
quaintance of Mademoiselle Zinco Klork.
will be there when they deliver the
box, the precious box. l will help her
to get the nails out of It."
'The nails out of it, Monsieur Bonn
barnac2 My panel? All, will jump
through my panel"
A terrible clap of thunder interrupt
ed our conversation. l thought the train
had been thrown off the line by the COM
motion of the air. / left the young
Roumanian and regained my place with
in the car.
In the morning-26th of May, Z a. m,
we arrived at Ian Tcheou. Three
hours to stop, three hours only.
HComa Mn Nnltit1. on,oa Dop
Chao; come, Caterna; we have not q
minute to spare"
But as we are leaving the station we
are stopped by the appearance of tall
fat, gray, solemn parsonage. 1t is the
governor of the town in double robe
of white and yellow silk, fan in hand
buckled belt, and manrilla-a black
mantilla, which would have looked much
better on the shoulders of a manola. He
is accompanied by a certain number OF
globular mandarins, and the Celestials
salute him by holding out their two fists
which they move up and down as they
nod their heads.
"Ah! What is this gentleman coins
to do? Is it some Chinese formality
A visit to the passengers and their bag
gage? And Kinko, what about him?"
Nothing alarming, after all. 1t is only
about the treasure of the Son of Heav
en-. The governor and his suite hav,
stopped before the precious van, bolted
and sealed, and are looking at it with
that respectful admiration which is ex
perienced, even in China, before a DO,
containing many millions.
ask Popof what is meant by the gov
ernor's presence, has it anything to dc
with us?
mot at ALL" says Popof; "the orde,
has come from Pekin to telegraph tn,
arrival of the treasure. The governor
has done SO, and he is awaiting a repl,
as to whether he is to send it on t.
Pekin, or keep it Professionally at Lar
Tcheou."
If the imperial treasure was a matter
of Indifference to us it did not seem I,
be so to Faruskiar. But whether thi.
van started or did not, whether it wa:
attached to our train or left behind, wha
could it matter to him? Nevertheless
he and Changer seemed to be much pu
about regarding it, although they trieC
TO hide their anxiety, while the Mongols
talking together in low tone, gave tn,
governor anythinp buf friandIv rIo noas