Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-07-15
Tbs Special Correspondent
:
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 inhabit
ants, Russians. Persians and Turko-
mans
At nine o'clock the signal to start was
given. The train leaving Kill Arvat
went or in a southwesterly direction
toward Askhabad. along the Persian
frontier.
If 1 remained awake it was because
was troubled in my mind. / was think
ing Of my famous packing case, OF the
man it contained, and this very night
had resolved to enter into communication
with him. | 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 | 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 | 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 waited
patiently, for it was possible that Popof
was not yet sound asleep.
rise, draw aside the curtain Of
one of the lamps. l look at my watch.
Ir is a few minutes past eleven. Still
two hours to Check Tepe. The moment
has come. ! glide between the seats to
the door OF the car. | open 1t gently
and shut 1t after me without waking any
one.
Assured Of my safety, l cross the
gangway and am in front of the baggage
van. The door is only fastened with a
bar which is hung between two staples.
l open it and shut it behind me.
Although the darkness is deep In the
van, although there is no side window,
/ know my position. l know where the
case is placed it is in the left corner
as l enter. Carefully feeling with feet
and hands, l 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,
Bulbul Il Co., of New York, could not
be more noiseless in their boxes. fear
seizes upon me-the fear of seeing all
my reporters hopes vanish. Was | de-
ceived on board the Astara?
mol Feeble as it is, detect a move
ment inside the easel 1t becomes more
distinct. and l ask If 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. | am not the sport Of an illusion
It Is the crack cf a match being lighted
Almost Immediately a few feeble ray,
pierce the ventilat ton holes of the case
A minute elapsed. Nothing shows tha
the panel has been moved, nothing givei
me reason to suppose that the unknown
Is coming out.
Cautiously | wait. Then l have NJ
, idea to make something out Of this light
The case is lighted within. l put m
eye close to one of the holes.
There is a man in the box. His fea
lures | can make out clearly, He /
from % 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
a energy Of character, and he must b
energetic to have shut himself up In
/. box like this for such long journey.
But what is he doing now? Well h
! Is seated on the bottom of his case an
l placidly eating his supper by the light O
Q little lamp. A box Of preserves is o
Q his knee, biscuit is not wanting, and /
n little cupboard l notice a rug an
q overcoat hooked up on the wall.
p Evidently No. IL is quite at home. II
/ Is there in his cell like a snail in hi
: shell. His house goes with him; an
he saves the thousand francs it woul
! have cost him to journey from Tiff
4 TO Pekin, second-class l know he
Q committing a fraud. and the law pun
Ishes such fraud. He can come out
4 his box when he likes and take a wal
9 in the van, or even at night venture O
: the platform.
8 An idea occurs to me which may n,
: perhaps be as good as 1t seems. That
, to rap lightly on the box 50 as to ent,
j into communication with my new con
: panion, and learn who he is and when,
T he comes. for l know whittier he goes
h l will tell him that | am a Frencl
o man, and a Roumanian knows he can a
70 ways trust ffeucnmdn. 4 VIII on
: him my services. He will have nothi1
to regret from my visits, and nothing
u fear from my impudences.
u l rap the panel. The light sudden
It goes out. The prisoner has suspend,
II his respiration. l must reassure him.
IS "Openw l say to him gently in Ru
sian. "Open-"
4 l cannot finish the sentence; for Il
, train gives a sudden jump and Stacker
= speed. There is a noise outside | ru.
- out of the van and shut the door behiI
me.
d 1t was time l have scarcely reach,
It the platform before Popof's door open
t. and. without seeing me. he hurri
% through the van on to the engine A
a most Immediately the train resumes
70 normal speed. and Popof reappears
minute afterward.
what is the matter, PopOfP
1--WE have smashed a dromedary. Pc
IL brutel He might have thrown US off t
70 line"
10 CHAPTER VIII.
Before the train reaches Ghoek TIE
n am back in the car. Confound II
n. drOmedaryi If he had not managed