The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-07-08

Meanwhile, different opinions were be-
ing exchanged on the gangways. Some
| would rather travel with the millions
| than carry a corpse along with them,
even though 1t was that of a frst-class
| mandarin. Others considered the carry
| ing of the treasure a danger to the pas
| sengers. And that was the opinion of
Baron Observation-Disclosures In a furious
attack on Popof.
you ought to have told us about 1t,
sir-you ought to have told US about
it! Those millions are known to be In
the train, and they will tempt people to
attack us. And an attack. even II repuls-
ed, will mean delay, and delay l will not
| submit to. No, sir, I will not!
mo one will attack us" replied Popof.,
mo one will dream of doing ii"
"And how do you know that-how do
you know that?"
"Be calm, pray"
II will not be calm; and II there Is q
ble''
That is understood; a hundred thou
sand forms damages to Monsieur lie Bar
| on Tour de Monde.
Let us pass to the other passengers.
Ephrinell looked at the matter, of course,
from a very practical point of view.
There can be no doubt that our risks
have been greatly increased by this treas
ure, and in case Of accident on account
of it the Life Travellers Society, In
which I am insured, will, 1 expect, re-
fuse to pay, SO that the Grand Trans
asiatic Company will have all the re-
sponsibility."
"Of course" said Miss Bluett; land
if they had not found the missing van
the company would have been in a seri
GUS difficulty with China. Would it not,
Fulk?"
Exactly. Horatia."
Horatia and Fulk-nothing less! The
Anglo-American couple were right, the
enormous loss would have had to be
borne by the Grand Transasiatic, for the
company must have known they were
carrying treasure and not a corpse,
and thereby they were responsible.
As to the Caternas, the millions roll
ing behind did not seem to trouble them.
The only reflection they inspired was,
"Ah! Caroline, what a splendid theater
we might build with all that money!
But the best thing was said by the
Rev. Nathaniel Morse, who had Joined
the train at Kachgar.
1T is never comfortable to be drag
ging a powder magazine after one"
Nothing could be truer, and this van,
with it's imperial treasure, was a pow
der magazine that might blow up our
train.
CHAPTER Xxx.
The first railway was opened in China
about 1877, and ran from Shanghai to
Fou-Tcheou. The Grand Transasiatic
| followed very closely the Russian road
proposed in 1874 by Tashkend, Kouldja,
Kami, Ian Tcheou, Singan, and Shang-
hal. This railway did not run through
the populous central provinces, which
can be compared to vast and humming
hives of bees. and extraordinarily pro-
life bees. As nearly as possible 1t forms
a straight line to Sou-Tcheou before
curving of to Ian Tcheou; 1t reaches
cities by the branches it gives out to the
| south and southeast.
Since we left kothan, we have covered
a hundred and fifty kilometers in four
| hours. 1t is not a high rate of speed,
but we cannot expect on this part of the
Transasiatfc the same rate of travelling
we experienced ON the Transcaspian
Either the Chinese engineers are not 30
fast. or, thanks to their natural indo-
lence, the engine drivers imagine that
from thirty to forty miles an hour is the
| maximum that can be obtained on the
| railways Of the Celestial Empire.
At o'clock in the afternoon we were
at another station, Mia, where General
Pevtsof established a meteorological OBJ
servatory. Here we stopped only twenty
minutes. l had time to lay in a few
provisions at the bar. For whom they
were intended you can imagine.
The passengers we picked up were only
Chinese, men and women. There were
only few for the first class and these
only went short journeys.
We had not started a quarter of an
hour, when Ephrinell, with the serious
business, came up to me on the gang
way.
Monsieur Bombarnac." he said. II
have to ask favor of you"
"Only too happy, I can assure you,"
said 1. What is it about?'
II want you to be witness. I am go
| ing to marry Miss Bluett."
Marry herr"
Eyes. A treasure of woman, well ac-
quainted with business matters, holding
| splendid commission"
my compliments, Mr.. Ephrinell! You
can count on me-"
And, probably, on Monsieur Cater
MAJ"
He would like nothing better, and if
| there is a wedding breakfast he will
| sing at your dessert"