The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-07-15

mOiselle Zanca klOrk to expect him In
the capital Of the Chinese empire.
Il would be better for me to relieve
his anxiety this very night. That Is inn
possible, for the train viii soon stop
at Check Tepe. and then at Askhabad.
which il will leave In the first hour OF
daylight. can no longer trust to Pop
offs going to sleep.
l am absOTbed In these reflections
when the locomotive stops in Check Tspe
station az O'Clock In the morning. lac
train starts at o'clock. after having
been Joined by a few passengers whom
POpot tells me are TurkSmans.
sAtvied the sleep OF my companions
The dawn was appearing In the east
Here and there were the ruins or an
ancient city, a citadel girdled with hish
rampaFts and a succession Of long porei-
Goes extending over fifteen hundred
yards. Running over q few embank-
menes neeessitatad by the inequalities
| Of the sandy ground, the train again
reaches the horizontal steppe.
We are RAINING at a speed OF thirty
miles an hour In a sOuthwestsrly direc-
ton along the Persian frontier. Il Is
/ only beyond DOuchak that the hns be-
gins to leave Il. We reached that sta
ton at 8 o'clock in the morning.
We stop here two hours. ! am on 20
hook at Douchak. with Major Noltitz as
my cicerons was led to question the
major regarding the safety Of the Grand
TransaSiatic across the provinces Of Cen
| tral Asia.
In Turksstan, he told me. the safety
Is well assured. During the years the
| Transcaspian has been at work there has
been no attack 10 hinder the train ser
| vice.
That 10 another matter" said the
major. The Grand Transssistie Is I'M
der Chinese control. and l have not
much confidence in that"
| Are there not q lot Of scoundrels
proving shout Mongolia and Northern
/ ChinA1" l asked. MY cole anxiety l.
that cur Journey may mot Be devoid Of
incident"
Really. Mr.. Special COrrsspoOdsut.
sdmirs yOu. Well, am afraid you will
be dtsapPodneed. a. I have heard that
the company has treated with several
chiefs Of the robber bands. But there
10 one Of these highwaymsn who has
retained hls independents and liberty Of
action. q certain KiTsanE."
who Il hep
"a bold bandit chief, half Chinaman.
half Mongol. Having for some time been
q terror TO Yunan. he was being too
closely pursued, and has now moved into
the northern provinces. His presence has
even been reported in that part Of Mon
golia served by the Grand Transasiatic."
well, be ought TO furnish a few
paragraphs"
We returned toward the station. The
stoppage at Douchak had another half
hour TO last. As l walked on the quay.
observed something going on which
would change the makeup OF our train.
Another van had arrived from Tehsr-
an by the branch line Of Mssehed. which
puts the Persian capital In eommunica-
ton with the Transcasplan.
This van was bolted and barred, and
accompanied By 4 squad OF Persian DO
lice, whose orders seemed 70 Be not 70
lose sight Of Il
l don't know what made me think 70,
but Il seemed a. though this van had
something about II, and a. ths major
had left me, went and spoke to Popof.
I wol was watching over the proceedings.
"UopOf. where ID that van golngY'
TO Pekin."
And what has It got IN kf'
AN exalted parsonage"
well Popof. when this exalted per
sonaEs gets cut perhaps yoa viii Lst
me know r
He will not get out"
why notR
Because be IL dead. L h bis body
they are taking TO Pekin, where be will
be inferred with all the Donors due 70
him"
While was booking At this van q
new passenger came up and examined
| - errH1aafew r..
was a hna looking man OF about 60
wearing gracefully the costume Of th'
richer MongoIs, a tall fellow With rather
a gloomy look. a military mnstache, taw
NJ complexion and eyes that never shut
Here Is a splendid fellow said u
myself. Il don't know II be will tu1
ont the hero OF the drama am IL
search Of, but anyhow, | will numbel
him twelve IN my travelling troupe"
This leading star, | soon learned from
Popof, bore the name of Faruskiar. II,
was accompanied By another MonEol o.
inferior rank, Of about the same age
whose name was GhangiF. As they look
ed at the van being Fftached TO the tai
; Of the train In front of the luggage val
they exchanged q few words As sooS
a. the Arrangements were complete tn,
Pernians took their places In the seeond
class car, which preceded the mortuarJ
! ran, 90 as To have the precious corps,
always under their surveillanca.
The signal IL given. The passengers
old and new, hurry 10 their places
. Among the new ones I notice three Mon
! Eols Of forbIdding appearances. who sc
into the second-class car.
As put my foot on the platform
hear the young Chinese say somsthing .
his companion In French.
, And % Pan Chao speaks French
) What do say1 Better than French n
speaks PariSian. Most extraordinary
; must have . talk with him