The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1905-07-14
CHATTER VII.

tains more than two thousand 1nha bit
ants, Russians, Persians and Turko-
mans.
At nine o'clock the signal to start was
given. The train leaving Kill Arvat
went off in southwesterly direction
toward Askha bad, along the Persian
frontier.
If l remained awake it was because
was troubled in my mind. l was think
Ing Of my famous packing case, OF the
man it contained, and this very night l
had resolved TO enter into communication
with him. l 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 l 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 l 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.
l rise l draw aside the curtain of
one Of the lamps. l look at my watch.
It is few minutes past eleven. Still
two hours to Check Tepe. The moment
has come. l glide between the seats to
the door of the car. 1 open it gently
and shut it after me without waking any
one.
Assured of my safety, 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,
l 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,
Rulbul & Co., of New York, could not
be more noiseless in their boxes. A fear
seizes upon me-the fear of seeing all
my reporters hopes vanish. Was l de-
ceived on board the Astara?
No! Feeble as it is, detect a move
ment inside the case! 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. l am not the sport Of an illusion;
1t is the crack of a match being lighted.
Almost Immediately a few feeble rays
pierce the ventilation holes of the case.
A minute elapsed. Nothing shows that
the panel has been moved, nothing gives
me reason to suppose that the unknown
Is coming out.
Cautiously 1 wait. Then I have an
Idea to make something out of this light.
The case is lighted within. I put my
eye close to one of the holes.
There is a man in the box. His fea-
lures 1 can make out clearly. He is
from 25 to &c years Of age. He does not
khave, and his beard is brown. He is
of the true Roumanian type. He is good
looking, although his face denotes great
energy Of character, and he must be
energetic to have shut himself up in q
But what is he doing now? Well, he
IL seated ON the bottom Of his case and
placidly eating his supper by the light of
q little lamp. A box of preserves is on
bis knee, biscuit is not wanting, and In
a little cupboard 1 notice a rug and
overcoat hooked up on the wall.
Evidently No. IL is quite at home. He
Is there in his cell like a snail in his
all ia rr,s%h \;
he saves the thousand francs it would
have cost him to journey from Tifis
to Pekin, second-class. l know he Is
committing fraud. and the law pun
lshes such fraud. He can como out of
his box when he likes and take a walk
In the van, or even at night venture on
the platform.
An idea occurs to me which may NOT
perhaps be as good as 1t seems. That is
to rap lightly on the box SO as to enter
Into communication with my new COM
panion. and learn who he is and whence
he comes, for l know whittier he goes.
/ will tell him that l am a French
man, and Roumanian knows he can al
ways trust a Frenchman. | will offer
him my services. He will have nothing
to regret from my visits, and nothing to
fear from my impudences.
1 rap the panel. The light suddenly
goes out. The prisoner has suspended
his respiration. l must reassure him.
Open" l say to him gently in Rus
SIAN. "Open-'
l cannot finish the sentence: for the
train gives a sudden jump and slackens
speed. There Is noise outside. l rush
out Of the van and shut the door behind
me.
1t was time. l have scarcely reached
the platform before Popof's door opens.
and, without seeing me, he hurries
through the van on to the engine. AL
most Immediately the train resumes its
normal speed, and Popof reappears a
minute afterward
what is the matter, PopofY
eve have smashed a dromedary. Poor
brute! He might have thrown US off the
line"
CHAPTER VIII.
Before the train reaches Ghoek Tepe
I am back in the car. Confound this
dromedary! If he had not managed to
get smashed SO clumsily, No. II would
loopnr ba ,pLp1rx-,, 10 mn Ha Uou1d