Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-07-21
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAHIER AAN.
1 have not seen Kinko for two days,
and the last time was only to exchange
a few words with him to relieve his anx-
iety. Tonight will try and visit him.
have taken care to lay in few provis-
ions at Sou-Tcheou.
We started at 3 o'clock. We have got
a more powerful engine on. Across this
undulating country the gradients are oc-
casionally rather steep. Seven hundred
kilometers 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
word. Their intimacy seems to have de-
creased since they were married. FER
haps they are absorbed in the calcula-
tion 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 "highly successful storm, to
quote Caterna. In truth, the train ran
through a 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, 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-
Tshing.
By favor of this troubled night, was
able to communicate with Kinko, to take
him some provisions and to have few
minutes conversation with him.
'Is it the day after tomorrow" he
asked, "that we arrive at Pekin?"
eyes, the day after tomorrow, if the
train is not delayed"
"Oh, I am not afraid of delays! But
when my box is in the railway station
at Pekin, have still to get to the Ave
nue. Cha-Coua."
"What does it matter, will not the fair
Zinca Klork come and call for it?"
"No. I advised her not to do So"
"And why"
"Women are so impressionable. She
would want to see the van in which l
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
In 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 I am
not taking too great liberty, may I ask
a favor of your
''What is it?"
'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 I will accompany the case to Ave
nue. Cha-Coua."
Il 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, it will
be a pleasure to me to make the ac
quaintance of Mademoiselle Zinco Klork
I will be there when they deliver thu
box, the precious box. 1 will help hel
to get the nails out of it"
''The nails out of it, Monsieur Bonn
barnac? My panel? All, will jumI
through my panel"
A terrible clap of thunder interrupt
ed our conversation. thought the trail
had been thrown off the line by the com
motion of the air. I left the younj
Roumanian and regained my place with
in the car.
In the morning-26th of May, a. m
we arrived at Ian Tcheou. Thre
hours to stop, three hours only.
'Come, Major Noltitz; come, Pa
Chao; come, Caterna; we have not
minute to spare"
But as we are leaving the station W
are stopped by the appearance of tai
fat gray, solemn parsonage. 1t is tn
governor of the town in double rob
of white and yellow silk. fan in hanG
buckled belt, and a mantilla-a blac
mantilla, which would have looked muc
better on the shoulders of manola. h
is accompanied by a certain number {
globular mandarins, and the Celestial
salute him by holding out their two fist
which they move up and down as the
nod theff heads.
"Ah! What is this gentleman goin
to do? Is it some Chinese formality
A visit to the passengers and their ba,
gage? And Kinko, what about him 2"
Nothing alarming, after all. 1t is on
about the treasure Of the Son of Hea'
en-. The governor and his suite ha,
stopped before the precious van, bolte
and sealed, and are looking at it wit
that respectful admiration which is e.
perienced, even in China, before a be
containing many millions.
/ ask Popof what is meant by the go
ernor's presence, has it anything to /
with us?
"Not at ALL" says Popof; "the ord
has come from Pekin to telegraph Il
arrival Of the treasure. The govern
has done so, and he is awaiting a rep
as to whether he is to send it on
Pekin, or keep it Professionally at L,
Tcheou."
If the imperial treasure was matt
Of Indifference to us it did not seem
be So tn Farrskiar Rut whathar r.