The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-06-14
CHAPTER x.

hundred miles from UZan Adn. we nave
seven hours to stop at Merv, and In
company with Major Noltitz I do" the
town. On our return to the station
Fopof runs up to me, saying:
Il know the name"
"And 1t is?''
'Yen Lou, the great mandarin Yen
Lou Of Pekin."
"Thank you, Popof."
l rush to the telegraph ONCE, and from
there I send telegram to the Twenti-
eth Century. g.
"Merv. 10Th May. p. m.
'Trnin. Grand Transa static. just leav-
ing Merv Took from Douchnk the body
Of the great mandarin Yen Lou coming
from Persia to Pekin."
1t cost good deal. did this telegram.
but you will admit it was well worth it's
price. The name of Yen Lou was imme
diately communicated to our fellow trav-
elers. and it seemed to me that my lord
Faruskiar smiled when he heard IT,
We left the station at eight o'clock
precisely. Forty minutes afterward we
passed near old Merv. and the night be-
ing dark, I could see nothing Of it.
Our train is running northeast. The
stations are twenty or thirty miles
apart. We cross the desert. the real
desert, without thread Of water. where
artesian wells have to be sunk to supply
the reservoirs along the line. Gradually
my companions go to sleep. and our car
riage il transformed into a sleeping car.
The train enters Tchardjoui Station to
the minute. Our stop here ought to last
a quarter Of an hour. A few travellers
alight for they have booked to this town,
which contains about thirty thousand in
habitants. Others get In to proceed to
Bokhara and Snmarkand. but these are
only secOnd-class passengers. This pro-
duces n certain amount of hustle on the
platform.
l also get out and take a walk up
and down by the side of the front van,
and l notice the door silently open and
shut. man creeps out on to the plat
form and slips away through the station.
which Is dimly lighted by few petro-
1eum lamps.
1t is my Roumanian. 1t can be no
one else. He has not been seen, and
there he is, lost among the other trav-
eers. Why this escape? Is 1t to renew
his provisions at the refreshment bar :?
On the contrary, is 1t not his intention.
ms l am afraid it Is, to get away from
us?
Shall stop him? I will make myself
known to him; promise to help him. Be-
hold me then following him without ap-
pearng to do so. Amid all this hurrying
to and fro he is in little danger Of being
noticed. Neither Popof nor any of the
company's servants would suspect him to
be swindler. Is he going toward the
gate to escape me?
No! He only wants to stretch his legs
better than he can do in the van. After
an imprisonment which has lasted since
no left Baku-that il to say, about sixty
hOurs-he has earned ten minutes of
freedom
He is q man of middle height. 1.-THE In
his movements. and with a gliding kind
of walk. He could roll himself up like
II cat and find quite room enough in his
case. He wears an old vest. his trous-
ers are held up by belt and his cap
Is fur one--all Of dark color.
| am at ease regarding his intentions
He returns toward the van, mounts the
platform and shuts the door gently be-
hind him. As soon as the train il on the
move | will knock at the panel and this
time
More of the unexpected. Instead Of
waiting at Tchardjoui one quarter of an
hour. we have to wait three. A slight
injury to one Of the brakes Of the en-
CINE has had to be repaired. and, not
-s.s.a.standing the German barons remon-
strances, we do not leave the station be-
fore half past three, as the day is be-
ginning to dawn.
At & o'clock In the morning the train
stops at the capital Of the Khanate Of
Bokhara. 1,107 miles from Ubun Ada.