Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-29
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
Claudius Bombarnac. Special Core
spondent Twentieth Century, Tiilis,
Transcaucasa."
Such is the address OF the telegram
found on the 18th of May when | arrived
at Tifiis.
This is what the telegram said:
"As the matters in hand will terminate
OH the 18th instant. Claudius Bombarnac
will repair to Uzun Ada. a port on the
east coast Of the Caspian. There he
will take the train by the direct Grand
Transasatic, between the European from
tier and the capital Of the Celestial EN-
pire He will transmit his impressions
In the way Of news interviewing remark
able people on the road and report the
most trivial incidents by letter or tele-
gram as necessity dictates. The Twenti-
eth Century trusts to the zeal. intelii-
gence, activity and tact of its correspond
ent who can draw on its bankers TO any
extent he may deem necessary.
1t was the very morning l had arrived
at Titlis, with the intention of spending
three weeks there in visit to the
Georgian provinces for the beneht or my
newspaper, and also | hoped for that or
its readers.
Here was the unexpected. indeed; the
uncertainty of a special correspondent
life. I had hardly arrived before was
obliged to be off again without uhs'rap-
ping my portmanteau.
1t was hard, but there was no way out
of it. And to begin with. at what O'Clock
did the train for Tflis start from the
Caspian? | went to the railway station
at run, and rushed into the departure
office.
when is there train for Baku"
asked.
Six o'clock tonight
"And when does it get there!
Seven o'clock in the morning.
as that in time to catch the boat for
Uzun AdaW
The man at the trap door replied to
my salute by Il salute of mechanical pre-
cision. The question of passport did not
trouble me. The French consul would
know how to give me all the references
required by the Russian administration.
At 5 o'clock, having secured my pass
port, | hurry to the railway station.
There there is a crowd of Armenians.
Georgians, Mingrelians. Tartars, Kurds.
lsraeltes, Russians, from the shores of
the Caspian, some taking their tickets
direct for Baku. some for intermediate
stations.
| take a ticket for Baku. first class.
20 down OH the platform to the carriages.
According to my custom, | install myself
In a comfortable corner. A few travel
ers follow me. while the cosmopolitan
populace invade the second and third
class carriages. The doors are shut af-
ter the visit Of the ticket inspector. A
last scream Of the whistle announces that
the train is about to start. Suddenly
there is a shout-a shout in which anger
ia mingled with despair-and catch
these words in German:
stop. Stop"
put down the window and look out.
A fat man. bag in hand. travelling cap on
head, his legs embarrassed in the skirts
OF huge overcoat, short and breathless.
He is late. The porters try to stop him.
Try to stop a bomb in the middle of its
trajectory! Once again has right to give
place to might
The Teuton bomb describes a wel-cal-
cuated curve and has just fallen into the
compartment next to ours, through the
door a traveller had obligingly left open.
The train begins to move at the same in
slant, the engine wheels begin to slip on
the rails, then the speed increases. We
are off.
1t is still daylight at 6 o'clock in the
evening in this latitude. | have bought
time table and consult it. Then |
began to examine my travelling compan-
ions. There were four of us. and | need
scarcely say that we occupied the four
corners of the compartment + had taken
che furthest corner facing the engine.
At the two opposite angles two travellers
were seated facing each other. AS soon
as they got in they pulled their caps
down on their eyes and wrapped them
selves up in their cloaks-evdently they
were Georgians. as far as could see.
In front of me was quite different
type, with nothing Of the oriental about
1t; thirty-tvo to thirty-hve years Old, face
with a reddish beard, very much alive in
look, nose like that of dog standing at
point. mouth only too glad to talk, hands
free and easy, ready for shake with
anybody; a tall, vigorous. broad Shout
dered. powerful man. BY the way in
which he settled himself and put down
his bag, and unrolled his travelling rug
OF bright-hued tartan, | had recognized
the Anglo-Saxon traveller more accus-
toned to long journeys by land and sea
than to the comforts OF his home. if he
cial traveller | noticed that his iewery
was in profusion; rings on his fingers pin
In his scarf. studs on his cuffs with pho
tographic views in them. snowy trinkets
hanging from the watch chain across his
waist coat. | should not have been sur
prised IL he turned out to be an Ameri-
can.
IL | am not mistaken, he will be inst
as glad to speak to me as | am to sneak
20 him-and reciprocally. | will see. But
fear restraints me. Suppose this Amer
lean should also he a special cores pond
ent, and suppose he has also been or
dered to do this Grand Asatic. That
would be most annoying. He would be a
rival.
CHAPTER H.
At last | was about to open my mouth
when my companion prevented me.
You are Frenchman!' he said in
my ma five tonpue