The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-07-22
CHATTER "

The train Is running at high speed. In
the ordinary service. when Il stops at the
| eleven stations between Bokhara and
Samarkand. 1t takes a whole day over
the distance. This time Il took but three
hours TO cover the two hundred kilo-
meters which separate the two towns,
and at 2 o'clock la the afternoon IL en-
tered the illustrious city Of Tamerlane.
| SamarkAnd il situated in the rich oasis
watered By the Zarafchane In the valley
| Of sOgd. A small pamphlet I bought
at the railway station informs me that
/ this great city 10 one Of the four sites
in which Eeographers agree" 10 place
the terrestrial paradise. I leave this
| discussion to the exegetists Of the pro
I fession- After a stop Of six hours our
train started OF again at 8 o'clock
During dinner 1 noticed that Ma or
Noltitz continued to keep his eye on bis
I lordship Faruskair. Had be begun to
suspect himr Was IL Of any Importance
in his opinion that this Mongol seemed
to know, without appearing to do %, the
three secoud-elass travellers, who were
also MOngols1 Was his imagination
working with the same activity as mine
And wa hs taking seriously what was
only joke on my part7
As for me. l had soon forgotten all
about the Mongol for the man in the
case. If I get a chance to visit him
tonight | wtL
Il was about half past eleven when
decided TO open the door Of the van.
which shut behind me.
l knew that the young Roumanian was
not always SHUT up in his box, and the
fancy might just have taken him 20
- hEa lk1yk - -
end TO the other of the van The dark.
ness Is complete. No Jet Of light alters
through the holes Of the case. That seems
all the better for me. Il Is as well that
my No. IL saouId not be surprised By
too sudden al apparition. He Is doubt.
less asleep. l will give two little knocks
on the panel; will awake him, and we
will explain matters before he can move.
feel as | go. Ny hand touches the
cases | plaes my ear aga INST the panel
and l listen There l. r II a stir. not a
breath! La my man no. heref Has he
got awayf Has he Elpped out at one
Of the stations without my seeing him
l am just going to knock, when the
locomotives whistle emits its strident
crow as We pass through a station But
the train Is not going to stop, | know.
and wait until the wbistliug has ceased
then give q gentle knock on the
panel There Is no reply. I knock more
loudly.
This tim0 # Is followed By an Invol-
untnry movement Of surprise and fright
Open, apeur' say in Russian. 1T
i friend who speaks You have moth
ing TO feaFT'
If the panel IL not lowered as had
hoped, there Is the crack u a match be-
ing lighted and a feeble light appears In
the case.
l look at the prisoner through the
holes In Shs side. There Is look Of
alarm on lds face; His eyes are haggard.
lie does rot know whether he Is asleep
or awake
open. my friend. I say: open and
have confidence l have discovered your
secret. shall say nothing about It. on
the other hand, l may be Of use to you
lou are Roumanlan. think, and / am
FrenchIaAn."
"Frenciman7 You are Frenchnan7''
Aud this reply was given in ny own
language. with foreign accent. One
more bond between us. The panel slips
along its groove, and By the light Of a
little lamp | can examine my No. II.
No orsb can see US nor hear US r. he
asked In 4 hAlf-stifRd voice.
mo onA"
The glArdT'
Asleep"
Ny nsE friend takes my hands: he
clasps thSm- I feel that he seeks a
support He understands he can depend
on me. aud he murmurs:
DO MT betray me-do not betray
me-"
"BetraT you, my boy7 Can JON bs-
lpisvs thht I, Journalist-
You are 4 journalism
"Claudius BombsrnAc, special CORE
spondsnt Of the Twsntisth Century"
And gou are going to PekinT'
Through 10 Pekin."
"Ah! Monsieur Bombarnac, Providence
has sent you on to my road"
"Anysaing can do for you will.
What IL your nameY'
''Kinko."
You are a Roumanian, are you not p
"Houras MAN, of Bucharest"
But you have lived In FrancsT'
@Foui years In Paris. where I was
apprentices TO an upholstersr In the Fan
bourg Saint Antoine"
And you went back 10 BucharestT r
Yes, TO work at my trade there until
the day came when Il was impossible
Tor me TO resist the desire to leave"
To Isavef whyT
ITO marry
ITO saarry MAdemoiselle Zinca Klork.
Avenue Cha-Coua, Pskin, China"
You know r
Certainly. The address IL on tho
box"
bhs Il a young Roumanlan. / knew
her IN PariA where abe was learning