The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-06-14
CHApTER xxi.

III III Suu1. lIl DIlIdBtu a HaAttA4h -
the seizure Of the Chinese treasure; be
had attacked the train in the plains OF
Cobb; the ear is assaulted, pillaged, ram
BACKED: the gold and precious stones, to
the value of fifteen millions, are torn
from the grasp Of the Celestials, who
yield after a courageous defense. AS TO
the passenger" another two minutes OF
sleep would nave settled their fate
and mine.
But all that disappeared with the
vapors OF the night. Dreams are not
fixed photographs; they fade in the sun,
End end by ~effacing themselves.
In taki&s my stroll through the train
las a good townsman takes his stroll
Through the town, l am joined by Major
Noltitz. After shaking hands, he show
FED me a Morgol in the second-class car,
hnd said to me, ''That is not one of those
I'VE picked up at Douchak when we pick
ed up Faruskiar ana Changer"
''That is so,'' said / /; 81 never saw that
face in the train before"
Pcpof. TO whom | applied fer infor-
nation. told me that the Mongol had got
in at Tchertchen. when he arrived"
he said, THE manager spoke To him for
a minute, from which / concluded that
he also was one of the staff Of the Grand
Transasiatic."
/ had not noticed Faruskiar during my
walk. Had he alighted ut one of the
small stations between Tchertchen and
Tcharkalyk, where we ought to have
been about l O'clock in the afternoon?
No, he and Changer were on the gang
way in front Of our car. They seemed
TO be in IN animated conversation, and
only stopped 10 take a good look toward
the northeastern horizon. Had the Mon
gol Brought some news which had made
them throw off their usual reserve and
gravity? And / abandoned myself TO my
imagination, foreseeing adventures. at
lacks of bandits and SO on, according to
my dream.
was recalled 10 reality by the Rev.
Nathaniel slorse, who said 70 me: 1T
as fixed for to-day; do not forget"
That meant the marriage Of Fulk Eph-
rinell and Horatia Bluett. Really, I was
not thinking of it. 1t is time for me to
30 and dress for the occasion. All ! can
do will be TO change my shirt. 1t is
enough that one of the husbands wit
nesses should be presentable; the other,
Caterna, will be sure to be magnificent.
1t was at 8 o'clock that this marriage
was to take place, announced by the bell
OF the tender, which was to sound full
clanG as if ii were n chapel hell. With
n little imagination we could believe we
were in 4 village. But whittier did this
bell invite the witnesses and guests? Into
the dining car, which had been conven-
iently arranged for the as
had taken good care.
Ii was 30 longer a dining car: il was q
hall car, if the expression Is admissible.
The big table had leen taken away and
replaced by a small table which served
ms a desk. A few flowers bought at
Tchertehen had been arranged in the
corners OF the car, which was large
enough to hold nearly all who wished to
Toe present-and those who could not get
.anside could look on from the
|. A quarter TO nine. No one has yet
seen the happy couple. Miss Bluett is
in one of the toilet cabinets in the first
van. where she is probably preparing
herself. Fulk Ephrinell is perhaps
struggling with his cravat and giving a
last polish TO his portable jewelry. 1 am
not anxious. We shall see them as soon
as the bell rings.
4 have but one regret, and that is that
Faruskiar and Changer should be too
busy to Join MS. Why do they continue
to look over the immense desert? Be
fore their eyes there stretches not the
cultivated steppe Of the Lob-Nor region,
but the Cobb, which is barren, desolate
and gloomy. 1t may be asked why these
people are keeping such an obstinate
lookout.
IF M presentimeats do not deceive
me- said Major Noltitz, there is some
reason for it,"
What does he mean? But the bell of
the tender, the tender bell. begins its
joyous appeal. Nine O'clock; it is time to
so into the dining car.
The passengers move in a procession.
fhe -four witnesses first. then the guests
from the end of the village-I mean of
the train; Chinese, T~urkomans, Tartars.
men and women. all curious TO assist at
the ceremony. The four Mongols remain
en- the last gangway near the treasure,
which the Chinese soldiers do not leave
for an instant.
We reach the dining car. The clergy
man is seated at the little table, on which
is the certificate of marriage he has
prepared according to the customary
form. He looks as though he was ac-
customed to this sort Of ,thing, which is
as much commercial as matrimonial.
Here is Mr.. Fulk Ephrinell. dressed
this morning just as he was dressed yes
terday, with a pencil behind the lobe Of
his left ear, for he has just been making
our an account for his New York house.
,fere Is Miss Horatia Bluett, as thin,
MS dry, as plain as ever, her dust-cloak
over her travelling gown, and in place
of jewelry a noisy bunch of keys, which
hangs from her belt.
The company politely rise as the bride
and bridegroom enter. They mark
time ns Caterna says. Then they adj