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« it was barren and rugged, strewn «th bowlders and a half dozen stunt- gbirches. <A few feet below the crest

spring of icy water poured out, and ster falling in numerous cascades g@wn the slope emptied into the Kara ger, At this spring the prisoners were often allowed to drink, for the waers Of the Kara were = slightly

packish and, moreover, were usually | guidy and tainted from the mining | qerations.

To-day but few of the men were thirsty. One or twv climbed painfully up the slope, and filling their tin cups ame back to their places. Maurice } was sitting on an upturned wheelbar- | mw slowly eating his bread and look- ig wistfully at Phileand Platoff, who were some yards away, near the, bank ad the river. He turned his eyes to- ward the spring. The snow waa fall-

thickly over the rocky crest of the hil, and suddenly against the gloomy whiteness of the sky he saw an arm thrust from the rocks. Thinking it oly a delusion, he rubbed his eyes and looked again. No; he was not mistaken. It was a human arm, and it was beckoning him to approach. He watched it closely for a moment or two. Twice it vanished and then ap- peared again, and still it continued to motion him forward. A sudden thrill wthope made his heart beat wildlv, but with great self-commamnd he checked all show of emotion and assumed a carelege attitude.

Presently he ventured to look about him. No one else apparently had seen the Signal. The convicts were engros- td in their bread and tea, the over- ers Were sitting by the fire with their lacks toward the hill, and the sol- Gers off duty for the time were chat- tng loudly among themselves. Maurice hastily gulped down the re- mainder of his tea, and taking the tin tip in one hand and his hunk of bread in the other he rose slowly to his feet and Commenced to ascend the hill with

careless, hesitating steps. He trembled t“atantliy with excitement, fearing fich second to be called back, but no Sich summons came. and at last he fained the spring and sat down on a flat stone beside the outpouring water. Close over his head was the nook @mong the rocks where he had seen that wavering arm. Not daring to look behind him, be glanced down into the hollow. Some of his fellow-prisoners were looking at him in a careless man- ner, but neither the overseers nor the soldiers were paying any attention. He cipped his cup into the spring, and as he raised it to his lips a soft voice whispered, with a strangely familiar accent :—“ You saw my signal. You haye come. Be on your guard. Don’t move, Don't speak a word.”

The cup almost dropped from Mau- rice’'s trembling hand, but with a paar he recovered himself and

as though nothing had happen-

“lam Lora Melikoff,” continued the Speaker after a pause. “TI have not forgotten your brave deed. Il am go- ing to do what I can for you in return, You sneak mv tanzuace da vou not ?”

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1 )¥ LN ACC ttt tna nett — Pi \ BY Wa-MURRAY GRAYDON. | e.” ' tena ay “ . a = —~ > * oe a a® ae ccs > <2 ee , COPW RIGHT, (297 BY THE WOOL FALL PUBLISHING CQ) ° (Continued.) ume rorward and look- + Maurice inclined his head without rae o* } bent Satisfaction. + speaking, ; at * k.” he said ay. | “ Your noble act has put you in great that is § have 30 : tutes’ | Peril,” resumed Lora; “more so than ’ eS ; a . - to-day > } you think. My father is grateful, it is a6. ate at red ané | true, but he is stern—ah, you do not om seme to the Even thie | Know how stern and severe—and he le- an ‘. WAS somet} aa clares that you must be punished as an ft . ’ ” PRO UGAUEAS ; ‘ . _ognifics Picks and barr wa | @xample to the other men, I have eee ysid ind sitting down on | implored him in vain, and last night gore rosse’: of earth the hungry I listened when he was talking to ones , to devour greedily the black | 5°™e officers. They will either she ot pen DeRAN : | you or send you to the Province of : : _* al me is na bad as the wad and tea that were served out to Yakutsk. neon = : t Ii vou of | other. I have not time to tell y' hor » 2 : — . are _. Coesacks stacked their arms, | Yakutsk, but it is a terrible place. bs Sl : : f two or three ‘ 2 week an officer is expected from + t wh TDe ca ‘ ‘ t { e anenk! ee tee wnd gat) i about the fires. * Petersburg on a tou! oO Ins} wheter Saas th : : tamping their | and then your fate will be de ided. rhhing wa Aah US Baia SLL pal ua os ° . . » w} ; pubbiig ” You must try to escape, = ugh it is jet a . almost hopeless. Do you Know any- mn or fifteen yards from the spot leg ; cae a ‘oul ; [iis convicts were groaned the? Uns of the country? Coule Jus ghere the ‘ : oo head - t ed find the Pacific Ocean, do you think 7 pow of a rocky hill stoped to the Fiv There are vessels at Viadivostock from

every part of the world.”

Maurice tremblingly held his bread to his lips, as though he were eating, and said in a low whisper :—‘I have two friends. One of them is a Rus- man who knows the country.

sian, a He has spoken of Viadivostock and knows the way down the valley of the

Amur.”

Then he added, with sudden alarm : “There are guards down the other slope. They can see you surely.”

“1 do not fear them,” said Lora, catiuiy. “ There is but one, and him Il

have brited to atlow me to reach this

spot. You say you have two friends. It will be more difficult for three to escape, I fear, and yet I may be wrong. Three can do more than one. But I have much to say, and little time in which to tell it. Listen closely now to every word, and be careful that your actions do not betray you. I have placed a small package under the stone on which you are sitting. It cortains toola which may heip you to escape from the prison at night. You must conceal it in some way about your clothes. I have written on a screp of paper your best plan for get- ting free of the prison. Heed it care- fully and be sure to destroy the writ- ing. It will be difficult and danger- ous, and success is very doubtful, but if you once gain the outside of the prison stockade, you can place your- self in security for a few days at least. After that you must do the best you can, and [I shall pray con- stantly that you may reach Viadivos- tock and get safely away from Si- beria. Now, here is what you must do when you are outside the prison: Go directly to the Kara river, and fol- low its channel up to this very spot, so that it will be impossible to track your footsteps. Two miles along this ridge is a cave among the rocks. It lies in among seven pine trees, and is dificult to find. No one but myself knows it, and I discovered it by acci- dent two years ago, when my father first came here from Moscow. In this cave I have already hidden clothes and money. To-day or to-morrow 1 shall find a way to convey food there, and to-morrow night you must attempt to escape. If you can reach the cave, you are safe for a while. Remain there for a week or two, and then, when the pursuit has abated, or is being conducted far from here, it will be time to start for the distant Pacific. If your friend is a clever man, he may guide you there in safety. You will find clothes for three in the cave. Now you ha‘ better gc. Don’t at- tempt to get the package at present. Wait until you start back to the prison at night.”

“But you ”—cried Maurice, quite for-

getting himself—‘‘you have placed yourself in peril for my sake. How can I ever thank you? How can I

ever hope to repay such a debt of gratitude ?”

“ Hush,” said Lora; “not so loud. You will betray yourself.” Her voice had 2 towch of haughtinc ss, of offend-

ed pride, that showed Maurice instant- ly the gulf between himself, a de- graded convict, wearing the prison stripes, and this aristocratic young Russian, the daughter of famous Col. Melikoff.

“ Forgive me,” he said, humbly. “TI forgot—I was so grateful—that was all. I did not think—”

“Tt is a debt,” she interrupted, cold- ly; “a sacred obligation on me, an obligation that is doubly binding since my father refuses to acknowledge it. But do not think that I regard you as those men yonder, those thieves, as- sassins, robbers. I have heard some- thing of your history. You are Eng- lishmen, you and your friend. You ure very young, and I prefer to be- lieve that you have fallen into bad company and sinned through igno- rance. Don’t think that I sympathize with your views, for those. who piot against our Czar are wicked men. If through any aid of mine you can reach your own country again, please try to think better of Russia.”

“J shall never forget you,” said Maurice, “but your opinion of me is wrong, I assure you. I am neither a revolutionist nor a Nihilist, and I have never plotted against Russia. I am an American, Miss Melikoff, and my story, could you but hear it, would give you some different ideas of your own land. My mother was—”

“Hush !” said Lora, suddenly. “ The guards are coming. I must slip away

at once. I will never see you again, but I shall pray for your escape. Goodby.”

“ Goodby,” exclaimed Maurice, fer- vently, and as he rose to his feet the harsh voice of the overseer summoned the men to work, and he went slowly and sadly down the slope.

Through the long hours of that af- ternoon he worked as though in a dream, and more than one sharp re- primand was hurled at him by the angry overseer. Little did he care for that. <A wild hope of freedom was seething through his brain, a vision ef fom hbmarina and friands he hed

en ee Scat ee nen

neve’ expected to see again, vet tnere was bitterness mingled with his jov.

This Russian «irl believed him guilty of the crimes with which he was charged. She believed that he had

plotted against her native land, against the Cvar, whom she honoured and re- vered.

Carried away by his f Mau- rice even began to find excuse for the tyrannical and despotic means

lings, some

that had placed him in his terrible situation. If only he could have a chance to tell her his story, he thought, she we uld be cony inced and helieve him. And now he would never see her again, never have a chance to ex-

plain, and she would always be itgno- f the truth.

agitated expression of was noticed by his They regarded him curiously, wondering evidently what bit of joy could be

nd

his face

companions.

—— ce ee Se a

a ——< - /

»

wf

f We drew the flat, heavy pavcel from under « gtonee,

mingled with his wretched But the watchful eve of < trained on the work that was being done, failed to note these signs.

existence,

the overseer Ae

When the cappery sun went down, the jabour ceased. Now came the most difficult part of

ail, but Maurice was equal to the task. Before the convicts formed in line for the homeward march he carelessly climbed the hill with his cup, and Stooping, under pretence of getting drink, he dexterously drew the flat, heavy parcel from under a stone and hid it in the folds of his shirt beneath the heavy overcoat. There it rested snugly all through the long tramp back to the prison, and when the even- ing verification was over and the con- victs were eating their supper on the platforms his heart was beating fast at the thought of what lay next to it —the precious means that might be destined to lead to safety and free- dom,

CHAPTER XV. AGAINST GREAT ODDS.

It must be remembered that some al- terations had been recently made in the disposition of the prisoners. Phil and Platoff had been removed from the central apartment of the prison to a Kamera, or separate ceil, which they shared with four other convicts, coarse, Villainous-looking fellows, of a low and vicious grade. They were iocked up securely in this cell every evening, and their supper was served to them here on the sleeping platforms. It was a dreary, ill-smeling apartment, with a decayed plank floor, and one small win- dow crusted with dirt, that opened on the prison courtyard,

On this particular evening Maurice ate his supper in silence, replying only in monosyllables to the queries of Phil and Platoff concerning his strange be- haviour that afternoon.

The other inmates of the kamera hur- vied through their meals and retired to

their own corner of the _ platform. Maurice waited until the sound of heavy breathing assured him that

they were asleep, and then, drawing the package frm his bosom, he proceed- ed to open it before the astonished eyes of his two companions, briefiy ex- plaining as he did so how it came into his possession.

The outer covering was quickly re- moved, and the dim light of the tallow candle burning at the'r side revealed a strong-bladed knife, a flat steel werlge with a sharp edge, a small seal- ed bettie, and a scrap of paper covered with close writing. This latter Platoff seized and held close to the candle. As he read, his face flushed and his hands trembled with suppressed ex- citement.

“ Ah, this is indeed fortunate!” he said, turning to Manrice. “ Your bravery has obtained you a rich re- ward. She is truly a noble girl! Now, repeat carefully what she told you, in order that I may know how to form my plans.”

“And you really think escape will be posstble ?"” asked Maurice, eagerly, and in a whisper he related in detail all that has passed, explaining the lo- cation of the cave, and by what signs it could be discovered.

Platoff listened intently, keeping meanwhile a watchful eye upon the sleeping convicts.

“ Did I not read Melikoff’s character rightly ?’” he said, when Maurice end- ed. “And so he proposes shooting

you or sending you to Yakutsk. For my part I should prefer the shooting.”

“ Where ig Yakutsk ?” asked Mau- rice,

“It is a province 1,000 miles to the north of Kara,” replied Platoff, grim- ly, “inhabited by a barbarous, half civilized race, who dress in skins and live six and seven in one small hut. The exile who goes there is domiciled with one of these families and suffers a fate worse than death. And yet,” added Platoff, with bitter indignation, “TIT have known Russian women of re- fineiment and education to suffer this most degrading of punishments. But keep up your courage, my boy. You shall not go to Yakutsk if I can pre- vent it. I must say that circum- stances are strongly in our favour. In fact, we could hope for nothing better, for if once we get away from this pris- on the cave will afford us a secure hid- ing place until, as the girl says, the pursuit has spread far from here. Then for the valley of the Amur and Vladi- vostok, and I for one shall never be retaken alive.”

A fearful expression that the boys had never seen there before appeared on Platoff’s face.

“But now,” he continued more calm- ly, “we must consider the most dan- gerous and important step. We are not yet out of the prison, and whether we shall ever get out devends on our

enna, nates ame ennui

an& daring.’ “Witifout would be hopeless, but is a description of the makes our task much

own ‘cCSméss this paper it here, you see prison, which easier.

“This is what the girl says :-—

“*The prison les in a large court- yard, inclosed by a stockade on three sides. This courtyard is broad and constantly guarded by armed soldiers, but the western end of the prison :is built close to the stockade, and the narrow avenue between is visited only at intervals by a single sentry. With the bottle of chloroform stupefy the inmates of your cell. With the tools loosen a board in the floor and crawl

under the prison, which is built on piles, Gain the western end, scale the stockade and go straight to the

Kara river. Destroy this writing.’ ” “That last injunction is important,” said Maurice. ‘‘ How shall we do it?” For answer Platoff placed the scrap of paper in his mouth, and after chew- ing it for a moment swallowed it with a slight grimace.

“That disposes of that question,’”’ he said, ‘“‘and now we must find a hiding place for ovr treasures.”’

This was by no means an easy mat- ter, but after much consideration the knife and the wedge were driven into the underside of the platform far back from the edge, and the bottle was plac- ed in a crack in the wall and covered niece of dry plastering taken from another locality. Just at this point the candle exhausted its last drop of tallow and wenr out, and at the same time the tramp of the guard was heard in the corridor.

‘No more talking now,” whispered Platoff, ‘“‘er we will be suspected. To- morrow night we will make the at- tempt. Keep up your courage and

‘its.

Mciuing came, a cold, dreary day, with the snow still falling at inter- vals, and the convicts started as usual for the mines. The boys found it a difficult matter to conceal their feel- ings under the watchful eyes of the overseers, but they managed to pass through the ordeal remarkably well, and nothing occurred to arouse the suspicions of their companions or of the guards. They assumed a dull, list- less expression at work and devoured their lunch with an apparent greed which they were far from feeling.

with a

” a +

As for Platoff, he kept purposely away from them all day, and joined the other gang on the return march

at night. The evening verification was another dreadful ordeal, but it passed without incident, and five minutes later Maurice and his six companions were eating supper in their cell. The chosen time was at hand.

The dishes were taken away by one of the guards, and the door was bolted on the outside. Platoff waited until all were stretched on the platform, and then he blew out the candle, leaving the room in apparent darkness. It was not entirely so, however, for a dim glare shone through the window from the fires in the courtyard, which the guards had built to warm them- selves, and when their eyes became ac- customed to it th¢ boys coulg see plain~ ly every object in the room.

They remained quietly on their backs until it became evident that their fel- low-prisoners were asleep. Platoff gave the signal for action by rising cautiously and moving on tiptoe to the end of the platform. Satisfied with the inapection, he came back and whis- pered to the boys, “ Lie very still and don’t make a sound.”

Then crossing the room, he took the bottle from its hiding-place in the wall and approached the sleeping men. Mau- rice saw him tear a strip of cloth from his coat and apply it to the bottle two er three times, and immediately ea peculiar odour was perceptible in the room,

(To be Continued.) rr ST AN cs

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