Platoff dragged him to the window, and pointed to the soldiers in the yard.
"They are seeking us," he said; "some wretch has put them on our track. It is not yet too late to escape, provided a way is open in the rear. My only fears are for your safety. How can you explain? How can you extricate yourself from your perilous position?"
"I do not believe the soldiers are here for that purpose," said Poussin in a calm voice, but the pallor of his face belied his words. "I advise you to wait before you attempt anything rash."
"They are coming," cried Platoff, as footsteps were heard in the next apartment, and rushing to the door he propped his huge frame against it, calling on Maurice to assist.
"Be careful—be careful," said Poussin, nervously; "don't go too far."
A sharp rat-tat-tat was heard on the panels, and as no one answered, the familiar voice of the starosta called on them to open.
With a sudden change of demeanour, Platoff seized the handle and flung the door far back.
The torch gleam from the yard revealed the starosta and a burly captain of Cossacks standing on the threshold.
* * *
CHAPTER XXII
The starosta evidently failed to notice the consternation that his visit had produced.
"Pardon—a thousand pardons, your honour!" he exclaimed, volubly, addressing Poussin, who had pushed his way to the front. "I am sorry that I must disturb you, but I really have no choice, as your honour can readily see for yourself. This is a government position, you know, and, of course, I must be very careful—"
"What are you talking about?" interrupted Poussin, angrily, glancing aslant at his companions, who had edged across the room. Speak and explain yourself."
"Why, don't you know?" said the starosta, in a surprised tone. "Didn't you hear the noise and see the Cossacks in the yard. His Excellency the government Inspector will be here in an hour or two, and this room must be made ready for him. He was not expected so soon; but it seems that he fears the warm weather will set in before he reaches the Pacific. He has come clear from Petersburg. This is the commander of the Cossack advance-guard, who always precedes his excellency some miles," and the starosta indicated the officer at his side, who at once muttered out an apology for disturbing the travellers at their rest.
Back in the shadow of the wall, Platoff and Maurice drew a sigh of relief that was audible in the doorway. Poussin, too, was overcome by the sudden transition from despair to hope; but he retained his self-possession admirably, and replied, with a well-assumed touch of indignation.
"It is shameful that travellers should suffer these inconvenience but since it is his Excellency the Inspector who wishes our apartment we will gladly give it up. Convey to him our best regards on his arrival. And now where can we sleep for the remainder of the night?"
"I can put you on the floor of the post-room." said the starosta, doubtfully. "If your honour doesn't object to the other occupants."
"And who else is there?" asked Poussin.
"Well," replied the starosta, counting on his fingers, "there are four peasants, and two soldiers, and a Cossack Lieutenant, and three drunken Buriats, and a merchant from Tomsk, and a dog——"
"That will do," interrupted Poussin. "I don't want to hear any more. I see that the moon is shining. Travelling will be good. Fetch me a relay of the best horses you can get, and at once, mind you. We will start immediately, and make up for loss of rest at the next station we reach."
"But your honour," stammered the starosta. "I'm afraid—horses—they are scarce, and his excellency will want——" Here he paused and glanced over his shoulder; but the Cossack, having lent his presence to the edict of expulsion, had made his way unnoticed into the courtyard.
Poussin readily interpreted these little manoeuvres.
"Get me the horses, and I will give you ten rubles extra," he said. "I want provisions also. Put me in sufficient for five days' travel. One cannot procure food fit for a dog to eat at the stations between here and Vladivostok."
"But food is even scarcer than horses," said the starosta, with a greedy twinkle in his eye. "All that can be procured will be consumed by his excellency and party."
"Provide what I want, and I will pay your price," replied Poussin. "Make haste now, and get our sledge ready. I will start at once, and his excellency can have this room."
"Yes, your honour," said the starosta, "I will do my best," and bowing low, he departed. Poussin carefully closed the door after him and crossed the room.
"You heard all our conversation?" he asked, abruptly.
"Yes," said Platoff. "Thank Heaven we are safe. It was a terrible fight, and I was sure that all was lost. Your coolness preserved us from a fatal blunder. You are a wonderful man."
"Yes, it is true that we are safe for the present," answered Poussin. "But what I have just heard has a hidden meaning that I only could understand. You remember my telling you that I journeyed from Irkutsk to Toluar in company with two men under whose names and with whose passports you are now travelling?"
"Yes,' said Platoff, "I recollect."
"Well," resumed Poussin. "those men, Miroff and Lyapin, are both Russian officers, although they traveled incognito, and the passports made no mention of their rank. From Irkutsk they were sent ahead by his Excellency the Inspector, and when we arrived at Toluar a telegram reached them containing instructions to await the arrival of the inspector at the station. They travelled with me, you see, in order that their ranks might not be suspected. His excellency was not due at Toluar for some weeks, but it appears now that he has journeyed with unusual rapidity. He will be here in an hour or two. Miroff and Lyapin are with him. An examination of passports will lead to the discovery of our ruse, and disaster will follow."
Poussin threw himself on a chair and wiped the perspiration from his brow.
"A bad state of affairs, indeed," said Platoff; "what can be done."
"Little, I fear," replied Poussin. "I have ordered the sledge at once, and we may gain some hours on his excellency. It all depends, however, on a single thing—the examination of the passports. It is possible that no such inspection will be made, since the inspector and his party are of such high rank. In that event all will go well, and by hard travelling we can reach Vladivostok before the inspector. But if the passports are requested by the officer who examined ours last night, and he hears the names of those men, the coincidence will at once strike him, and discovery will follow."
"Either Cossacks will then be sent in pursuit, or orders will be telegraphed to the next station to arrest us on our arrival."
"But the chances are in our favour," exclaimed Maurice, eagerly; "at least, as it seems to me. If these men had procured other passports, and these passports had been examined at various points along the route, points at which our passports had also been examined, would not this discovery have been made long ago?"
"Yes," assented Poussin.
"And, in that event," resumed Maurice, "would it not have been a simple matter to telegraph orders for our arrest?"
Again Poussin nodded assent.
"Very well," added Maurice, triumphantly, "it is plain that their passports have not heretofore been examined, why, then, would they be at this particular point?
"That is clever reasoning," said Poussin. "You are right. The chances are greatly in our favour. Moreover, it is barely possible that these men are not with his excellency at all. One cannot tell what may have happened. Perhaps they were sent back to Irkutsk, or ordered to remain at Toluar. But we will take no chances on that. To stay here an hour longer is dangerous."
At that instant a rap at the door was heard, and a second later the starosta entered.
"All is ready," he said. "the fresh horses and the provisions. Ah, your honour, you little know with what difficulty I procured them. If it came to his excellency's ears. I should lose my place."
"You are an extortionate rascal," said Poussin, coolly, "you can tell lies like a Buriat. "I won't quarrel over the price, though; I am in haste to leave. Here is the money for the horses, including the ten extra rubles. How much for the provisions?"
"Eight—eight rubles," stammered the starosta. "I assure you, your honour, they cost me seven and a half——"
"They didn't cost you two," said Poussin, scornfully; "but here, take your moneys and dropping the coins into the outstretched hand, he led the way out, followed by Platoff and Maurice, bearing the rugs.
It was two o'clock in the morning. The post-yard, lit by the glaring torches of the soldiery, was weird and unnatural. A splendid troika—three powerful black horses—were attached to the sledge, and the restless animals were stamping impatiently. Platoff and Maurice took the back seat and drew the furs around them. A slight movement of the rugs in front showed that Phil was still safe in his retreat. He doubtless was curious to know what was going on.
Poussin deliberately made an inspection of the food he had bought to see that everything was there; and finally climbing to his seat, he roughly ordered the station attendants out of the road and chirruped to the horses.
They trotted through the yard, and turning the angle at the gate under the very eyes of a dozen Cossacks, dashed off down the frozen deserted street. The low houses, dim and gloomy, shot past like streaks, and skimming over a slight ridge, the darkness was relieved by a bar of light shining from the military outpost—a small wooden structure by the roadside.
"I forgot all about that," muttered Poussin, as he pulled up his horses in obedience to the stern command to halt.
Two or three soldiers were lounging inside, and the officer who came forward with a lantern was the same man that examined their passports that morning. He held up the light and scrutinised their faces.
"Ah, yes, I remember you. You just came last evening."
"Yes," replied Poussin; "we have been turned out of our beds," and he related in good-humoured tones how the expected arrival of the government Inspector had deprived them of their room, and started them off a few hours ahead of their usual time.
"Then you are not connected with his excellence's party," asked the officer.
"Why—-no," said Poussin, thrown off his guard by the question.
"But your companions are," said the officer, and pulling a document from his pocket he hastily unfolded it.
"I find both your names here," he said, looking at Platoff: "Louis Miroff and Serge Lyapin. This is a list of the inspector's party brought to me an hour ago by the captain of his excellency's advance guard, in order that I might copy it for my monthly report. Seeing your names upon it, I supposed you had preceded the inspector. May I ask why you are leaving again before his arrival?"
Platoff's courage rose to meet this trying emergency. "We belong to his excellency's party," he answered, in a firm voice, "my companion and I, we are travelling incognito for reasons that must remain secret."
Then seeing that the officer hesitated, he added. "You saw the passports properly made out in our own names, surely that is sufficient."
Perhaps there was an ill-suppressed touch of eagerness in Platoff's voice. The officer's suspicions were plainly aroused.
Without replying he held his lantern to Platoff's face, and turned it on Poussin, who sat white and miserable on the front seat. That woebegone countenance confirmed the officer's doubts
"I must put you to the inconvenience of a brief delay," he said, "no doubt all will be explained, but I dare not assume any risks. I will despatch a man at once to bring the captain of the Cossack guard. He will know you, of course."
The other moved quietly forward and caught the horses' lines, while three soldiers with rifles in their hands came out of the station and stood near the sledge.
"Yes," said Platoff, "he will know us. Oh, yes, the captain will know us——" His lips trembled, and he caught Maurice's wrist in a convulsive grasp.
Poussin never turned his head. He was trembling like a leaf. Ten seconds—twenty—half a minute.
No one moved or spoke.
Suddenly Platoff straightened up. With one quick marvellous leap he sprang behind Poussin and snatched the lines and the whip from the nervous fingers. He shouted fiercely, and brought down the lash with stinging severity on the spirited horses. They reared in the air, tore madly from the officer's detaining grasp, and before the amazed soldiers could realise what had taken place the sledge was dashing like a meteor into the gloom.
"Down!" Platoff shouted to Maurice, and sweeping Poussin into the bottom of the sledge with one arm, he tightened his grip on the lines and dropped low himself.
Crack, crack. crack, crack—for two or three minutes the rifles popped continuously on the frosty air, and the bullets tore through the leather hood, and splintered the woodwork on all sides. Then the last shot echoed and died away. and the flashes of red fire vanished, leaving the night darker than before by contrast.
* * *
CHAPTER XXIII
Platoff's brave deed would probably have resulted disastrously had it not been for the presence of mind which prompted him to drag his companions to the bottom of the sledge. This, no doubt, saved their lives; for although the ballets whistled by on all sides, no one was struck.
When the firing ceased, Platoff rose to his feet and looked back. The lights of the military post had vanished behind a slight crest. In the village beyond, which was on somewhat higher ground, a few scattered lights could be seen.
"Are they coming?" asked Poussin, as he rose and climbed on the seat.
"No," said Platoff, "I can't hear any sounds of pursuit. They have no horses, you know."
"All seems quiet behind us," said Maurice, who was leaning over the back seat.
"What's the matter? Who was shooting?" demanded a smothered voice, and Phil poked his head and shoulders from under the rugs.
