police will see you," he said.

"Good," returned Michael. And without saying a word to her for whom he
had been searching all day, without reassuring her by even a gesture,
which might compromise either her or himself, he followed the man.

The young Livonian, seeing the only being to whom she could look for
help disappear, fell back again on her bench.

Three minutes had not passed before Michael Strogoff reappeared,
accompanied by the agent. In his hand he held his podorojna, which
threw open the roads to Siberia for him. He again approached the young
Livonian, and holding out his hand: "Sister," said he.

She understood. She rose as if some sudden inspiration prevented her
from hesitating a moment.

"Sister," repeated Michael Strogoff, "we are authorized to continue our
journey to Irkutsk. Will you come with me?"

"I will follow you, brother," replied the girl, putting her hand into
that of Michael Strogoff. And together they left the police station.

CHAPTER VII GOING DOWN THE VOLGA

A LITTLE before midday, the steamboat's bell drew to the wharf on the
Volga an unusually large concourse of people, for not only were those
about to embark who had intended to go, but the many who were compelled
to go contrary to their wishes. The boilers of the Caucasus were under
full pressure; a slight smoke issued from its funnel, whilst the end
of the escape-pipe and the lids of the valves were crowned with white
vapor. It is needless to say that the police kept a close watch over
the departure of the Caucasus, and showed themselves pitiless to those
travelers who did not satisfactorily answer their questions.

Numerous Cossacks came and went on the quay, ready to assist the agents,
but they had not to interfere, as no one ventured to offer the slightest
resistance to their orders. Exactly at the hour the last clang of the
bell sounded, the powerful wheels of the steamboat began to beat the
water, and the Caucasus passed rapidly between the two towns of which
Nijni-Novgorod is composed.

Michael Strogoff and the young Livonian had taken a passage on board
the Caucasus. Their embarkation was made without any difficulty. As
is known, the podorojna, drawn up in the name of Nicholas Korpanoff,
authorized this merchant to be accompanied on his journey to Siberia.
They appeared, therefore, to be a brother and sister traveling under the
protection of the imperial police. Both, seated together at the stern,
gazed at the rec