roads.

So it happened that Blount and Alcide had not the slightest trouble in
replacing, by a sound telga, the famous demi-carriage which had managed
to take them to Ekaterenburg. As to Michael, he retained his tarantass,
which was not much the worse for its journey across the Urals; and he
had only to harness three good horses to it to take him swiftly over the
road to Irkutsk.

As far as Tioumen, and even up to Novo-Zaimskoe, this road has slight
inclines, which gentle undulations are the first signs of the slopes of
the Ural Mountains. But after Novo-Zaimskoe begins the immense steppe.

At Ichim, as we have said, the reporters intended to stop, that is
at about four hundred and twenty miles from Ekaterenburg. There they
intended to be guided by circumstances as to their route across the
invaded country, either together or separately, according as their
news-hunting instinct set them on one track or another.

This road from Ekaterenburg to Ichim--which passes through Irkutsk--was
the only one which Michael could take. But, as he did not run after
news, and wished, on the contrary, to avoid the country devastated by
the invaders, he determined to stop nowhere.

"I am very happy to make part of my journey in your company," said he to
his new companions, "but I must tell you that I am most anxious to reach
Omsk; for my sister and I are going to rejoin our mother. Who can
say whether we shall arrive before the Tartars reach the town! I must
therefore stop at the post-houses only long enough to change horses, and
must travel day and night."

"That is exactly what we intend doing," replied Blount.

"Good," replied Michael; "but do not lose an instant. Buy or hire a
carriage whose--"

"Whose hind wheels," added Alcide, "are warranted to arrive at the same
time as its front wheels."

Half an hour afterwards the energetic Frenchman had found a tarantass in
which he and his companion at once seated themselves. Michael and Nadia
once more entered their own carriage, and at twelve o'clock the two
vehicles left the town of Ekaterenburg together.

Nadia was at last in Siberia, on that long road which led to Irkutsk.
What must then have been the thoughts of the young girl? Three strong
swift horses were taking her across that land of exile where her parent
was condemned to live, for how long she knew not, and so far from his
native land. But she scarcely noticed those long steppes over which the
tarantass was rolling,