The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-01-29

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Travellers by post, in Russia change horses
about every ten miles. For this purpose
there are stations on all the main roads.
Usually, the same sledge is used for the
whole journey; but the driver is changed
with the horses.
For some time, the baron smoked on in
silence. The air, in the meantime, became
keener, the rising wind whirled the snow
into his face; the darkness gathered denser
9nd more dense.
"You know tho road ?" he said, at last,
addressing the driver.
"Yes my lord. have travelled it, day
and night for twenty years."
"But not often on night like this2"
"Nol But can't mistake it. 1t runs
straight through the forest, as you see."
"But don't see. This fine, drifting snow
almost blinds me. If it should come on to
storm, we couldn't see an inch before u.s."
"In that event." said the Moujik, "we'll
have to trust to the horses. They d know
the road, even if didn't"
"Ah I" said the Young man, and again
relapsed into silence.
How the wind howled. How the branches
Of the leahess trees wrilhed and groaned.
How ghost like the sombre fire looked in
the gloom. The travellers cigar had gone
out, and he now took another. BY its light
he looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes
since We left the post-house," he murmure6
"a quarter of the journey completed. Sc
far so good"
He smoked on, after this, in silence. The
jingle Of the horses bells, the rattle Of the
harness, the whiz of the runners over the
snow, and the crack of the Moujik's whip
became so monotonous, at last, that he be.
gan to be drowsy; and no wonder, for he
had not been in bed for two nights, having
been travelling all that time.
He thought of his betrothed. The Coun-
tess Olga was not only as lovely as dream
she was as witty and charming also. The
marriage was one of pure love, on both
sides. The baron had met her first, al
Baden Baden, the year before. An engage.
ment had soon followed, and the wedding
fixed for the winter. He was now on hi:
way to claim his bride, The delay, he fell
sure, was making her anxious. "Dear girl, >
he said, 81 can see her now, with her eager
eyes and pale face, going to the window
every few minutes, to look if my sledge il
coming; oh how happy we shall both be
when l arrive, an hour hence"
Suddenly he was awoke from his revere
by the furious swish of the Moujik's whip
The horses seemed to be wild with terror
They were going at full gallop, snorting
iercely.
"What's the matter ?" he asked, rousing
himself
Don't you hear7" cried the Moujik, in
a frightened voice. "The wolves There
are a score of 'em-saint Izaak protect us!'
The young man had often heard of this
peril to the traveller, during winter, in Rus
Ni"i bub hhN lSSaiuOu ehSAp udIIdNlNtb uh
more or less exaggerated. Even now he
could hardly understand the Moujik's ter
ror. 1t was not till he became aware of a
peculiar sound that appeared to be coming
nearer every instant, that he awoke to full
consciousness Of the danger. 1t was a sound
compounded of bark and a snarl; and with
it came the patter Of scores of rapid feet on
the hard crust of snow sound that rose
over the tinkle of the bells, the snort of the
horses, the swish of the Moujiks whip, and
even the moaning Of the wntry wind. Hi;
very blood ran cold as he heard it. There
was in it something indescribably fearful
Shading his eyes with bis band, he peered
into the twilight, behind, from out of which
The sounds ProeSSdsd. We nay twilight, sou