The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-02-05


louder than ever. The vast cake Of ice upon
which they were, foated. Suddenly, a
wave lifted it. dragged it away, and preclp-
itated it with irresistible force upon the
frozen surface.
The shock was terrible! A prolonged
cracking resounded beneath their feet, and
they felt that the wave, in withdrawing, had
borne away enormous fragments OF the
broken block.
Nevertheless, they arose unhurt Guided
by the instinct Of Wab, they began to run
in the direction opposite to the tempest,
over a field of ice several feet thick, which
seemed likely to remain motionless and re-
sist all the efforts made by the waves to
separate it; but there, the ice blocks,
strongly pressed one against another and
bcistling with jagged points, opposed thou
sand obstacles to the retreat of the two poor
creatures.
Soon Ladislas, utterly exhausted, was in
capable of advancing further. Nadege took
him in her arms, lifted him up, and, though
an instant before almost ready to sWoon,
found sufficient strength to bear the child
far from the perilous spot.
Looking about for help, Nadege perceived
Yermac, who had been drawn from the hut
by the din Of the tempest and the barking
of Wab
The chief of police came towards them.
He was speedily stopped by crevice which
Nadege had not yet seen but on the brink
of which she soon arrived The young girl
gave vent to heart-rending cry on seeing
the insurmountable gap which had opened
before them. It was a deep and very long
fissure, full of water and bounded on the
right by a perpendicular iceberg. 1t ap-
peared to be seven or eight feet wide.
Nadege and Ladislas seemed to have no
other resource than to wait upon the spot
until the wind should cease and new ice
form and become strong enough to bear
SSsezzs, which yc;.llS take place Il few
hours. But the garments Of both, wet
with salt water, had frozen upon them.
Ilnmobility and waiting, therefore, meant
death!
Yermac had found q more prompt means
Of aiding them. Pieces of ice Of different
sizes lay upon the edge of the crevice; he
thought he could make bridge of them,
and Immediately fell to work At the
first block he removed, Nadege comprehend"
ed his generous intention and felt all heT
hope revive.
Some pieces of ice scattered about in the
crevice following the motion off the water,
others fastened themselves to the opposite
side of the crevice, and soon the bridge was
firm enough for Ladislas first and then
Nadege to cross it. The child had no sooner
let go his sisters hand than Yermac seized
him and drew him over After this trial,
Nadege traversed the bridge Of ice without
assistance. AS to Wab, the animal had fol-
lowed Ladislas and then returned to Nadege
as if to invite her to fear nothing.
Iadislas embraced the chief of police.
Nadege knew not how to express her deer
gratitude to him for his Intervention in the
midst of their great danger.
At this moment, Yegor and M. Lafeur,
preceded by the two dogs, made their ap-
pearance, arriving, not without some trou-
BILE, from the west.
They also had suffered, the wind render
ing their progress very toilsome by lifting
the snow and hurting it in their eyes. This
snow thus agitated disarranged their route
by forming, as do the shifting sands, ra-
vines little valleys, and hillocks which they
were forced to go around, sinking the knees
in a fine dust
The surprise Of the hunters was extreme
on seeing Nadege and Ladislas upon the ice,
their garments covered with an icy coat and
stiff with stalactites, and Yermac beside
them, wet also and shining with ice-for he
had not spared himself while working. They
were soon informed of what had taken place
by Ladislas.
"Ah! Monsieur Yermac!" cried Yegor,
''you are better than you would have US be
Heve. To-day you have saved the lives OF
all of us!"
But. after the Joy of finding each other
again safe and sound, there was disap-
pointment-the hunters had brought back
nothing from their rough days chase.
AS to the chief of police, the day had
been favorable to him. Once again he was
square with Yegor It was a good omen for
him.