Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-08-05


half over at bend in the road, and only |
rights itself as Andre filings his weight tc
the upper side.
The prince, white as marble whispers
low order in Timothy's ear. Nine. Novai !
laughs no more; her eyes shine like a cats
she looks at the wolves and again at the
horses.
Superb Magnificent That old horse
is simply amazingl His name, prince, his
name"
Faust, madame" the prince answer.
coldly; "also permit me to remind you that
our danger is very great"
81 know, | know-you need not tell me
If the sleigh upsets-well, nothing will re
main of us but our guns and the buttons
of our clothes. Pooh! trust to Faust-he
is a marvellous animalW
by Gods WILL my prince" says limo
thy solemnly, well reach the lake safely
How it will be then cannot tell; the lake
edge is bad, rough and slippery, the de
scent very, very steep"
"Sol Take this them" the prince re
turns, giving Timothy his hunting knife
eff we are spilled am not to fall alive
into the jaws Of those devilish brutes."
II comprehend, your excellency," limo
thy replies.
"And thou, Serge" Nine. Nevar muir.
murs, pale but smiling bewitching smile
into the leutenant's face, art thou
afraid?"
81, madame, afraidf" he answers slowly
looking her straight in the eyes as he
speaks. mo. But a useless death seems tt
me ridiculous-criminal when imposed by
the caprice of willful woman-but | sub
init to it,"
ell, Al for N apt he
seems stunned.
And you speak thus to me, Serge| she
questions, amazed.
"To you, Marta" he answers, for the
first time calling her by her name.
Something seems to break in her heart
as she listens-a whimsical thoughtless
heart, little too sure of its power per.
haps, but essentially feminine. The shock
increases for her tenfold the danger to
which they are exposed.
And such danger too. The horses, be.
yond control, maddened, their heads low,
run haphazard. The wolves, relentless in
their chase, are almost upon them. Sud
denly Timothy cries out hoarsely.
"The lake, the lake, my princel We are
there"
Before them the forest opens, a broad
treeless space comes into view: it is the
road-the road barely visible, which slope;
! like a sort of ice covered trench whose
sides are nearly vertical. The least slip OIL
the horses part, slight swerve aside, and
! all-men and beasts-would he rolling il
! the snow at the mercy of the ravenou:
horde so close at their heels.
The sleigh flies now like squall of wind
Not even Faust attempts longer to check
their headlong flight. He, too, runs blind
", finging out his heels with the long
superb stride of "A pure blooded racer
God protect u.s. murmurs the prince
under his breath-"the victim of a woman
whiml"
He signs, turns his back on Nine. Nova
and seats himself by the coachman, TIN
veins of whose neck swell out like whip
cord as he pulls on the lines with all hi
! mi ght.
Let them go, says the prince, "let then
go, Timothy. No human power can aid u
now"
Holy Virgin, no; not till the lake i
passedr' Timothy cries The steppes ar
Just beyond: once there we are savedr'
Like bolt of lightning the horses fl
down the slope to the lake Seeing some
thing like ii sink before him, Faust, wit
lifted head and wide open eyes, recognize
the danger confronting them, for he know
like human what his end will be if hi
maddened comrades drag him over tn
brink of that treacherous spot. He brace
himself stiffly, digs his feet deep in tn
snow and throws himself to one sid,
thrusting the right horse with him an
forcing him to keep in the road edging tn
water.
But the left horse slips, scrambles an
falls Now Faust rears forcing with hir
the right horse to his launches Timothy
trusting to the instinct of the old hors'
holds fast with one hand, stretches fol
ward across the shaft and cuts with on
stroke the fallen horses traces. With
neigh of agony he instantly disappear
! under a swarm of snarling devils.
The sleigh flies on, the lake and woo
are passed and the broad highway of tn
steppes is before them. The hunters al
: silent and speak never word ligE
CLEANS in the distance and Timothy turn
the steaming horses toward it. 1t is I'll
post station in the midst of the steppe
) They enter the courtyard like chargin
hurricane.
Faust for moment breathes heavil
I. and loud, staggers blindly, whinnies 10
| and shudderingly falls-never to RI
again. He had broken blood vessel
the effort he had made to keep the sleig
straight when the side horse fell AM
though bleeding inwardly all the Will
l. the strength and courage Of his race u
held him to the last
Timothy, with bowed head and wet eye
makes no attempt to hide his sorrow. I'll
: prince stands like a man of stone, gain
u dumbly at his horse, already stitfenin
his legs stretched out his mouth and nc
y trils red with blood. Nine. Novar, too, f.
u moment is speeches.; then throws baC
} her head with gesture of imperious d
y fance.
u 1T was not to be this time" she mu
murs softly. 1--WE are saved-saved, Serg
my friend though all depended upon
II horse"
{ And moved, touched, in spite of herse
V she turns and impulsively reaches her han
. to her lover. But he stands like stone;
II does not notice her hand, and his voice is i
), itself as he mechanically repeats after he
y "As you say, madame-all depended up
. a horse"
&c Still she does not understand him; she
woman and hard to convince, and S
IL snpaks again with a tender infection: