Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-02-22
CHAPTER xxXv.
VII4NH T III =
VIZ MEET AN DIN AcoIrATNTANrF

WE MEET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
Darkness compells us TO keep on the out
I skirts of the forest, for within the obscur-
/ ity was so impenetrable that we should
4 have had to grope our way from tree to
tree, only maybe to find, when light came,
that we had been travelling in a circle.
The glow of the smoldering kGmeras at
| least Indicated the direction we were not to
1 take, and the light of the stars was suffi-
Gent to enable us to keep a tolerably
straight course. We were cheerful enough
as we plodded on Only. as il began
I to grow light, we east appre hensive glances
behind us for pursuing Cossacks, but
not a speck rose oat of the great white
plain The remains of the etape were lost
to sight. There was no sign of habitation
or living creature between us and the dark
line of far distant forest which bounded
the horizon.
Its odd" said Gordon in a tone of per-
plexity, after looking about on the snow
around us, tits odd that there are no
marks of feet l saw by the ticket on the
wall last night that there were 600 and odd
in the kameras, and one would think that
some of that number surely would take the
path we have chosen. There were but two
ways to go"
II was mystery TO me also, but thought
It an advantage, for the majority OF the
convicts we had passed on the road were
horrible looking villains, the number Of
unshackled prisoners-men exiled for po-
litical offenses-being very small indeed.
Besides this, it seemed TO me that the fewer
footprints there were in the snow the less
likelihood there was of pursuit being made
in our direction, as there would certainly
be better chance of making captiyesin the
other When it grew lighter, we also struck
into the forest and sat down under canopy
of frozen snow spread over the meeting
boughs of the great pines.
: We were not cold, for there was no wind,
and exercise had thoroughly warmed our
blood, but we were tired, and already
hunger was suggesting the question, what
are we to eatY"
But we said nothing on the subject for
some time, fearing TO betray our own mis-
| givings. At length Gordon, after looking
round him in silence, said:
/ lawfully quiet in here, isn't it9"
/ nodded, looking around me also. In
/ deed the stiffness was, in the true sense OF
the word, awful.
II can't see living thing anywhere" he
continued, land yet there must be, you
/ know
''Taras told me there were wolves in the
forests. Are they good to eatY"
"Well, I've never tried EN- he answered
! evasively, concealing whatever disagreeable
reflections this question may have suggest
ed, ''but one thing is certain, they wouldn't
/ exist if there were nothing for them to eat.
/ II we could knock over a rabbit now, or
! even an old crow, we could soon make a
fire to cook him, and then we should be as
( right as rain.
He had mechanically filled his pipe and
was now about TO light it. He stopped, and
( / saw him ruefully counting the small
number of vestas that remained in his box.
/ When they were gone, there would be no
more smoking
81 say. do you think you could smoke a
cigaretteg" he asked hopefully. 'Baccy' s
q wonderful comfort at all times, but when
you're bit pinched, you know
He pulled out his tobacco pouch tempt
4 ingly. | told him / would rather not try
] it yet awhile.
II think shall enjoy il more presently
said he, putting his pipe in his pocket.
Then / noticed by the limpness Of his
pouch as he put that away that his tobacco
was nearly all gone.
When we began to feel chilly, We walked
on again, keeping under the trees with the
hope of findiRg some animal that might
serve us for food the snowdrift that edged
the wood being our guide.
Gordon had provided himself with a
stout stick, but we saw no sign of living
creature the whole day, and the only thing
we found to eat was some frozen moss and
a leathery kind of lichen. On and on
We went, skirting the edge of the plain,
through the interminable forest, until the
light began to fade; then we went out and
looked beyond the drift. The boundless
plain, with the edging of black pines, was
all we saw-nothing else.
I'VE must think now of making our
selves comfortable for the night" said
Gordon as we re-entered the forest. I'VE
will have good fire at any rate"
Fuel was not wanting The edge of the
wood was strewn with broken woodlands
torn from the trees by the gales that swept
across the plain, or broken down in former
winters by the weight of ice and snow. We
collected great heap, and having built the
| foundation of our fire Gordon. with inf
mite care, struck one of his precious matches
and lit the pile of dry leaves and fir cones.
/ knew then why he had refrained from
smoking all day. Our lives depended on
those vestas. for if they gave out before we
could get fresh supply we must freeze to
/ death.
! As soon as the fire was we'll alight we
scraped a narrow trench, about six feet
long, in the thick bed of fir needles facing
the fire, and framing kind of roof over it
with pine branches piled mass of twigs
and rubbish of all kinds on top so as to ex-
clude the cold air. We both worked with
a will, leaving off now and then to put fresh
fuel on the fire, and when it was finished
felt very well satisfied with our perform
l ance.
Now" said Gordon when we had put
the finishing touch to the roof, creep in
side, mademoiselle, and see if you can get a
few hours sleep"
But we have got to make another shelter
for you,n said l.
''No; one will serve us both-turn and
turn about. 1t won't do to let the fire &c
down, you know''--it was in this way be