San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-11-21

thought, scanning the wintry land
scape, and the boys hesitated to disturb
his reverie. Suddenly from round the
curve above was heard sharp jingling
Of bells, faint at first, but rapidly grow
ing louder. Platoff excitedly pushed the
boys back into a dense spruce thicket
that bordered the road.
keep low and don make sound, !"
be whispered.
From their retreat it was possible to
see the curve in the road, and on this
all fixed their eyes expectantly. The
jingle of the bells came nearer and near
er, ringing out as though the horses
were running at full speed, and now
above their chatter was heard voice
raised to its highest pitch.
Something is wrong" whispered
Platoff, and as the words left his lips a
huge sled burst round the curve at full
| speed. 1t was clumsy vehicle, with a
| leather mood over the rear end, drawn
by troika, team of three horses har-
messed abreast. The one inmate, a
bearded man, muffled to his nose in
| furs, was Juggling fiercely at the lines
with an expression of terror on his face.
These details the boys noticed at one
sweeping glance.
1.-THE horses are running away" ex-
claimed Platoff, and that instant the
frightened brutes, unable to round the
bend at their terrific speed, plunged
down the slope, dragging the heavy
sledge behind them. The mouth of the
stream, with its fringe of treacherous
ice, was just at hand, but they dashed
madly forward, and with a mighty
crash horses, sledge and driver went
through into the dark waters. Platoff
turned to his companions.
"Stay here" he said. 81 must save
that man." And bounding across the
road he ran down the slope to the river
The true nobility of this deed did not
occur at once to the boys. At any mo-
ment other sledges or troops of soldiers
might pass along the road, and, as for
the man struggling in the water, he
was very likely Russian official who
would put pursuers on their track and
drag them back to living death at the
mines. They realized the danger, Of
course, and felt momentarily angry at
Platoff for imperiling at one move their
dearly purchased freedom. Then more
generous impulses came to the front,
and breaking out of their hiding place
they ran down the bank, catching up
with Platoff at the very waters edge.
He looked at them with an approx
ing glance instead of the rebuke they
had expected
"Be ready when ! need you, he
said, and plunging instantly into the
water he swan toward the driver of the
sledge, who was clinging to the fore
end, uttering feeble appeals for help.
The ice had broken for some yards
around, and the swift current was drag
ging horses and sledge toward the low
er rim, which was firm and solid. A
few strokes brought Platoff to the half
unconscious mans side, and, tearing
him loose, he took him by the collar
and swan back toward the shore. The
distance was slight, but both men We're
burdened with heavy clothes. Platoff's
tremendous strength prevailed, howev-
er, and he gained the bank in safety
with his burden.
Grub his hands and face" he shout.
ed to the boys. keep him moving. u
And darting off again he reached the
lower edge of the ice just as the current
swept the horses to the spot. Grasping
the nearest one by the bride, he turn
ed his head toward shore, and by dint
of shouting and hard pulling urged the
whole team forward until they could
touch bottom. The rest of the task was
easy, and soon the sledge was standing
on firm ground none the worse appar-
emily for the accident.
The boys meanwhile were trotting the
rescued man up and down. He was
shivering so intensely from his cold
bath that all attempts to speak were
vain. When he saw the sledge safely
ON shore, he tottered up to it and drew
from one corner big flask of vodka
He took hearty gulp and considerate
" passed it to Platoff, who was now
shivering in his turn.
The fiery fluid put warmth into Their
! bodies at once, and the stranger burst
into profuse declaration of thanks.
Never mind" said Platoff, cit was
nothing. / could not have done less.
Build fire quick" he added to the
boys, "a big, large one, some distance
up the ravine.
1t required but few moments to ex-
ecute this order, and the welcome blaze
was soon sending out grateful warmth.
The stranger brought from his sledge a
dozen fur robes, and, discarding their
wet garments, he and Platoff wrapped
themselves snugly in these. The horses
were standing quietly by the roadside,
looking very forlorn in their dripping
condition.
1.-The brutes were scared mile back
at cowardly wolf that crossed the
road" said the stranger. Had you
not come to the rescue 1 should now be
at the bottom of the Amur. fully ap-
preciate your kindness, much more than
you think possible. " And he glanced
| keenly at the fugitives.