San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-11-14
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off the track" said Platof, land |
think | know how to do it. ="
He led the way across to the other
shore and climbed out on the bank
"Now come with me-" he said to
Maurice. mo, you stay here, right on
this rock" he added to Phil, who start
ed to follow. 1.-TWO of us will be
enough.
He dashed off at right angles to the
stream and halted 80 or 40 yards from
the bank. Then, still facing forward, he
began to take great strides backward
toward the river, bidding Maurice to do
the same.
at will appear as though there were
four of u.s." he remarked, "but no one
will notice that.
"But what will they do when they
come to the end of our tracks?" asked
Maurice.
"They won't wait that long," laugh
ed Platoff. eff they discover that we
have crossed the river at this point,
they will dash off at full speed without
attempting to stick to our footprints. "
They soon reached the water again,
much to Pills relief, who could not
imagine what they were trying to do.
The mounted purspers were alarm
ingly close to the river by this time.
Without a seconds delay Platoff start
ed up the channel, followed closely by
the boys Their sufferings were almost
forgotten in the fear of recapture. They
pressed forward over the slippery stones,
waist deep at times, but mostly barely
knee deep
1t was showing so fast and thickly
that only the merest outlines of the
shores could be seen.
As Platoff had predicted, the tramp
of the horses now seemed to come from
various directions, as though the troop
ers were spreading over the plain.
A stray light was visible here and
there, and occasionally the cannon
doomed above the noise of the water,
spreading farther and farther the news
of the escape.
Before the first of the horsemen
reached the. river the fugitives were
some distance up stream, and it was
impossible to tell whether their tracks
were discovered or not At times the
sounds of the pursuit seemed to die out
in the distance, only to return closer
than before. Beyond a doubt the Cos
sacks were on both sides of the stream,
and the general location of the fugitives
seemed to be suspected, for the horse
l,n b,ar1 ynIlnuiprH m o111
fro within limited space.
The darkness of the night and the
driving snowstorm placed the odds
against the pursuers.
They will never think of looking
for us in the water, remarked Platoff
"We are safe here if we can only hold
| out.
That was a formidable "if," howev.
er, and the sufferings which the boys
endured that night they will never for
get. Toiling painfully from rock to
rock, they crept up stream through an
icy current. At first the pain was ago
nizing, but presently their limbs were
benumbed and weak, and they found it
difficult to move. Sometimes they crept
out on big rocks and stamped up and
down or rubbed their legs with their
aching hands until they were able to
proceed again. Several times mounted
soldiers passed close by along the shore,
and the fugitives bent low among the
stones until the danger was over. Not
a murmur escaped Platotf's lips.
He went resolutely forward, seeking
out the easiest channel and showing the
boys the way. The force of his example
helped them to endure their sufferings
with comparative fortitude. For two
hours they marched up the bed of the
river, stopping for short intervals of
rest. The immediate danger seemed to
be past Occasional sounds of pursuit
still foated up the valley, but no horse
men had approached for long time,
and the lights of the prison had long
since vanished.
1t was a joyful moment when Platoff
! announced the mines were close at
hand, and his prediction was verified
ten minutes later when the sharp ridge
of the hill appeared before them. They
Oub VI JIC MdNCA d-ANi sNdAbSb
in single file up the slope past the very
spot where Lora Melikoff had been hid
den during the eyentful interview. The
snow was knee deep, but had ceased
falling. On the top of the ridge Platofi
halted and pointed to the distant lights
of the settlement three miles away. 81
have entered that prison for the last
time," he said impressively, land done
my last days work in yOnder mines
will never be taken back alive"
He was silent for moment, and then
in a more cheerful tone he resumed;
"But it is time to seek the cave. We
must journey two miles along thi:
ridge"
won't our tracks in the snow b.
discovered?'' asked Maurice as they
started briskly off.
ut will soon snow again, answered
Platoff, land fill up our tracks beyond
all discovery. Between now and theI
it is not likely that any of our pursueri
will visit the Mines"
Hrbo trufb Df this Sfo fop,opt yras rood