Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-05-18
CHAPTER xxx.

AAAA
"Y YAvE you spoken to the prin-
" cess?" asked Steinmetz, with
out taking the cigar from his
They were driving home through the
forest that surrounded Osterno as the
sea surrounds an island. They were
alone in the sleigh. That which they
had been doing had required no serv-
ant.
eyes," answered Paul. His face was
set and hard, his eyes stern. This trou-
BILE with the peasants was affecting
him more keenly than he suspected.
"And what did she sayY" asked
Steinmetz.
"That she would not leave unless we
all went with her"
Steinmetz drew the furs closer up
round him.
"Yes," he said, glancing at his COM
panion's face and seeing little but the
eyes by season of the sable collar Of
his coat, which met the fur of his cap
Eyes, and why not?"
So4AOS 1CofS luCul, duS WSICO
Paul. II cannot go away now that
there is trouble among them. What
it is goodness only knows! They would
never have got like this by them
selves. Somebody has been at them,
and l don't think it is the nihilists. It
Is worse than that. Some devil has
been stirring them up, and they know
no better. He is still at it. They are
getting worse day by day, and I cannot
catch him. If l do, Steinmetz, I'll
twist his neck!w
Steinmetz smiled grimly.
EYES," he answered.; you are capa-
BILE of it. For me, 1 am getting tired
Of the moujik. He is an inveterate, in
durable fool. If he is geing to be a
dangerous fool as well, I should almost
be inclined to let him go to the devil in
his own way"
II dare say, but you are not in my
position"
mo, that is true, Pavlo. They were
not my fathers serfs. Generations Of
my ancestors have not saved genera
tons of their ancestors from starva-
ton. My fathers before me have not
toiled and shaved and legislated for
them. l have not learned medicine
that I might doctor them"
IF l agree to make a bolt for Peters
burg tomorrow, will you Gomez" re-
torted Paul.
NO." answered the stout man.
~ thoIrr1% r1% Vo,,- o-~S-~ - 49,
~ a matter of words, Steinmetz, and
not of deeds. There is no question of
either Of us leaving Osterno. We must
stay and fight it right out here"
"That is So" answered Steinmetz,
with the Teutonic stolidity of manner
which sometimes came over him. "But
the ladies-what Of them?"
Paul did not answer. They were
passing over the rise of a heavy drift.
"This is no place for Miss Delafeld,"
added Steinmetz, looking straight in
front of him.
II know thatv answered Paul sharp
ly. Il wish to God she was not herer'
he added in a lower tone, and the
| words were lost beneath the frozen
mustache.
Steinmetz made no answer. They
drove on through the gathering gloom.
The sky was Of a yellow gray, and the
earth reflected the dismal hue of it.
Presently 1t began to snow, driving in
a fine haze from the north. The two
men lapsed into silence.
Stop cried Steinmetz suddenly,
and Paul pulled the horses on to their
launches.
Il thought you were asleep" he said.
There was no one in sight. They
were driving along the new road now,
the highway Paul had constructed
from Osterno to Tver. The road itself
was, Of course, indistinguishable, but
the telegraph posts marked it's course.
SteinmetZ tumbled heavily out Of his
furs and went toward the nearest tele-
graph post.
"Where is the wire?' he shouted.
Paul followed him in the sleigh. To-
gether they peered up into the dark
ness and the falling now The posts
were there, but the wire was gone. A
whole length Of 1t had been removed.
They were cut Off from civilization by
140 miles Of untrodden snow.
SteinmetZ clambered back into the
sleigh and drew up the fur apron. He
gave a strange little laugh that had Il
ring Of boyish excitement In 1t. This