New-York tribune., 1910-02-27

side of the road with groan and an oath. 1 am
hurtl 1t is my leg-1ny ankle. L cannot stand!
As the lightning fared again saw his face for a
moment. plastered with black mud and furious with
pain and chagrin. groPed my way. across to him
hauled him out of the ditch and felt his limbs to try
and ascertain the extent OF his injury 1t might have
been worse, for there no broken bones as had
feared at first; but he had badly sprained ankle
Bind it hard with your handkerchief, he said
between his set teeth I'VE must get out of this
the wood They will return directly.
His grit was splendid; for he never uttered
sound though his foot must have hurt him badly as
l helped him up. Supporting him as well as could
stumbled into the wood, cropping our way through
the darkness and thankful for every flash that gave
US light instant at a time, and less dazzling
though more dangerous, here under the canopy OF
pine branches than yonder in the open road.
Even II MIShka mad not been Ia1neq our progress
must have been slow, for the undergroWth was
thick still, he managed to get along somehow, lean
ing and dragging himself forward by grasplng
each slender pine trunk that he lurChed against.
He sank down at length, utterly exhausted, and
III the pause that followed above the sound of our
1abored breathing and the ceaseless patter of the
rain the pines, heard the Iange OF the cavalry
patrol returning along the road Had Ivan eluded
or outdistanced thern' Were they taking him back
with them, a prisoner, or, worst OF all, had they
shot hirn2 The sounds passed-how close we still
were to the roadl-and gradually died away.
He has escaped, thanks be to Cod Mlshka
said III a hoarse whisper.
How do YOU know that"
IF they had overtaken him, they would have
found the droshky, empty and would have sought
along the road
Wei, what now? How far are we from the meet
ing place."
Three versts, more or less We should have been
there by this time! Come let US get on. Have you
the pocket lamp? We can use it now 1t VIII heli
US little and we shall strike track before long.
The lamp was a little fashght torch had slipped
into my pocket at the last moment and showed to
Mishka when | was changing my clothes. 1t served
US well now for the lightning flashes were less fre-
quent; the worst of the storm over.
T SUPPOSE we must have gone about half a
L fsav the third of a mile when we found the
track he had mentioned, rough and narrow one,
trodden by the foresters and my spirits at
the sight of it. At least, it must lead somewhere!
Here Mishka stumbled and fell again. a." 1t is use
less | can go no farther and am only h1ndrance
But you-What will you do9
I'm going on; Il find the place somehow.
Follow the track till YOU come to an open space,
a clearing; it is a long way ahead. Cross that TO
your right, and, if your lamp holds, or the storm
passes, you will see a tree bIazed with five white
marks such the foresters make. There is another
track there. Follow it till you are challenged; and
the rest will be easy. God be with you!
We gripped hands and parted. | guessed We
should not meet again in this world though we might
in the neXt-and that pretty soon!
pushed on rapidly The track, though narrow,
was good enough and | only had to flash my torch
occasionally | was afraid of the battery giving out
which as fact it did before | emerged IN the clear
ing Mishka had mentioned. But the light was better
now for the storm had passed. and this northern
latitude there real night summer, only the
daylight sick" as Won Eckhardt would say. Out III
the clearing | could see quite a distance. The
felt fresh and pleasant and the patch OF sky over
head was an exquisite topaz tint | stood to draw
breath and for a moment the sheer splendOr OF the
night the solemn silence held spellbOund with
some strange emotion, which awe and Joy were
mingled Yes ioyi For although | had lost my two
good comrades and undertaking alone task
that could scarcely have been accomplished by three
now of saving Anne, reckon salvation IN this
Door earth life but could, and would, die with and