Ae - . _ Repeat ee nea a le (2 tg. : elt elt r aa a a id 2 * . os — a ee ee cerenmenenneitieell neil ae” UE > 5 ? = LES ~~ { “pdt BY We MURRAY GRAYDON. | ‘ ’ re “a 4% . a — . es * on __ <= cS ey ee ed mn iin ae <—_— COPYRIGHT, 1097+ BY THE WOOLFALL PUBLISHING Cae» = (Continued,) “Yes, sv rar us concerns the soldiers ¢ lt Was a foolish thine to shout so es 78 e* » rh in gat 1 at the mines,’ answered for ily,” he said. ‘IT forrot the echo. P) Of course our escape, with | {t Was done before I had time to think. ¢ ptions, has been telegraphed Hut see, 1 have made a fortunate dis- 2 ver Siberia, and at every village | COVery.” and posting station they will be on the | Hurrying to the epoet, the boys were kk ut for us, but we will Keepaway | SUrprised to find half a dozen wheel- n all such dangerous places; trust barrows deeply imbedded in the snow. me for that.” “A year agro cr more mini eras The <« hange in Platoff during the } tions w« an run ] yond this ri Ler My last few days had been marvellous. He | said Platoff, “so one of the convicts actually seemed to have grown taller, | informed me. These wheelbarrows and the weary, no] oe expression had Were either forgotten or purposely departed from his face, eaving it bright abandoned, and now they will do us a and sparkling with animation. His | good turn.” err . 4. lier sted veer } a in ‘ ‘ taci ‘oy: rrit ae CISposivion was gone, | in What way ?” asked Maurice, a a e beguned the ae ary hours spent ‘ For answer Platoff pointed to the in the cavern With tales and incidents ; lone slope of f: snow. that were — rbingty interesting to “ Time is precious,” he said, “and to 7 Yves +t} nme tim fe =a" » — * th a rhu . ve time vie swiftly | make our way down that slippery in- by, an a y woke on the sixth morn- } cline would be a difficult task. By tak- ing ti fing > air ‘ r ‘ J 3 . . 4 - » eo eee the air mild and damp, and jing these wheelbarrows apart we can a drizzling rain coming down steadily. | “This puts an end to all pursuit that | may still be going on,” said Platoff. “It is impossible for horsemen to travel through the slushy snow. To- | start.’ i how can we travel better than in such weather ?” asked Mau- day we will spend in packing up and preparing for the “But horses rice. “Wait till knowingly. to-morrow,” said Platoff, ; “ There may be a change. } The Russian’s prediction was still | unfulfilled when evening came. but } some time during the night Maurice | woke and sat up shivering. Outside he heard the wind roaring, and a cold air was drifting down the cavern’s mouth. ! Wrapping some of the abandoned | clothes about him, he fell asleep again. Then he began to dream. He was riding on horseback over a snowy plain that stretched far in the distance. By his side, mounted on a black horse, was Lora Melikoff, her dark hair streaming in the wind, her cheeks aglow with excitement. A steady tramp, tramp was ringing in his ears—-the din ef the pursuing Cossacks—and ever and anen rifles cracked sharply and the whistling bullets hissed overhead. But sugdeniy the plain vanished, and a great black guif was before them. Faster and faster sped the horses, stil! closer came the awful chasm, and now they were treading on the brink. Crash, wash! They toppled over the edge. Then came a ringing voice in his ear and a hand on his shoulder. “Come, get up. The morning has | come and the rain is over.” Maurice sat erect, rubbing his eyes with his fists. he asked. “Ah, you have heen dreaming,” said Platoff, with a merry laugh. “ Come out to the ledge. Did I not predict a charge in the weather ? Well, it is already here, and to-night we may bid | farewell to our cavern” He led the boys to the opening, and the first touch of the cold, piercing air made them shiver. A cry of aston- ishment burst from their lips. The skv ‘ Lora—where is Lora ?’”’ was intensely blue and clear, and in the sunlight, as far as the eve couli ! reach, hillside, valley, and plain spar- kled like myriads of diamonds. * The cold is intense,’ remarked Pla- teff, “but it has done us xood ser- | vice. An icy crust has formed on the ; snow overnight that will bear us. At the same time it is not strong enough | for horsemen. Our opportunitv fcr escape could not be better. At sun- tock and freedom.” The brave Russian’s with emotion, and a tear trickled slow- ly down his cheek. Brief as that day i down we will be off—oft for Vladivoe | voice « really was, it seemed an eternitv to the impatient fugitives. The ljons—of which a considerable suppiy remained—were divided into packages, | one for each man. Platoff took one of the revolvers and the belt of rubles, giving the other re- volver to Maurice and the knife to Phil. The Cassack uniform and the prison c.othes, which might have done good service in case of cold or wet, they were compelled to leave in the cavern. } 70 take them along would have im- perilled their safety and afforded a Sure means ef identification All day long Platoff lay at the cavern’s mouth watching the valley. Not a creature came that way, and when the setting sun was succeeded by a misty twilight he gave the word to start. Slowly and deliberately they climb- ed from the tedge to the ton of the hill, and standirg in the shadow of the seven pine trees glanced back at the darkening valley with its dread asso- Clationsy. “ Forward !" cried Platoff, and turn- ing to the south-east they crossed the ridge and went with cautious stevs down the slope beyond. Alternately sliding they gained the vailey and travelled for an hour or more over the frozen <rust. Then a hill loomed darkly be- fore thera, and an hour later they reached its crest, weary and footsore. “There!” exclaimed Platoff, with a wave of the hand. “ Behold the val- ley of the Amur!” And glancing down the long frezen slopes the boys saw vaguely and dimly the great water highway that flows to the far Pacifie, row chafing and fretting under its icy ' provis- | | ’ and crawling fetters. For some minutes they stood thus strangely fascinated by the splendour of the night. Then the impressive silence was dis- turbed by a sharp cry from Platoff—a cry that echoed swiftly down the val- | ' ' | ley .from Biunts peak to peak, a thou,? were Siggsnailing each other. CHAPTER Xi. A DISPUTE WITH WOLVES. Platoft’s outery gave the boys a ie ‘tight. When they turned arcund, ne : I Vas stri rer row ra ¥ é s toWal a | Gerk «al = ‘ “Oe tUBSIa;: s<h i) & aNaetabe “ant o few vardag atvav. ro to the or three slight, seen.” V'ith some difficulty the clumsy bar- bottom of minutes, for no the valley in two Phe risk will be trees or rocks can be rows Were torn loose from the frozen snow, and the shallow wooden beds detached from the wheels. Platoff chose a good position on the brow of the hill and fixed himself as comfortable as possible in the strange sled. “ Den’t start ustil I am one hundred yards down,” he said to the boys. “If there is danger ahead, I will shout, and you can alter your course.” He pushed himself gently off and went skimming down the hill at prodigious speed. Now, there, off we go!” said Mau- rice. “Hold tight, Phil, and don’t be scared.”” He slipped over the crest and munged downward. For a moment the clumsy box grated over the icy ernst: then it went off with a rush that took Maurice’s breath away, and his remembrance of what followed was al- ways of the dimmest mature. Fright- ened by the terrific speed and the stinging force of the wind, he clung to the sides with all his might. Hiss- ing like a buzz-saw, the sled whizzed down the first couple of slopes; then, With a succession of heavy bumps, it shot over a ridge aml entered upon a longer and steeper incline. With a rush like a skyrocket it cov- ered this half-mile stretch, and then leaped into the air. Maurice cried aloud as he felt himself falling, and clutched the sled all tne tighter. A crash—a crack—a blinding shower of snow-——and then he knew that the ride had ended. (wverhead he saw the stars shining, and struggling threugh the masses of light, powdery snew that enveloped him he gairea the edge of the crust, and climbed into the open air none the Worse for his adventure, save a slizht sengation of dizziness. A dark fige- ure Was visible some distance away, ani an instant later he was clasping hands with Platoff. *‘ Phil--where ed, anxiously. Piatoft made no reply, they ran over the erust. yawned before them, and, leaning over the brink, Piatoff inserted his arm and is Phil 7” he demand- and together helped out the missing boy. Phd opened his eyes and then his mouth. “Well, that beats all the toboggan slides ever I saw !” he said, lookng up at the hills behind him with comical expression that his ions laughed. “Thank heaven compan- sve are safe!” said Platoff. ‘“ That was a perilous trip.” And he pointed 10 the sharp cliff twenty feet above them over which the } sleds had plunged. “*A)l’s Well that ends well,’” Te plied Maurice. 3 wonder if we lost anything on the way.” Nothing ‘vas niissing, however, and, after a _ bricf rest, all were ready for the start. A suecession of slizht hills and ravines now separated the party from the’ river. “Somewhere below us lies the post road,” said Piatoff. “It will not be safe so gnvoroach._ »ny .megrer. We a” (GK HEABAGHE aah Positively cured by these Little Pills, They iso relieve Distress from. Dyspepsia, {ndizestion and Too Mearty Eating. A per- fect remeay for Dizziness, Nausea, Dr wsi- ness, Bad Taste in the Mouth, Coated Tongue Pain in the Side, TORPID LIVER. They Regulate the Bowels. Purely Vegetable Email Pill. Smaili Dose. Smal! Price. Substitution the fraud of the dap. |See you get Carter's, Ask for eo Carter's Little Liver Pills. a A Black hole { such a! } ¥ - ode a j 3 valies Mur ride dewn hill hes given us a big sturt. We can gain a safe ace tofore’ daylicht.” The Journey was resumed in sinsJe file, Plato Qseurhns the Jead, and for hourg they travelled over slippery iges and theeuch dark, thickly wood- i holieows, The cold was intense, but they moved at too rapid a nace to suf- fer from ic. At the firse appearance of dawn Platoff cast his eyes about fcr a hiding pleee, nd finaliy chose an deen, secluded valley with a forest of spruce and fir on all sides. They slept at intervals during the day, ayd | in spite of the risk a fire was kept up and fed with branches from the trees, One of the party remained coustantly on enard. At night the journey was resumcd over the hard ’ «ef For nearly two wecks the weather remained pretty much the same, and the fugitives made satisfactory pro- sress. They kept far back from the river, and although they frequently faW Wolves at a distance and heard them howling among the hills the brutes made no aitémnt to molest them. No signs of pursuit were en- countered, and with each night’s jour- ney they felt more hopeful of ulti- mate es ea: Cie? It was. now early in the month of March—a whole vear since the boys had first crossed the Russian frontier. Their main sufferings nad been from cold, but they were cheered by the hepe of warmer weather. Jn a month or more, Platoff said, spring would come, and their discomforts would then be over. By great econamy the ’ yrs ip atte had been now, in the su} ply of provisions to last, but ¢ beginning of the third week of their flight, barely cnough food was left to last them two days, and the future outlook was Cark _ od : ie i. £0 ton The day had been epent in hiding at the feet of..a rcekw hill. Water was close by—a mountain spring that was ioo cold and ranid to freeze. At sunset Platoff shared with the boys a scant supper of bread end dried meat. “To-morrow,” he said, “we must obtain focd in some way. if we do not succeed in shooting anv deer, ex- treme measures will be necessary I shell endeavour to find a village and buy provisions.” ‘Are there people living near here 7” asked Meurice, “Oh, ves,” replied Platoff; ‘ Stber- fan towns are Scattered all along the resting route, at distant intervals, of course. We have seen nothing of them because we ave kept far back in the forest. Tt may not be neces- sary, though, to take any such risks. Who knows what a day may bring with #7” Platoff syoke thus horefully to en- hoys. In his own heart was gloomy enough, and crurage the the prospect therefore, what happened in the course @f the next few hours was will the greater 2 surprise. They travelled rapidly that night, covering mile after mile of forest land and hearing constantly the howling of ! cirections. The Siberian exagier- wolves in different accounts of the ferocity of wolves, however, are grestiy ated. It is seldom that they attack men, and the Government sleghs that traverse the post road have never been Thole sted. “ Hereafter;” said Platoff, ““¥ think we will sleep at night and travel in the daytime. The risk will be litWe great- er, aril we can make much better speed.” ‘That will we splendid,” sak Mau- rice. “Tt alwars makes me weary to hear the wolves howling.” “They are more than usualiy noisy to-night, replied Platoff, “and they will become ‘mere dangerous as we near the Pacifre. In daylight they lose their courage and are cowarés,”’ They travelled on in silence for a time. Suddenly Platoff haited and raised his ham’. Far off in the forest Platoff flung him a yard or two away. & great tumult was heard. ed in volume each moment, until the boys could distinguish the howling of wolves and the scurrying of feet over the snow. At intervals a branch cracked sharply above the din. “They are coming this way,” ssid Phil. ‘“‘ What shali we do ? Where shall we go ?” “Hush. Don’t be alarmed,” exclaim- ed Platoff. “Stay just where yor are.”’ . Moetioning the boys back, he crepi forward to the grink. of the ravine, which they had been about to cross. Down this hollow the wwlves were evi- dently coming, and their furious out- cries had a significance for Platoff which the inexperienced boys failed to understand. He drew out his revolver and examined it carefully. Then turn- ing to Maurice he called owt guarded- ly, “Get your weapon ready—be on the safe side, you know.” The wolves were close at hand, and as Platoff crept 2 yurd or two farther down the ravine a deer broke into view through the spruce thicket and dashed swiftly past him. The poor. animal was nearly exhausted and ran with difficulty. Teking @ quick aim at the shadowy figure Platoff pulled the trig- ger As the report echoed through the. ravine the deer was seen to fall, but it rose again quickly and sped | on in flight. That brief delay was fatal. With wild howls half a dozen wolves burst from the forest, and over- hauling the fugitive in half a dozen » sound and weil. It swell- | ee leaps bore it still struggling to the ground net twenty yards frem where Pliatoff steed. cre ocys, nearing the outcry and not knowing what was taking place, were inclined to run, but Platoff turned around, his face aglow with triumph, and shcuted :— “Follow me now. We can easily Grive off this handful of wolves.” Then he vanished down the ravine, pistol in hand. Maurice cocked his revolver and followed, shouting to Phil, who was armed only with a knife, to keep in the rear. He reached the bot- tom of the gully almost at Platoff’s | side, and his hasty glimpse of the strug- gle made plain the Russian’s eagerness for the conflict. The first glimmer of dawn shed a dim iight on the scene, and the gray forms of the wolves outlined against the snowy whiteness of the ground af- forded a fine opportunity for aim. The struggles of the wounded deer were over, and his assailants were swarming over its body, tearing the fiesh with such ferocious haste that the approach of Platoff and Maurice was unheeded. “We must have that meat,” whis- pered Platoff. ‘It will keep us for ” weeks. And raising his revolver, he aimed at the nearest wolf, a huge, gaunt brute, who toppled over simul- taneously with the report. At the same instant Maurice fired, but unfor- tunately made a miss, and the re- maining wolves, angered at this inter- ruption to their feast, sprang in a body at the daring intruders. Crack, crack, went Platoff’s revolver, and down went the foremost animal, staining the snow a dark crimson. His second shot crippled another, who re- treated with a mournful howl. Maurice, who remained admirably cool under this trying ordeal, killed a third by careful shooting, and the re- maining uninjured brutes, two in num- ber, very wisely retreated up the slope. The wounded wolf had crawled away under cover. ‘Hurrah! We've done it,” cried Maurice, with pardonable glee, and as he spoke a loud outcry was heard from Phil, who had remained on top of the slope. Platoff was off like a streak, with Maurice at his heels, and, gaining the ridge, they were horrified to see the lad struggling with one of the fugitive wolves. The crust had broken, and both were floundering about in the soft snow beneath. Platoff reached the spot in a couple of leaps, and, actually seizing the brute by the throat, lifted him up and fiung him a yard or two away. He reached for his revolver, but it was missing, and, snatching the knife from Phil, who wes now rising unsteadily to his feet, he turned just in time to meet the rabid animal's attack. The wolf was not a large one, but what he lacked in size he mad® up in ferocity, and for a moment Piatoff’s position was one of extremest peril. The brute landed on his breast, and for a second or two he tottered. Then, recovering himself, he clutched the woolly throat in one hand, and with the other struck repeatedly with the knife. The mus- cular blows went home, the brute’s efforts relaxed, and Gewn he went on te blood-stained smew, a limp and lifeless hean. (To be Continued.) —— —_ A Letter for Grandpa. The man who takes wroper care of his ‘kealth in youth and miaturity lives to snule -as he reads the letters of his grandchildren. 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