Mary E. Ropes

“ Run! Run for your lives!"
And, knowing that they were running for their lives, away went the twins, like leaves driven by a gale; away, as with winged feet, towards the gate, while thundering after them and gaining at every stride, galloped Nero, Farmer Donn's fierce black bull.
"It's no good!" gasped Gerald after a minute or two of hard running. "I can't keep this up. I'm just done."
Geraldine snatched at his hand. She was both stronger and fleeter than her brother, and her little bare feet trod lightly and swiftly over the wet grass.
"Hold up another minute, Gerry!" she panted. ”

“ It was after three o'clock in the morning by Alf's watch when, in the middle of a pine forest, Red-scar pulled up the panting horse before the door of a rude shanty, a woodman's log hut, built of whole pines roughly trimmed with an axe, and with the crevices stuffed with moss and lichen.
Out of a chimney smoke curled upwards in fantastic shapes, and dispersed in the wintry sky.
"Get down," said Red-scar. He had scrambled out of the driver's narrow seat, and now threw back the furred apron that had protected his young passengers. ”

“ Bread, cheese, a small kettle and tin of tea, and a few lumps of sugar, an axe, and his own revolver. The food he divided into two portions, one for himself, one for the children, all but the parcel of tea and sugar, which he gave to them just as it was.
"You may get up now," he whispered to Alf and Bert, as his preparations neared completion; "get up and put on your furs; and you," he added to Alf, "see to the pony. No," he said, with a smile, as the lad's eyes turned with fear to the snoring Gavril; "you need have no misgiving. He will not wake for hours. ”

“ And in a moment the young riders understood what had thrilled their brave little steed with fear.
"Wolves?" questioned Bert in a husky voice.
"Yes," replied Alf; "but not many of them yet; not enough to be dangerous. We may be able to get to some place where we can be safe before there are more of them. They haven't sounded their hunting-cry yet."
"Oh, Alf!" sighed poor Bert, "I never thought of such a thing as this! It's too dreadful."
"Go on, Sharik!" cried Alf, pressing his heels against the pony's fat sides. "You can gallop when you choose, and you, Bert, sit tight!" ”

“ Sonia now set to work to prepare tea for the travellers, and the horse, harnessed to the sledge, was warmly covered over, and made quite happy with a full nose-bag, while Sharik was fed and petted to his heart's content. Half an hour later, Stepan and the boys were on their way homeward in the sledge, the pony trotting merrily behind, and neighing for joy, every now and then, to his friend in the shafts.
It was quite dark when the sledge stopped inside the great yard at the house door. Work in the factory seemed to be in full swing, fires everywhere, and the electric light streaming forth. ”

“ To leave you here is to expose you to danger, for I trust not Gavril."
"Let me tell thee what I propose," said Alf. "I have a feeling that can we but get bank to our home, all will be well."
"Trying to get back is a great risk," replied Stepan, "but it is a choice of evils, and perhaps it is safer for you to be on the march homeward than alone with Gavril here."
"Of course I shall take Sharik," continued the boy. "He can easily carry us both, and perhaps he will find the way home, though I do not know it. He is such a clever little beast." ”

“ Thou art so good to us, we cannot but love thee, and father will love thee too when we tell him all. Take thou the horse and sledge for thy journey, and then afterwards bring them back to the factory; and we, in our father's name, promise thee a welcome, and that all shall be forgotten save thy goodness to us. Sharik can easily carry my brother and me; and so we shall run away both with horse and pony, and Red-scar, if he chase us, must do it on his own splay feet. Say, Stepan, shall it not be so? ”

“ Bert crossed the threshold and entered the hut, but Alf still stood outside, his arm through Sharik's rein.
"Good dame," said he, "what shall I do with my pony? He has carried us both so bravely, and now is even more spent and weary than we are ourselves. We have food for him and also for us, so we need not to be chargeable to thee and thy husband. Only let us rest a while, and have some boiling water for our tea, and to make a mash for Sharik, and at noon we go forward again to the big oil zavot." ”

“ I'm always getting into trouble, and—"
"Getting other folks out!" whispered Brother Bob.
"Well," said Miss Burnard, "if to be the wrong twin means to be always striving—in spite of difficulties and temptations—to do right; if it means to confess oneself in the wrong and to try to make amends—then, Dina darling, there is not one of us who would not be glad to change with you and be a wrong twin too."
"Hear! Hear!" said Mr. Ellis.
"Three cheers for the righter of the two right twins!" cried Gerald. ”

“ I think twins are so very interesting."
"We're not," rejoined Dina; "ask dad!"
"No, thank you," laughed Miss Burnard, "I am not going to ask anyone. I mean to judge for myself. But I love children so dearly that to me they are always interesting."
After tea the twins went out again, while the governess unpacked her boxes, and settled comfortably into her own room.
"I say, Dina," said Gerald, "she's not a bit like your guess of the grenadier party with the comb."
"Nor the poodley, doll-de-doll-doll that you guessed," retorted Dina. ”

“ IT was the month of January, and the keen Russian winter had wrapped the woods and marshes in a snowy garment, and put the rivers in prison behind thick panes of ice glass, and dressed up the tall pines and firs till they looked like sheeted ghosts under the cold starlight.
But in Mr. John Oliver's roomy wooden house, standing on ground somewhat raised, and overlooked by the huge chimneys of a big mineral oil factory, was perfect warmth and comfort, for the great stoves built into the walls of the room, and faced with white glazed tiles, kept the whole place of an equal temperature. ”

“ But just then, Gavril came back with two great buckets of snow, which he emptied into a huge kettle and set on the stove to boil, after which he went out again for firewood.
"And now, young gentlemen," said Stepan, "if you will take my advice, you will lie down on the bed in that warm corner, and get a few hours' sleep. You must need it."
"Look here, Stepan," said Alf; "a straight word with thee! We dare not sleep—my brother and I—if we be left alone with Red-scar, for he hates us and might do us an injury. Promise that if we sleep, thou wilt not leave us." ”

“ Well, I have no good news for thee, Stepan; quite the contrary. The factory and house are under guard, and Cossacks are patrolling round the whole place. Lots of our men are under arrest, but there is a report that the works are to start again in a week's time, and that new hands have been engaged."
"That means that dad's safe, Bert!" whispered Alf. "Oh, if we could but get there!"
"I hear that every hole and corner are being ransacked to find these brats," Gavril went on, "and a reward has been offered, but it is not enough. ”

“ Then, for fear of their coming in and finding him, Bert hid in the cupboard, and only found courage to come out when he heard his brother's voice.
"Then you don't know what has become of dad and mother and nurse?" asked Alf.
"No, I don't know anything," replied Bert.
"Well, happily Yakov Ivanitch will be here presently with his own men and some Cossacks, and perhaps they'll find out what has become of all our people."
"Ach, so? Will they, indeed?" said a harsh voice behind them. "Well, it is well to know what is likely to happen, then one is prepared." ”

“ Two days passed, and Alf and Bert had not much to complain of, save that they were not allowed to leave the hut. Gavril was away most of the time, and they were left with Stepan, who, though often moody, was never unkind.
But on the third day he announced his intention to go and make inquiry about his brother, who was in prison in a town about twenty versts away. As he spoke, the boys' cheeks blanched with terror.
"Oh, Stepan," said Alf, "if thou leave us here, we shall die of fright. Red-scar hates us, and if he find that he can gain nothing by us, he will get rid of us somehow. ”

“ His saddle and bridle were still on him, so his young master took all the time at his disposal in giving him a good feed of oats, unheeding, until the good little animal had partly satisfied its hunger, the calls and curses of the man.
But at last, fearing on Bert's account to anger Red-scar further, he led Sharik out, knotted a leading strap round his arm, and without replying to the horrible language of the ruffian, got into the sledge beside Bert, while Red-scar scrambled on to the driver's seat. ”

“ But the villains will not dare to harm him. It is the money they want. But now how wilt thou go on thy quest, my pigeon? If thou take the sledge and horse, the men will be sure to see thee."
"Yes," replied Alf, "I must ride the pony, for I can saddle him myself in the stable, and watch my time for getting out. I've got the duplicate key of the stable door. Now, nurse, my short fur coat, my fur cap, and big felt boots! So! Now I'm ready!"
And giving the old woman and Bert each a kiss, Alf left the nursery and slipped noiselessly down the back stairs, meeting no one. ”

“ The parents and nurse have disappeared; thou dost not know of any reward offered. Much more likely is it that the police will track us down, and give us a taste of Siberia for our pains. Poor little fellows! They have come to trouble before their time, and through no fault of their own."
"Nay, then, if thou art so soft-hearted," said Gavril mockingly, "it is a pity thou art not on the manager's side rather than ours."
"Well, yes," replied Stepan coolly; "if 'our side' means to be with thee, it would certainly be more to my credit if I went back to serve under my old master." ”

“ By this time the whole household was roused, and Miss Burnard at once took the direction of affairs. The master of the house was carried to his bed, and a messenger was despatched for the surgeon. In the confusion no one noticed that Dina had vanished, so that wholly unobserved she crept into the jungle walk, and in a moment came upon the tall burglar leaning up against a tree and panting heavily.
The child came to his side. "No one knows, Brother Bob; no one shall know: that's our secret. But you've hurt him—dad, I mean—in knocking him down." ”

“ The women servants were asleep in the further wing of the big house, and none of the ordinary working household were about at this time of night.
Alf did not dare to return even for a moment to the front of the building, for fear of being caught. Softly he crept out the back way, and in a moment was inside the stable, and had bolted himself in and lighted a lantern.
Sharik (ball) , the pony, was a plump, round, sturdy little creature, a great pet with the boys; and now he rubbed his rough head fondly against Alf's shoulder, as the saddle and bridle were being adjusted. ”

“ In less than ten minutes Bob heard hushed footsteps approaching, and nurse's soothing tender voice was in his ears. Leaning on the strong old arm that had carried him as a baby, and supported by Dina on the other side, he staggered back towards the house.
"I was rather long in comin', my darlin'," said nurse, "but I stayed to get my room on the ground floor ready for you. Come right in there. The servants has gone back to their beds; only the upper housemaid and the governess are up, and they're with master." ”

“ Here a voice from the next room said in Russian: "Why are you talking at this time of night, children? Go to sleep—both of you—like good little pigeons."
"Oh, Niania, I wish you'd come here a minute," said Alf. "I want to ask you something."
Nurse gave a little grunt, but not a cross one, for she was never angry with her children, as she called them.
"Nurse," said Alf very solemnly in Russian, "if there's going to be a rising among the men in the zavot (factory) , on whose side will you be—on ours or on theirs?"
Old Niania threw a loving arm round each of the little lads and drew them close. ”

“ Don't bother about the kettle, let it drop behind, and I'll pay out a long line, and let the thing come bumping and clattering after us. It may puzzle the wolves, and make them afraid of catching us up, and so we shall perhaps gain time for Sharik to get his wind again."
Alf's good idea was at once acted upon, and as the bright tin kettle descended to the road, and came pounding and bumping along, clattering and ringing and jingling with the tumbling and shifting of its metal contents, the wolves began, with common consent, to lag behind. ”

“ Ellis's study, while the rest of the household was asleep, Gerald and Dina brought upstairs the big atlas where even small towns were easy to find, and the twins soon found on the map the place by the sea where their mother had for some time been staying. Then they put down on a slip of paper the names of all the towns in the direct line of travel between their home and the town for which they were bound.
"There," said Gerald, "that will be a guide to us. When we are able to walk, we will do so and save our money, and when we are tired, we can go by train or tramcar, if we can get one. ”

“ Holding her breath, she leaned forward and peeped in, and saw, by the light of a lantern which shone full into the gem cabinet, the dark outline of a man's form in a crouching position. His hands alone were in the clear light of the lantern as they quickly and deftly collected the treasures from the shelves, and slipped them into a bag that lay on the floor. The face of the man was in deep shadow, and not a feature was visible. ”

“ Do, daddy!"
"Yes, dad, please do!" pleaded Gerald.
"Nonsense, children! Can't you see I'm busy? How selfish young folks are, and how tiresome!"
Mr. Ellis spoke crossly, as he too often did, and Dina replied drearily, "Are they? Then I wish we'd been born a hundred years old! You'd have been proud of us then, daddy, and would always have been inviting people to come and see your antique twins."
"Other children's daddies play with them and tell them stories on wet days," said Gerry, in an injured tone, as he drew his sister out of the room. "Oh, Dina, if only mamma were here!" ”