“While he spoke a huge wolf sprang from the pack and dashed toward one of the horses.  Another followed him, and in twenty seconds the line was broken and they were upon us.  One wolf jumped at the rear of the sleigh and caught his paws upon it.  Rasloff struck him with the butt of his gun, and at the same instant he delivered the blow, Paul let the horses have their way.  Rasloff fell upon the edge of the vehicle and over its side.  Luckily, his foot caught in one of the robes and held him for an instant—­long enough to enable me to seize and draw him back.  It was the work of a moment, but what a moment!

“Christina had remained silent, suspecting, but not fully comprehending our danger.  As her brother fell she screamed and dropped senseless to the bottom of the sleigh.  I confess that I exerted all my strength in that effort to save the brother of my affianced, and as I accomplished it, I sank powerless, though still conscious, at the side of the girl I loved.  Rasloff’s right arm was dislocated by the fall, and one of the pursuing wolves had struck his teeth into his scalp as he was dragging over the side, and torn it so that it bled profusely.  How narrow had been his escape!

“‘Faster, faster, Paul!’ he shouted; ’drive for your life and for ours.’

“Paul gave the horses free rein, and they needed no urging.  They dashed along the road as horses rarely ever dashed before.  In a few minutes I gained strength enough to raise my head, and saw, to my unspeakable delight, that the distance between us and the pack was increasing.  We were safe if no accident occurred and the horses could maintain their pace.

“One horse fell, but, as if knowing his danger, made a tremendous effort and gained his feet.  By-and-by we saw the light at the chateau, and in a moment dashed into the courtyard, and were safe.”

[Illustration:  A WOLF HUNT.]

CHAPTER XL.

I found at Krasnoyarsk more beggars than in Irkutsk, in proportion to the population.  Like beggars in all parts of the empire, they made the sign of the cross on receiving donations.  A few were young, but the great majority were old, tattered, and decrepid, who shivered in the frosty air, and turned purple visages upon their benefactors.  The peasantry in Russia are liberal to the poor, and in many localities they have abundant opportunities to practice charity.

With its abundance of beggars Krasnoyarsk can also boast a great many wealthy citizens.  The day before my departure one of these Siberian Croesuses died, and another was expected to follow his example before long.  A church near the market place was built at the sole expense of this deceased individual.  Its cost exceeded seven hundred thousand roubles, and its interior was said to be finely decorated.  Among the middle classes in Siberia the erection of churches is, or has been, the fashionable mode of public benefaction.  The endowment of schools, libraries, and scientific associations has commenced, but is not yet fully popular.