Lawrence swung Adelaide up from the side of the ravine and jumped to his feet. He grabbed Adelaide’s hand and started running. She was in pain, and he felt it. Adelaide squeezed his hand as she stumbled along behind his quick floating strides. Only a few feet behind, their seekers were sweeping past their footprints. There was no escape now.

      Lawrence could not load his gun. His hold on Adelaide prevented him from doing so. The wind was whipping past them. A blast of icy arms were wrapping round them and sweeping them along to the north’s bosom. The sky was at twilight’s doorstep when it poured forth its concealment: snow.       The snow gathered in folds around Lawrence and Adelaide when the foremost man crashed into Lawrence with a furious endeavor to knock him to the ground. Lawrence tumbled with the man on top of him. Adelaide stood shaken, but still strong like the icy boughs that hung above. She grabbed the gun of Lawrence, which had fallen at her feet, and slammed it against the head of the one who took down her brother.        Swinging round the gun again, she knocked to the ground two more men who had gathered around them. Lawrence regained his feet. They were surrounded. Seven men were gripping their guns and advancing forward.       Adelaide gave her brother his gun again. She was the daughter of nobility, and she fought as one.  A second was not allowed Lawrence and Adelaide. A fierce struggle began. Guns were thrusting, arms were swinging, and groans were issuing forth.      Adelaide grabbed a large stick and was defending herself against a tall, rough, fierce man. She gave a struggle that the man did not expect. Warding off his blows, Adelaide swung her stick and crashed it down on the man’s shoulder. Leaping back, the man ran at her and pounded his heavy boot down on her foot with the injured ankle, furious that a girl should give him such a blow. Adelaide collapsed on her knees with a scream. She looked up and saw him looming over her. Her eyes filled with tears; she collapsed forward, feeling no more.           A creaking of a door woke Adelaide into the night of an unknown day in an unknown place. She felt faint and her whole body ached. When she opened her eyes she beheld a log ceiling blushing with the red glare of flames. The side of her head was damp; she felt lightheaded. When she tried to turn her head, she groaned. A shadowy figure came over to her. The shadow belonged to Lawrence. He sat down in a chair next to Adelaide’s bed and spoke in a whisper.       “Adelaide, you are not fit to move at this moment. Lie at rest and worry not for those who care for you. I will speak of the past when your head is clearer. Now, I need you to take some nourishment. You have not any since the day of flight.”       Lawrence then produced a bowl of broth and gave it to her to eat slowly. He then disappeared beyond her eyesight. She soon fell asleep again.           Dawn awakened her. Adelaide started up in bed. She put her hand to her head. It was bandaged. She remembered the skirmish. Her ankle was stiff in a bandage that was firmly wrapped, and she could not move it. When she looked around, she beheld a small cabin. A baby was sleeping in a small cradle close by the fire, and Lawrence was lying asleep in a bed nearby. A woman sat erect by the fire. She was tense. Adelaide then heard the reason for uneasiness. Heavy footfalls were heard outside the cabin and the thundering of voices.      The woman rushed over to the bedside of Lawrence and shook him. He immediately awoke. Jumping out of bed, Lawrence ran over to Adelaide and gathered her into his arms. The woman pushed back Lawrence’s bed and dragged away a rug, revealing a trap door. She immediately snatched a key from her pocket and unlocked the bolt which opened the refuge. She ushered them in and closed the secret opening over their heads.      Adelaide asked no questions. This quick movement was all too familiar to her. Setting her on the floor of the small room, Lawrence sat down next to her. They were quiet. Above they could hear the baby start to cry and a thundering at the door. All too soon, there were voices in the house.