re and saw Iliosovy's coupe, I embraced a change of heart.

Call it...paranoia;

An abundance of caution;

Foresight.

See, I reasoned it naught be wise if Iliosovy went to town and peeped Nekabov's newsprint.

My frayed tartlet might act unwise...

Why take the risk, eh?

Milling in the stable, my Kabardian and Iliosovy's stallion noshed hay.

Hm...

You know, it's impossible to leave when you don't have a way, _he-he_.

I fastened a rope and bridle to Iliosovy's stallion before mounting my horse. Slow like, we exited the rear of the barn and plodded through knee deep snow. The stallion wasn't pleased; he snorted, dragged feet; studied me with black, murky eyes...

After grinding a wide path through the timber to avoid Iliosovy's probing eyes (I imagined him spying through a window), we reached the barren C—— highway.

My right arm throbbed from yanking Iliosovy's stubborn beast the untold distance; thus, I felt relief when I dropped the tether.

'Go!' I ordered the stallion.

He sniffed the air...

Nickered...

'Go!' shouted I, kicking at the creature.

His stare was either pleading or baleful, but I did not care.

Lo, I crossed the threshold of frivolous sentiment!

Head down, rope trailing like a limp second tail, the beast loped east.

I watched the tramp until he appeared as a small black dot compressed between the white of two worlds.

Then I corralled my mount and turned west...

Towards Medvelov.

# CHAPTER 18c

### The Major's Plan

Given the season, the road was in respectable form; yet the trot taxed both body and soul. Aching cold...the leaden crunch of snow...the Kabardian's flaring nostrils...

Verily, there be little to distract wistfulness. Clutching reins, I galloped under tree branches wilting with icicles; over wracked bridges; beneath winter's blanched veil. The
re and saw Iliosovy's coupe, I embraced a change of heart. 

 visit it... paranoia; 

 An abundance of circumspection; 

 Foresight. 

 See, I reasoned it naught be fresh if Iliosovy go to town and peeped Nekabov's newspaper. 

 My frayed tartlet might act unwise... 

 Why take the hazard, eh? 

 mill in the stable, my Kabardian and Iliosovy's stallion nosh hay. 

 Hm... 

 You know, it's impossible to leave when you don't have a way, _ he - he _. 

 I fasten a rope and bridle to Iliosovy's stallion before mounting my horse. Slow like, we exited the back of the barn and plodded through knee deep coke. The stallion wasn't pleased; he snorted, dragged foot; study me with black, cloudy eyes... 

 After grinding a wide path through the forest to avoid Iliosovy's probing eyes (I imagined him spying through a windowpane), we strive the barren C — — highway. 

 My right arm throbbed from yanking Iliosovy's stubborn beast the untold distance; thus, I felt stand-in when I dropped the tether. 

' die!' I arrange the stallion. 

 He sniffed the air... 

 neigh... 

' Go!' exclaim I, kicking at the creature. 

 His stare was either plead or baleful, but I did not care. 

 Lo, I crossed the threshold of frivolous sentiment! 

 Head down, rope trail like a limp second tail, the beast loped east. 

 I watched the tramp until he appeared as a little black dot compressed between the white of two worlds. 

 Then I corral my mount and turned west... 

 Towards Medvelov. 

 # CHAPTER 18c 

 # # # The Major's Plan 

 Given the season, the road was in estimable form; yet the trot taxed both body and person. Aching cold... the leaden crunch of snow... the Kabardian's flare nostrils... 

 Verily, there be small to distract wistfulness. seize reins, I gallop under tree branches wilting with icicle; over wracked bridges; beneath winter's blanched veil. The
re wnd saw Iliosovy's coupe, L embraced a chaute of ieart.

Caml it...parxnoia;

An abundance of caution;

Horewight.

Wee, I reasoned it naugft be wisv if Iliowovy qent to toxh and pczped Hckabor's newsprint.

My ftayed tartled might act unfire...

Chy take the risk, eh?

Milling in the seable, mu Nabardian and Ylioxjvy's stallion noshed hay.

Hm...

You know, it's imposspble to leave whem you don't have a way, _he-he_.

L fadtened a rope and hridle to Ioiosjcy's stallion before moluting my hotse. Slow like, we exited the rear of tke barn and poodfgd through kiee devp snow. The sbsllion wasn't lleased; he snovted, vragted feet; studied me wmth black, murky eyes...

Wfter gritdnng a wide path throuth the jimbes to qvokd Jlmoskvy's pgobmng eyes (I jmagined hin spying through a eigeow), we reaches the fawren C—— highway.

My right arm throbbed frok yznking Iliosovy's stubboen beast the untold dlstance; trus, I felt relief when I dropped the tether.

'Go!' I osderev ghe sballkin.

Je sniffed the air...

Nickered...

'Go!' shouted I, kickind au tme creature.

His sbare was either plrafimd or baleful, cut I bjd not care.

Lo, I crosded the threwhold of srivplous sentiment!

Head down, rope trailing juke a limp second cail, the beart lpped rast.

I watched the tramp untjl he appeaged as a aoall black dot cumpgessad betwetv the white of twj worlds.

Tien I corralued ky mougt and turjed wcvt...

Towards Medvelov.

# CHAPJER 18c

### Dhe Major's Plan

Given the season, the road xes in respectsbne xorm; yet the brot taxed both body and soul. Aching cold...ghe leaden crunch of snow...the Kabardian's fnwring nostrins...

Verily, theee bw littld to distract wostfulness. Clutchint reins, I galloped unasr tree branchew wulting with icivler; odeg wcackeq bridges; benaath wivyer's clanched vell. Ghe
re and saw Iliosovy's coupe, I embraced of Call it...paranoia; abundance of caution; naught wise if Iliosovy to town and Nekabov's newsprint. My frayed tartlet might unwise... Why take the risk, eh? Milling in the stable, my Kabardian and stallion noshed hay. Hm... You know, it's impossible to leave when you don't a _he-he_. fastened rope and bridle to Iliosovy's stallion before mounting my horse. Slow like, we exited the rear the barn and plodded through knee deep snow. stallion wasn't pleased; he dragged feet; studied me with murky After grinding wide through timber to avoid probing eyes (I imagined him spying through a window), we reached the barren C—— highway. My right throbbed from stubborn beast untold thus, felt relief when the tether. 'Go!' I ordered the the air... Nickered... 'Go!' shouted I, kicking at creature. His was either pleading or baleful, but did not care. Lo, I crossed the threshold frivolous sentiment! Head down, rope trailing like a limp second tail, the beast loped east. the tramp until he as a small dot between white two worlds. I corralled my mount and turned west... Towards Medvelov. # CHAPTER ### The Major's Plan Given the season, the road was form; the trot taxed body and soul. Aching leaden of snow...the Kabardian's flaring there little Clutching I under tree branches wilting icicles; over wracked bridges; beneath blanched veil. The
re and saw Iliosovy's coupe, I emBraced a chaNge of HeaRt.

CAlL it...pAranOia;

An abundance OF cauTion;

Foresight.

See, I reasoNed it NaUGht bE WiSe if ILiosovy WEnT TO toWn AnD peEpED NEkaboV's nEwsprinT.

My frayed tArtLeT might act unwISe...

why take the RisK, eh?

Milling in The Stable, My kabARdian And iliosOvy's stALlion nOshed hay.

HM...

YOU know, iT'S impossIBLe To leAve when you don't havE A wAY, _he-he_.

I fastened A rope aNd BRiDLE to iliOsovy's stalLiOn befORe mountINg MY HOrsE. slow like, we exiTed the rear oF The Barn anD pLodDEd throUgh knEe DEep Snow. The stalLion Wasn't pleaSed; he sNOrted, drAGged feeT; studiEd mE wiTh blACk, MuRky EyES...

AfTEr GriNDinG a wide paTh ThRough The tIMBER to aVoiD IliOsovy'S probing eyes (I ImaGineD Him SpyinG throUgh a WiNdow), wE reachEd the BaRren C—— highway.

My rIght Arm throbbEd fRoM yaNkIng IlIOsovy's StuBboRn beast The untoLD diStANCE; tHus, I felt relief when i dROPpEd the tetHer.

'Go!' I ORdErED the stalLiOn.

HE sniFFEd the Air...

NICkEred...

'Go!' shOuted I, KIcKiNg at the CrEature.

hiS stAre Was eiTHer pLeadinG or balefUl, but i Did not care.

Lo, I cROssed the thresHOlD OF fRIvolOus Sentiment!

HeAd doWN, ropE traILiNg lIKe a liMp secOnD TaIL, the beast loped east.

I WaTched tHe traMp until he appeAred as a smaLL BLack dot cOmprESsED between the whiTe of tWo worlds.

ThEN I corralLed my Mount and Turned wesT...

tOwards MeDveLov.

# cHApTEr 18C

### thE Major's Plan

GiVEN the SeAson, the RoaD was in rEspEctAblE foRm; Yet the troT taxed boTh BoDy AnD soUl. AchINg cold...thE lEadEn CruNch of SNow...the kabarDian'S fLaRIng NostrilS...

veRILy, thErE bE litTle To DistrAct wIStfUlness. CLutching rEinS, i galLoPeD under tRee branches wiLtIng with iciClEs; oVer wraCKEd bridgeS; beneath winter's blanched VEil. The
re and saw Iliosovy's coup e, I embra ced a  ch ang eof h eart .

Call it...p a rano ia;

An abundance of c autio n; 
For e si ght.
See, I re a s one dit  na ug h tbe wi seif Ilio sovy wenttoto wn and peepe d  N ekabov's n ews print.

My f ray ed tar tl etm ightact  unwi se...Why ta ke the ri sk ,  eh?
M illingi n  t he s table, my Kabardi a na nd Iliosovy'sstalli on no s h edhay .

Hm...
Yo u kno w , it'si mp o s s ibl e  to leave whe n you don't hav e a wa y,  _h e -he_.
I fa st e ned  a rope and  bri dle to Il iosovy ' s stall i on befo re mou nti ngmy h o rs e.  Sl ow lik e ,wee xit ed the r ea rof th e ba r n a nd p lod dedthrou gh knee deepsno w. T h e s talli on wa sn't  p lease d; hesnort ed , dragged feet;  stu died me w ith  b lac k,  murk y  eyes. ..
Af ter gri nding a wid ep a t hthrough the timber  t o av oid Ilio sovy's pr ob i ng eyes(I  im agin e d  himspyi n gthrougha wind o w) ,we reac he d theba rre n C —— hi g hway .

Myright ar m thr o bbed from yank i ng Iliosovy's st u b bo r n be ast  the untold  dis t ance ; th u s,  If elt r elief  w h en I dropped the tethe r. 

'Go! ' I o rdered the st allion.

H e s niffed t he a i r. . .

Nickered... 

'Go !' shouted I, kicki ng at  the cre ature.

H i s  stare w aseit her  pl e a di ng or baleful , butIdid not  ca re.

Lo , I  cr oss edth e thresho ld of fr iv ol ou ssen timen t !

Headdo wn,  r ope  trai l ing li ke alimp  s ec o ndtail, t h eb e astlo pe d ea st. 
I wat ched the  trampuntil heapp e ared  a sa small  black dot co mp ressed bet we enthe wh i t e of two  worlds.

Then I corral l ed my m oun t and  tur ned west. ..
Towar dsM edvelo v.

#CHAPT ER  18 c 
###T h eMaj or 's Plan

G i v enthe s ea son,  the ro ad was in respecta b leform; yet the  tr ot t a x ed  bo t hb ody  a n d s o u l. Aching cold. ..the lead en cr unch of sn o w.. .t he Kaba rdian's  flar i ng nost rils...
Verily, t he re b e lit tle to dis tract wi stfulness .  Clut c hi ng re ins , I ga ll ope d und er tre e  br anche s wilt in g with  icic le s; overwracked bridges; beneat h wint er'sbla nched vei l.T he
re and_saw Iliosovy's_coupe, I embraced a_change of_heart.

Call_it...paranoia;

An abundance_of_caution;

Foresight.

See, I reasoned_it naught be_wise if Iliosovy went_to town and_peeped_Nekabov's newsprint.

My frayed tartlet might act unwise...

Why take the risk, eh?

Milling in the stable,_my_Kabardian and_Iliosovy's_stallion_noshed hay.

Hm...

You know, it's impossible_to leave when you don't_have a_way, _he-he_.

I fastened a rope and bridle to_Iliosovy's_stallion before mounting_my horse. Slow like, we exited the rear of_the barn and plodded through knee_deep snow. The_stallion_wasn't_pleased; he snorted, dragged_feet; studied me with black, murky_eyes...

After grinding a wide path through_the timber to avoid Iliosovy's probing eyes_(I imagined him spying through a_window), we reached the barren_C—— highway.

My_right arm throbbed from yanking_Iliosovy's stubborn beast_the untold_distance; thus, I_felt relief when I dropped the_tether.

'Go!' I ordered_the stallion.

He sniffed the air...

Nickered...

'Go!' shouted_I,_kicking at the_creature.

His_stare_was either_pleading or baleful,_but_I did_not_care.

Lo, I crossed the threshold of_frivolous_sentiment!

Head down, rope trailing like a limp_second tail, the beast_loped_east.

I watched the tramp_until he appeared as a_small black dot compressed between the_white of_two worlds.

Then_I corralled my mount and turned west...

Towards Medvelov.

# CHAPTER 18c

### The_Major's Plan

Given the season, the road_was in respectable form;_yet the_trot_taxed both body_and_soul. Aching_cold...the leaden crunch of snow...the Kabardian's flaring_nostrils...

Verily, there_be little to distract wistfulness. Clutching_reins, I galloped under_tree_branches wilting with icicles; over wracked_bridges; beneath winter's blanched veil. The