hat
matter? Does not our Creator in all His dealings make use of means?
Does He not lead us step by step from a lower to a higher level? There
are no ready-made human angels in this life, male or female, with
full-grown wings to bear them over the troubles of earth to a state of
sudden sanctification. We are in a rebel world, and, when lifted from
the pit by a Saviour's hand, the steps by which the Spirit of God leads
us upwards are numerous as well as varied, including sometimes--I write
without irreverence--such footholds as "auburn hair."

Disguised as a Bulgarian rustic, Dobri Petroff left the Russian camp,
passed the outposts, and, under cover of the fog, gained the neutral
ground between the two armies.

Of course the sentries on both sides were numerous as well as vigilant--
especially so on such a night. It therefore behoved him to advance with
extreme caution. Creeping from mound to rock, and bush to knoll, he
reached a small clump of bushes, into which he entered for the purpose
of resting a few minutes and considering well his future movements.

A thrill of excitement ran through his frame when he discovered that he
was not alone in this thicket. A man sat there leaning against a tree
as if asleep. The scout crouched and drew a revolver. A moment
sufficed to show that his arrival had not been observed. No wonder, for
his approach had been like that of a cat! He was now in great
perplexity. The man was evidently not a sentinel of either
belligerent--that was plain, but it was equally plain that he was armed.
To shoot him would be impossible without putting the sentries of both
sides on the alert. To pass him in so small a thicket, without
attracting attention, would be difficult. To draw back would
necessitate a long detour, involving loss of precious time and increase
of risk. A thought occurred to him. Many a time had he hunted among
these mountains, and well accustomed was he to glide with serpentine
caution towards his game. He would stalk him! Petroff seldom thought
twice in cases of emergency. He unbuckled his sword quietly and hung it
on a branch, and leant his carbine against a tree, resolving to trust to
his great personal strength alone, for he did not mean to sacrifice life
if he could avoid it. In case of being driven to extremity, his knife
and revolver would suffice.

Then, sinking down until he became lost among the deep shadows of bush
and brake, he began the slow, labori