“Do not be afraid, Nadia!” cried Michael Strogoff.

“I’m not afraid,” replied the young Livonian, her voice not betraying the slightest emotion.

The rumbling of the thunder ceased for an instant, the terrible blast had swept past into the gorge below.

“Will you go back?” said the iemschik.

“No, we must go on! Once past this turning, we shall have the shelter of the slope.”

“But the horses won’t move!”

“Do as I do, and drag them on.”

“The storm will come back!”

“Do you mean to obey?”

“Do you order it?”