The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-01-29
4 CoIc Of NormoD.
The sIedge Drive to Church.
CHAPTER u.--C0NCLUDED.

noise in the rear certainly increased, and
was heard at ftful intervals, now almost
swelling into note, then dying away,
and was decidedly nearer than when first
she had remarked it. The horses, too,
seemed by some wonderful instinct TO
partakc her fathers uneasncss. Just
then the noise began afrcsh, and now an
unmistakuble howl sent fash of GER
tainty into Ler mind. Unable longer to
bear the suspense, she half rose, and
gaspcd out o father, is it's it the
wolves %
"Thcy are long way behind" said
Andrcas g we shall reach home well,
never fear"
But the farmers face contradctcd his
cheerful words, and with sinking OF
heart as if its action had been stopped,
and then Il tumuituous rush of blood
through her veins, Ella sank back on her
seat. 1t was fearful revulsion of feel
ing to be thus suddenly torn from state
of dreamy rovcric, and brought face to
face with a great danger. The tainting
sensation was over directly, and closing
her eyes for moment aud murmurine IA
heartfelt prayer, her natural courage re-
turned. Ella had till then only seen
dead wolves, the trophies Of the chase,
and once OF twice enc securely muzalcd
on it's way to some foreign mensgeric
i but too many dreadful wolf stories arc
currcn, round Norwegian hcarths in the
winter for her not to divine the greatness
Of the peril, and she tried to calculate
their probable distance from home, and
and the chances of escape.
Frau Ingcborg next heard the howl,
aud asked the same terrified question as
her daughter. "Oh, God, my poor
children"' WAS her only exclamation
and then she, too, was calm and still -
Nearer, nearer is the neutrality-suspicious. 90
the terrified horses; their instinct has
told them the danger. Ella gently dis
engages herself from the sleeping Olaf,
and, unbilden, gets out the rife and
powder flask, and in silence looks to the
loading. Andreas' eye falls on her; he
is even at that moment pleased with the
fruit Of the training he has given his
child, in her pale, composed face and
steady hand, like Il brave Morse maiden
as she was. Her eyes are now strained
to look back as far as She can. IRE she
secs block moving mass against the
sky. &" see them, father, but they arc
far off yet"
y groan escapes from Andrcas. {: God
help Us then 70 he mutters. Wife and
daughter read his face, and from their
hearts, too, goes up that sgonized prayer
All well may they pray it. On came
the pack, some ha!I-hundrcd gspnt hun
cry wolves, their dismal howl freezing
the liie-hlood Of the Janscns. The hor-
scs bound onwards with red nostrils and
painting sides; they 60 like the wind,
but the distance is steadily diminished.
And the howl Of the wolves sounds like
a mocking demon cry" Ha, la yc 60
fast, we faster: ye are few, we are many.
1t is our turn now le are the hunted,
we the hunters. la, ha! how like yt
the change ~
Would it not be possible" said Ella
take refuge in one OF these chalots =
!
1t would be only quicker Death
The wolves would soon force the door ;
there would be no t;ls;cnings Of sufficient
strength to resist them"
They looked above, around-ncithor
help nor hope was to BE- seen. The pitt
less earth was wrapped in ono vast wind
ng-shect Of snow, and the cold, glancine
lights in the sky revealed only too clear
ly their desperate condition. A cold
damp stands Oh the farmers brow still
he guides his horses with firm hand.
speaks encouraginGly to them, and tl!ougI
he, knowing the peril best, has given "
hope first, lie relaxcs no effort. 1t was
hard, in the first flush of manhood, the
prime Of life, with the blood coursine
through every vein in strength and pow.
er, to have nothing to DO but die As
he looked at his dear ones, he thought
were those but safe, death would not be
so fearful; but then the image of The
pleasant home at Ravensdal rose up be-
fore him, and to leave all this, to die ant
leave no name, no heir behind him, il wa
hard Was it not triumph Of Chris
tan faith, that he, thus circumstanced
could bow his head, meckly aud say
Thy will be done! !" Dame lngcbor.
said nothing, but her tears fell fast ovcl
the nesting Raoul she was stralning t,
her heart, and as the child started al
the noise, she flushed him off to sleep a.
carefully as if he had been in his It'll,
bed at home, thankful that one, at least
Of her darlinss was spared the anguish
Of this valley of tie shadow OF Death
And yet to her arose a ray of light, ;
CLEAN of happiness, as she thought tina,
she and all her dear one would cross tho
river Of death at the same time. Nc
widowhood, no orphanago, no childlcss-
ncss-the parting of a moment, and thcl
the eternal Reunion in Ill IS. Olaf
reused by his sisters rising had awoke,
and seeing the wolves, had burst out in
to terrified crying but when Ella gent,
ly badc him pray to god and try and be
u brave boy he caught the infection OF
her calmncss. Swallowing his tears, he
knelt on the seat, and hiding his face in
the fur wraps, that he might not see the
objects Of his dread, he manfully trieC
to stife his sobs aud repeated over and
over again his simple prayer. OF all
Ella was the happiest, for one great com
fort was hers her best beloved was