The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-02-23

Suddenly, my brave deer hound lifted
up his head, and uttered low growl.-
The horses gave startled swerve just as
suddenly. A strange, lugubrious, bu,
appalling sound came all at once from
windward. wailing like death-cry-a
prolonged, awful, groaning discordance
over the white cleaning snow !; and
then it died away.
The horses halted, trembling only
the shivering tinkle of the bells broke
the death-silence that fell like eclipse
over all.
What is that g asked Lota, in shud-
dering whisper, as she clutched my arm.
listened. 1t is the wind signing,
and dying away in the pine forest an
swered. e @
And we do not go near the forest.
she said. Hark there it is again. Oh,
what-,chat can it be 2
Again the indescribably hideous and
lugubrious sound broke forth clearer
nearer. 1t increased it multiplied /;
the horrible crescendo, bowling, shrek
ing and ravening, was NOT that of the
wind this time.
Merciful God 7 gasped Lota, THE
WOLVES I
never understood, until that moment,
what the concentrated essence of literal,
deadly horror might mean. never ex-
perience the shock before or since and
l have in my hunting excursions faced
my danger and played out the game
manfully. To have lost the way was ter
rible enough but-the wolves and
Lota An instant was numb and dumb.
1t was true, however. The severity
of the weather, the migration of search
ty of the animals on whom these unclean
creatures preyed, had made their hunger
an urging, devouring madness. They
were encroaching on civilized territory,
and losing their usual characteristic and
craven cowardice-were approaching the
habitations of men-hunting village and
settlement. Woe to those in their path
As the Internal howl rose lingerly again,
the horses dartcd away with a shrill
neigh of fear, and guided them-begin-
ming to recovery myself-in an opposite
direction, while Terror my noble
hound, stood up with every fang barred,
and every hair on end, waiting for the
enemy he had already scented.
Ifmy good horses had gone on SO ad-
mirably at first, they sped off now like
arrows from the bow for the madness
of fear added wings to their speed, as
that of hunger did to our painting pursu-
ers. | was growing cold, Lota was pale,
but calm. | felt proud of her, though
it was certain that if We escaped not
speedily the brutes would run us down,
and then, horror of horrors what fate
for her.
l had two rifles, revolver, ammuni-
ton. spear, and wood-hatchet in the
sleigh conveyed my intention to
Lota. Can you load these weapons
with those cartridges 2 l asked.
Yes, was the answer; and she load
ed Fuller and Manton' with true
hunters skill | took one rife-looked
back--the pack was increasing. l fired,
and Lota loaded and one after another
fell, to be devoured by their rayenous
comrades and still the horses sped on.
The acoursed things were, for all this,
gaining ground. Doubts, fears. hopes,
trembling, were at my heart as | turned
to the sweet girl whose life or death were
all in all to me, and said
'Lota, if we die together, remember
that 4 love you-none but you! l tell
you now, if | may never again.
Kill me first, she whispered. Il
hear your words +; l echo them. You
have my heart. Richard-'
oh, Lota best beloved what mo-
ment to confess and l know not if
feel pain or gladness most.
There are now no secrets between US, >
said Lota, smiling; take this rifle, give
me-the pistol one kiss-soh ! they
come. Save me from them at any cost. ,
l thought my ears would have split at
their dreadful yells. for they were now
upon us, opening out to surround us;
and though the horses held bravely on,
| dreaded, every instant. that sheer ter
ror would paralyze them. 1t is scarcely
possible to conceive the unutterable hor-
ror that was circling US both young low
ers with beating hearts. forever. from
that hour, interchanged with each 9TH
er.
With lolling tongues. eyes of flame.
hoarse. deep growls, they had ceased to
bay and howl they were closing in up
on US. REMARKED one huge monster in
advance of the rest his object being ev-
identity to leap into the sleigh from be-
hind. Iired-and missed him! The
next moment his huge bulk came scrab-
ling over the back his paws were on
me, his fiery breath on my cheeks and
l expected, as / murmured a short pray
er. to feel the fangs of the abhorrent
brute in my flesh. A flash Ia crash !!
"a gush of fblood--and the creature tum-
bled backward, shot through the neck to
the spine by my brave Lota Then l
piled hatchet. and split skull after skull,
while the sleigh tore on ; but was Civ
ing up all hope, and turning round-oh,
Heaven Ito spare my darling a more
hideous fate, when shots and shouts rang
around, and troops of dogs and hunters
came swiftly to our aid and-and We
were saved
Providence had directed the horses to
Windy gap; our firing had reached