The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-09-16

moving mass az ainst the sky. 81 see
them, father but they are far off yet. "
A groan escapes from Andreas.
God help us, thenl" he mutters.
Wife and daughter read his face, and
from their hearts too, goes up that
agonized prayer. All well may they
pray it, On came the pack, some half
hundred gaunt, hungry wolves, their
dismal howl freezing the hfe-blood of
the Jansens. The horses bound on
wards with red nostrils and painting
sides +; they so like the wind, but the
distance is steadily diminished. And
the howl of the wolves sounds like a
moohing demon cry, "Ha, la We go
fast we so faster ye are few, we are
many it is our turn now /; ye are the
hunted, we the hunters. Ha, la how
like We the change ?"
"Would it not be possible, said Ella,
"to take refuge in one Of these chalets ?
Could we not barricade ourselves
there ?"
at would be only quicker death
the wolves would soon force the door
there would be no fastenings of sufli-
cient strength to resist them"
They looked above, around-neither
help nor hope was to be seen the
pitiless earth was wrapped in one vast
winding sheet of snow, and the cold
glancing lights in the sky revealed on
ly too clearly their desperate condition.
A cold damp stands on the farmers
brow still he guides his horses with
firm hand, speaks encouragingly to
them, and though he, knowing the
peril best, has given up hope first he
relaxes no effort. 1t was hard, III the
flush of manhood the prime of life
with the blood coursing throug hevery
vein i'll strength and power, to have
nothing to do but die. AS he looked
at his dear ones, he thought, were these
but safe, death would not be SO fearful
and then the image Of the pleasant
home at Ravensdol rose up before him
and to leave all this, to die and leave
no name, no heir behind him, it was
, hard Was it not triumph of Chris
tian faith that he, thus circumstance
could bow his head meekly, and say
"Thy will be done 2" Dame Ingebore
, said nothing, but her tears fell fas
over the nesting Raoul she was strain
ing to her heart and as the chile
started at the noise, she hushed him of
/ to sleep as carefully as if he had beer
! in his little bed at home, thankful
! that at least one of her darlings wa
spared the anguish of this valley Of tn,
shadow of death. And yet to her arost
a ray Of light, CLEAN of happiness, a
! she thought that she and all her dea.
ones would cross the river of death a
} the same time no widowhood, N
Z orphanage, no childlessness- the part
: ing of moment, and then the eterna
reunion in bliss. Olaf, reused by hi
/ sisters rising, had awoke, and seem!
+ the wolves, burst out into terrified cry
ing but when Ella gently babe hin
pray to God, and try and be BRAY,
) boy, he caught the infection of he
! calmness. Swallowing his tears, h
/ llnelt on the seat, and hiding his fac
in the fur wraps, that he might not Sc
/. the objects of his dread, he manfull
} tried to stifle his sobs, and repeate,
over and over again his simple prayer
| 80 Lord Jesus, please drive away thes
dreadful wolves, and let us get SAT
home" OF all, Ella was the happiest
| for one great comfort was hers; he
? best beloved was safe, and as sh
: thought, with thrill Of JOY that seem
f ed strange at such an instant, throug
< an act of self-denial to which she Ia
= urged him, and which God was bless
y ing by his deliyerance The wolve
!, were gaining fast they could distir
t guish the fiery eyes, the red tongue
S hanging out. Ella, as she saw one
r advance, quite close to them, cried on
t Father, father the rife"
"Then take the reins an instant,
d said he, as he took the weapon frol
d her hands. Ella obeyed the horse
n wanted little guidance, and the wolf fe
dead beneath her fathers sure ain
e There was a stop of the whole pacl
Il and the Jansens almost dared to hop,
o Andreas's face was gloomy as befor
o "Only a check" murmured he "the
n are mad with hunger. The one l hay
killed viii be devoured, and then"
i, His words were verified in fe
N minutes time they again heard I'll
N baying of the pack, and they We're SOC
in sight, their appetite whetted by Il
H. taste of blood nm on with increo 90