The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-10-13

which it communicated with the more
extended country beyond there was a
group of corl<-trces, the peculiar shape
of which rendered them distinguishable
| from the bushwood which clothed the
bases Of the mountains. Luckily, too,
the valley, prccipitous ard rugged on
either side, had nearly even ground,
perhaps half mile wide, upon which,
whom once reached, the walking woun.
be easy. SO, though the trees were a
rood three miles off, and | was already
- - tired, l calculated that !
suiilcieh"' "hnut an hour and
should reach them in" .,d
a half, all hindrances considered, a.
once there, should I've only one mile
from the inn; md, after all, tlattcred
myself, ] could get home before you"
she said, addressing her husband, "and
the Others had begun to be frightened
about me.
COZ | started, therefore, and walked
away with will. In less than half an
hour the sun set, and for while it was
almost totally dark. To press on, not
minding the stumbles and occasional
falls, and to keep up as brave heart as
| could, was all that was possible and
! had got nearly to the end of the last
wood, close to the open ground-which
had not dared try to reach by direct
scramble in the dark-and could see the
cork-trccs looming large in the glim-
mer of the rising moon, when | thought
| heard peculiar cry far away behind
me, and paused for moment to lis
ten, thinking there might possibly be
some other bclatcd Wandcrcr in the
dark as well as myself.
| {" For only one moment. The next l
was rushing along as fast a. terror could
drive me, sketching things, cloak, UNI
brella, everything which might impede
my flight flung away; for in that one
moment all | had ever heard Of the now
seldom seen PyrenCan dogs, their terri
bly, acute scent and horrible terocity,
flashed through my mind, and ] know
bv instinct that the sound that | had
heard was the cry of one Of them as ii
had stumbled ON my trail, and that tho
whole pack would be upon me long,
feared, ere | could get even as far rs the
cork-trec.
at first, rs I fed along wildly,
gave myself up for lost, for the idea o
defending myself never once occurred t'
me- so paralyzcd was | with fear; bu
as went on and heard the occasional
cry, and hungry yapping always neare
and nearer, the horror of the threatened
death reused in me Il courage had nev
or known before, and remembcrin!
now, in fearful earnest, my revolver,
resolved to sell my life, at all events, a
dear as could.
at this moment gained the opel
ground. The moon, white and bril-
, liant, lighted up the valley, and brough
, into strong relief the group Of cork-tree
, not far away now, and which, oh if
could but reach, / believed ! might We
. escape.
. 81 pulled out my revolver, hardl,
abating my speed, slipped the satet,
stop, and made for little thicket of ju
niper some fifty yards in front for nov
,, the cruel 'yapping' sounded closer am
! closer. and it seemed rs if hundreds o
! savage beasts were ut my heels; if
, could not stop them so as to gain littl
q time, must be torn to pieces in min
! ute. suddenly facing them rs rcachc
. the juniper, and inStinctiVely rcnen
: bering the direction to fire low Whic
= Won gave me, YOU know, Elliot, | She
!. off each barrel as quick rs lightnin?
then rushed on again. That | had killc
some, at all events, was evident by til
, growing and lighting ofthe Others Owe
!. the dead ones. | knew that the dog
noW-a-days, We're never known to d
!, sccnd to the valleys until driven by a
+ tual starvation, and, also, that Who
!. hungry they did not scruple to eat II
y dead of their own kind so / ran on, /
II the same time reloaaing the pistol, IN
o. hope being that by firing among thep
Il | might gain the time they took viii
,r they stopped to dcvour those whic
= were killed.
,e GLOW it was, | don't know; | Su
~ pose every one has felt the same WhC
G. the first hrunt of n great danger h
Y. been endured, and one remains FOR II
If moment still in safety; bat as | ran
n rclt reckless courage and Il, 50 to spcaI
m determination not to be killed, took pc
at session of me. On | went, nay pace
re little slackcncd, for feared my strong
would hardly hold out; and | was go
st graduating myself upon the prcrio
ld minutes | was gaining, when | heard
it single 'yalp' 50 close behind, that
in agony of terror put for Il moment II
RI iatc courage to tlight, and | almost fl
down paralyzcd, a., turning my hca
so | saw two glaring eyes within Il yard
ii, me. In less time, however, than
20 takes to tell you, revived again, fire
" and waiting only to see that the q
tn was disabled, struggled on once NOR
no and now, only few yards from t
me trees, | WAS looking to see which Wou
i'll be the best to take for, when the pa
un came on again in full cry. Alas! the
ch was no juniper here fora defence for /
m. back, and / knew AL must be lost
of they once got TO close quarters 50
nw turned again, let OIL all the barrels pr
tn, ty nearly at random, and then made
m last effort | felt would be possible, 70
lly was wcll-nigh exhausted, and at /