The campaign. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1866, 1866-10-12

trees down in which their prey was
seated, | firmly believed to be pure iic-
ton, so all that had to do to BE- safe
after all, to sit still where
was.
" But for how long? | had only three
cartridges left. | could not be sure of
the number of dogs in the pack, but
thcrc wore upward of fifty mt least,
and whether they only attacked al
night, or were equally savage during
the day, knew not. But even should
they remain long, which was not prob
able when once they found that their
prey was out Of reach, | remembered
that you would be sure to como to my
help when you found ] had not re-
turned; and | was comforting myself
with this assurance when it flashed
through me that you would, rs likely as
not, come without your guns, and Il
YOU did, nothing could save YOU. This
was the worst of all, and as | sat think
ing of it the old dews of helpless dread
gathered on my face, and l put back
the shrill whistle | always carried when
wandering alone, and which l was Just
going to blow, lest it should give YOU
too true clue to my place of refuge.
GLOW long | sat crOuchcd among the
branches of that friendly cork-t tree,
turning these hopes and fears over in
my mind, l hardly know. 1t must
have been an hour at least, for the moon
had travelled over the VALLEY, and was
setting behind the snowy mountains
beyond, when from the opening gorge,
before, there came shout!
| knew the voice wcll, Elliot, and wait
cu without answering, lest you should
he alone. l think the few minutes of
suspense which followed were more in
tolerable than anything which had vet
happened! But very soon there came
another shout, and then several voices
together, and almost at the same mo-
mont the glare of torches, as Il whole
party of men turned into the valley.
Tho relief was too great. / tried to
shout, too, but my voice died away in
my throat. | tried my whistle now,
but the sound that | produced was too
feeble to be heard far away. At lust, by
Il bright thought, | fred Off my three
cartridges, and thcn--you
know better what happened and what
became Of me than do myself.
What happened, and what became
of Mrs. Hau!ngc, was as follows:
As we ncarcd the grove OF cOrk-trccS
so often alluded to in the above recital,
and to which we were directed by the
sound Of the pistol, the pack Of dogs
left their unsatisfactory employment Of
gazing ut the food which was unattaina-
Die, and came en- HUSSe to attack us. But
we were prepared for them, and they
received two or three vollCys SO we'll
directed and telling, that after coming
to Us once again, they betook themselves
TO the shelter Of the brushWOOi on each
side the valley. said we were prepared
for them; for, returning home from our
about an hour before, we
were met by Il peasant who told us that
nc and some others had seen the first
pack of wild dogs remembered for up
ward of thirty years, descending from
he High Pyrcnecs toward these val
cys; and as they certainly were not
jr away, it was not safe to be out, un-
css in Il party, and well armed, for they
were always desperately savage; they
mad doubtless been driven from their
airs, he said, by the long continuance
If cold and snow.
" Which direction had they taken ~
lshcd we, With a view to possible
iay's sport on the morrow.
Judge of our horror when the man
lamed the valley Mrs. Eardingc
lad chosen for her walk that morning,
md pointed 10 the mountain immcdi-
ltcly n''-rhanging i; as the place where
lc had seen them.
Before he could finish his sentence
Ec We're hurying home at our utmost
'pccd, hoping to find our fears needless,
md her safely returned. When, how
'vcr, we got there, hours later than she
Usually remained out, our hearts failed, ,
when, to oar quick question, "Whcre's ,
Mrs. llardingC:' my wife replied, 81 |
lon't know, she has not come in: I
hought She was with you!" Instantly /
he alarm was given, the whole village |
VAS aroused; every man armed with Il /
gun rallied round Us, and we took our
way to the entrance OF the valley, 81 |
cnt and sick with apprehension for the |
ate which most likely ere this had
her.
After the rout Of the dogs, we has
cncd to the trees, and climbing that in /.
which, by the light of our torches, we
ould see Mrs. Iiardingc lifcd herdown. |
She was quite insensible, though, fur
her than bad bruises and tears, uppa- |
emily from falls and thorns, she seemed |
lnhurt; at all events, there was no
mark Of the dogs upon her. We car
led her home, and did all we could to |
'cstore consciousness but alas the
lorors She had gone through had been
90 great, and it was many, many days
Icforc she recovered from their effects. |
t was not, indeed, until three weeks
.ttcrward that she WAS able to give Us
he preceding account.
She still treasures her little pistol as !
he chief saviour, under Providence,
If her life, but we who heard the ta'cso
ma llprf1GIN t,lI ib.t,.rl4 tI,,, ,.,.+..I /