The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-01-01

sDo you think we are in any serious danger
now, Paul?"
IL don't like to see the beasts creeping so far
forward, my lord" "
"Nor l, and 1 think we had better knock
over few Of the foremost"
We now, by the counts advice, directed our
lire at the two horns of the crescent !;
but though we shot down the foremost
with great rapidity, and continued to do SO till
our guns became heated, could not see that
it thinned them in the least, or had good
effect. 1t broke their regularity and threw
them into some confusion, it is true; but this,
fancied worked against us by causing them
to become holder and press around us still
closer. .7
"Bymy faithp atlength exclaimed the count,
| in tone that betrayed some some degree OF
alarm, 1--WE must get out of this soon or the
| beasts will be upon us! | never saw so many
before in my life, and l have shot till l am
tired. Let me see. We must have fired three
hundred times apiece; and allowing that only
every other shot has been etfectual' we must
have brought down, say, five hundleu wolves !;
and yet they are closing up arouna us, more
numerous than ever, counuess legion! one
trip, one tumble, one tilt, and we are gone!-
How now, Paul my Es 9 th;s q, iad-how are you
| going to get us out OF TINS = lE-
@l|y giving the horses their heads and letting
them take steady turn to the left, so as to
change the position of the whole body of pur-
suers at once"
"Are you sure of the animals ?"
II think can trust them"
Sand the troika, Panl?"
81 shall do my best, trusting to Heaven, my
lordl 1 think the risk far less than riding as
we are."
"Then save us at your will, Paul, and look
to me for handsome reward when you have
put us safe within the castle gates~
The next few minutes were exciting beyond
anything had ever experienced in my life.
The driver shook the reins, gave a peculiar
chirp and whistle, and our noble steeds, as
anxious to escape as ourselves, speed away like
the wind. I fairly held my breath, feeling that
a crisis had come involving life and DEATH
Away, away we flew, the keen air cutting our
faces, and the light snow binding our eyes,
and the little troika bounding over the glsten-
ing surface like gallant boat on the foam
crested pillows, l watched the dark clouds of
living animals, with their lolling tongues and
eyes of fire, and saw with a feeling of joy that
I cannot express, that they were slowly but
preceptively falling behind that we were gain
ing on them-ipch by inch, it was true-but
still gaining on them. If the noble horses
could but hold out at this speed and no acct
dent should befall us! We were all breathless
with intensity of feeling-the single chirp or
sharp whistle of our driver being the only
sound that issued from our party. -.
Gradually the horses began to turn, slowly
turn, in broad circle to the left, so as to flank
that horn of the crescent. AS we came grace
fully round, SO as in a measure to face our
snarling purSuers, surprise and fear for the
moment threw them into confusion. Impul-
sively they parted and suffered US to pass
through their dense ranks and gain home
ward start before getting clear comprehen-
sion that we were actually escaping and leav-
ing them behind. Then with loud, angry
yeils they laid down to the chase, but were no
match for our feet coursers, that every minute
widened the space between them and their
foes Oh, how I loved the noble brutes that
were so calamity saving us!
@Bravop at length burst in a wild yell from
the lips of the excited count; "bravo, my no.
BILE steeds, and bravo, gallant driver this
nights work shall be remembered to YOU all p'
His words ofrejoicing were inst tntly chang
ed to cry OF dismay, as one of the horses
stumbled, staggering, pitched forward, and
down upon his knees, checking up his COM
panions and almost hurting them upon their
backs. The noble brute, as if he knew that
death to all of us was threatened through him,
made tremendous struggle to regain his foot
ing and pace; and with success, thank God !!
or this tale had never been told.
In another half hour the rayenous wolves
were far behind us, and an hour saw us safe
within the castle gates uttering prayers of
thanksgiving.
The next day we rode out upon the snowy
plain, and found it strewn for miles with the
bones of the wolves we had slain on that to me
ever memorable night.