The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-11-04

wolf just abreast of it, suddenly turned
sharp towards it; now was Mart's time.
He dealt a tremendous blow the wolf
avoided it, but stumbled In the snow, and
in few moments was yards behind.
ssThe distance from home was now
quickly shortening beneath the horses
hoofs, which continued to carry the sledge
at full gallop, till the fear of an oyerturn
became the source of anxiety. Mart was
quite aware by this time that these were
no common lazy wolves he had to deal
with, but sharp, Set, determined brutes, to
whom man or beast would be alike well
come. They were not the animals to be
deferred by the sight of a mans dwelling,
as is usually the case, and there was an
ugly werst of wide open space between
the Outsbirt of the forest and his house,
which he looked to with real apprehen-
sion.
''They were now at the very edge of
the wood-the road became evener-the
wolves gained on every side-the horse
bounded furiously forward, caught the
sledge against the stump of a tree-it
overturned-was swept away at tre-
mendous pace, and Mart was left alone in
tie snow. In moment heavy claw
had slit the throat and down the front of
bis sheepskin-it was well Amos wrap
pers lay SO thick beneath. He threw off
the brute and rose-his hatchet had been
jerked out of his hand in the fall-he cast
desDerate glance around, but saw it not
''rhe horse was now almost out of
sight, two of the wolves were close TO the
Iafa arI a
serting the animal, were bounding back to
him. Mart faced the foremost, he could
do no more, and in an instant was sur
rounded
s'Here we must leave him, however
cruel it may seem. Meanwhile the two
women were as usual expecting him anx-
iously at home-fo: Mart was late. Ammo
WAS sitting beneath the pinewood candle
at the spinning wheel. Liso had risen
from hers, and gone into a smaller cham
Der especially devoted to her. Old Karria
Pois was lying before the stove fast asleep.
Of a sudden the dog pricked his ears, lis
tened, rose---ran to the door and whined
then, returning to Ammo, wagged his
tail, ran back, and whining again, scratch
ed at the door Karria Pois usually gave
signal of Mart's approach, though in
not SO urgent way, and Ammo opened
the door, expecting to see her husband.
The dog dashed furiously out, but no sign
of Mart appeared. The young wife went
out into the piercing air-saw and heard
nothing, and was slowly turning in, when
sound caught her ear. So had Mart
never approached before. But there was
no time for wonder, for the next moment
the horse galloped up to the door and
stopped Ammo saw instantly that some
thing had happened-the animal was
dripping with foam and trembling all over
the sledge was reversed, and above all,
Mart was not there.
''Anno was but the girl still she CALI
ed quick to her grandmother-the old
woman did not answer-she few into the
inner room /; Hso was standing motion
less with her face turned from the door.
There was no light, save from the little
snowed>up window; but Ammo saw enough
to know that she stood in prayer. %,
J4nmatr (God) said the poor girl to her
self, hear her = and leaving her undis-
turbed, she ran again out of the house,
gave one look at the trembling horse, and
then, all trembling herself, began to re-
trace the Jagged track In which it had
come.
'sWe must now return to Mart, whom
we have left in frightful position. He
knew what it was to put forth his strength
/ in games and wrestling matches, and 1t
was such, as shoulder to shoulder and
muscle to muscle, few could Withstand.
D..k - CT
weight, the vice like teeth, the rending
grasp that held him down on every side.
For few seconds the desperate violence
of a man to whom life is sweet, and such
a death most horrible, shook off the pitt
less assaiIauts but his own blood had
dyed the snow, and tie sight of it seemed
to turn ferocity into fury. The blood
hounds closed again upon him-they pull
ed him down.
s'People say there is no time to think
in sudden dangers; they have never known
one. There are more thoughts struck
from the mind in one moments collision
with sudden and desperate peril than 10
days of fearless security. The sweets OF
this earth-the home that lay so near
the mystery of Heaven, swept over poor
Mart's mind; days, even particulars found
time to intrude. He thought how Ammo
and Liso would watch through the night
how his mangled remains would tell all
in the morning Amos despair-the vii
lage lament he thought of all this, and
more, and knew himself in the jaws of
hungry wolves. Then those foul, lurid
eyes gIared over him, the lightning OF the
throat followed, and thinking all was over.
Still he struggled to release his arms
the grasp on the throat was sutocating
him-his senses reeled, when on a sud-
den dash came another animal, hard
breathing, along, threw itself into the
4 nhn k.,,.,I and fasfnnad