Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-09-15

"You say that Nikeetin the butcher lost a
dog last night did the wolf eat the whole
carcass ?" asked Vladimir of the noseless
man, in the quick, commanding tone of
one who knows that he must be obeycd.
"No; he hardly got bite of it, the rascal
that's one comfortv' answered the old
fellow with a grim chuckle. "Feodorc
Stepanovitch heard the dog yelp, and out
rushed he and his men with lights and
hatchets, and scared the brute away. AS for
the dog, it's lying there in his yard now
"Go, one of you, and bring it 4; and if any
one has a sharp wood-knife, let him give 1t
me-"
1t was curious to sec how absolutely this
man, the youngest md least important OF
the whole party, issued his orders and
how unhesitatingly the iest obeyed them.
Here, as everywhere, the stronger mind
took the lead, and the weaker instinctivcly
followed.
The host produced huge, broad bladcd
knife, which Kovrofr slung round his noik
without word aud few minutes latT,
the carcass of Nikectin's dog was lying be-
side the door. Vladimir drained his glass,
and said-"You tell me this brute comes
about midnight; so between eleven and
twelve shall take this carcass to the cross
roads, and throw it there as bait for him,
hiding myself behind the fence hard by.
when he comes up, shall attack him and
then let it be as God wills. But you, broth
ers, mind and don't say a word of this to
any one, lest my Masha Mary should
hear of it. II get off there's no need for
her to know about the matter at all and if
I m killed, she'll hear of it soon enough
God help her And now, Alexey Nikolaie-
witch, if you can spare me your bed awhile,
| I'll take a nap, TO freshen me for my
work"
And few moments later, this nameless
hero (himself unconscious of doing any
thing heroic was sleeping as calmly as if a
deadly conflict, from which he had little or
no chance of escaping, were awaiting him
four hours later on.
Midnight-cold, dreary, ghostly. Adead,
dreary silence over the lifeless village and
lonely high road \ faint glmmer of
moonlight, giving a weird, spectral look to
to the half seen outlines of the dark, silent
log huts, and making the gloomy depths of
the encrcling forest seem all the blacker.
A shapeless nass lying out upon the hard
snow of the cross roads, and dark figure
crouched behind the fence hard by, with
something in its hand which gliters as the
moon falls upon it.
Weary, weary work, crouchng there in
the cold and darkness, with the stiiiening
fingers clutchng the heavy hatchet, and
the strained cars watchful to catch the
slightest sound. Hark was not that a low
howl from the far distance? No, il was
but the wind moaning through the skele-
ton branches of the forest. Patience yet
Hark, again and this time there is no
mistaking the sound not the long, melan-
choly howl wherewith a supperess wolf
may be heard bemoaning himself ON the
outskirts of Moscow, almost any night iB
the week, but Il quick, snarling cry.as one
who Isees his food neaf at hand, and wisnc7
| TO hasten its arrival. Ana there, gliding
| ghost-like over the great waste of snow,
comes long gaunt shadow, straight, swift,
answering, toward yonder shapeless lump
of carrie on on the highway, upon which he
pounces with fierce, worrying snarl, that
max es even the brave heart of the listener
sta nd still for moment with involuntary
horro Now is Vladimr's time To rush
out at once might scare the beast away
he must first try TO cripple it. The axe
flies at the monsters head with the force OF
catapult; but the dim light deceves his
aim, and it hits the foroshoulder instead
tea ring il open with frightiul cash, from
W hicl the blood gushes freely over the
snow. With a sharp howl of pain the woll
turns and flies hut the swiltest foot in
Bo gorodsko is hard at his heels. After his
long, weary vigil, this breaknock chase is
like the breath of life to Vladimir and
over this hard smooth snow, his speed is Il
IN atch for any wolf wounded like This one
Alrea dy he has almost come up with the
game, and is raising his knife for sure
stroke, when the flying grey shadow in
front Of him suddenly wheels round
shoots up from the earth like rocket, and
falls right on the breast of its pursucr
down go man and wolf amid whirl o
flying snow, while shrill yell rings out
on the silent air, for even in the sudden
shock of that death grapple, Vladimir's
k nife has found time to come home, and
the hot blood pours over his face and breast
from the wounded side of his adversary
And so, far out on the lonely plain, with
t he cold moon looking pitilessly down up
on it, begins the tug for life and death
over and over they roll in the bloody snow
the wolf clutching at the throat of the man
the man burying his knife in the side o.
he wolf. Crushed to the earth beneath
st filing weight-spent with his long watcl
nd headlong run-with certain death gar-
ing at him from the yellow, murderous
eyes of the savage brute, the stubborn Rus
sian still fights doggedly on. In the hot
fury of that mortal struggle, the fierce
hunter nature awakes, sweeping away al
memory of his comrades, his wife, his de.
votion he feels only the longing to teal
and kill tingling TO his finger-ends. only
the grim enjoyment of plunging his knill
again and again into that gaunt, muscular
side, where the ife seems to lie so deep
See ! those merciless stabs are at length be-
ginning to tell the fierce yellow eyes are
growing dim, the huge jaws quiver con,
vulsvely, and from their edges the frotl
and blood drip in hot flakes upon Vladi.
Mrs face. But now, with a mighty effort
the wolf wrenches his head from the iron
grasp of Vladimir's left arm; and will
on crunch of his strong teeth, breaks the
bone below the elbow. The limb drop.
powerless at his side. One more desperat,
stab into the quivering flesh of his enemy
aud then he feels the savage teeth fastening
upon his throat everything swims arount
him, there is rushing as of water in hi,
ears, thousand sparks dance before hi,
eyes, and then all is blank.
"God be praised, brother, that you ar,
still aliveW said gruff voice in Vladi
mir $ ear, as he recovered consciousness
while, at the same moment, soft arm wa,