Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-06-08
NUMBER %.

into play, he dashed down the path with
scarcely less speed and terror than did
uncle Tom Barry himself. Peter was
famous runner and had come off winner
in many Il trial of speed when the people
had come together at n raising or log roll
ing, but this was no holiday game. He
was not taxing his muscle to win APP
plause Of admiring friends or to crafty
an ambition to excel.
The race was for life.
Down the long slope that led to Pill
kins Hollow, and up the ascent beyond,
fled Peter, while hardly hundred yards
behind came snarlng pack, hungry
and fierce. The life of an unarmed man
would not be worth minutes purchase
could they once surround him. This
Petcr acknowledged to himself, as
thought entered his mind of standing
ON the defensive, so he abandoned the
thought before it was fully formed, and
baced himself anew for flight.
Down another long slope, across a
broad sheet of ice at its foot, and Lether-
bees Hill, with its long steep ascent, lay
before him. lie ,huddered rs he glanced
up its rugged side, for he telt that his
strength would scarcely suffice to carry
him To the top. The perspiration Streamed
from every pore, his breath came in short,
Wheeling gasps, his steps we're becoming
unsteady, and once, striking his foot
against II loose stone, he preserved him
self from falling only by an exertiun so
great that the blood spurted from his
nosuils and flames seemed to leap before
his vision.
Still he kept on, though it seemed mad
ness to hope, for hi, pur-uers had gained
ON him teartully; he knew it by the
beating OF their footsteps, but with ener-
gies inspired by mortal terror, he ran on,
hoping to gain only the brow of the hill,
for there the ground became more open,
and his own cabin was but few yards
beyond. lie felt sure that his pursuers
would not follow him beyond the SUM
nit, but could he reach it before they
would close upon him ?
No, not 10y his own excrtion, for just
rs the thought passed through his mind,
his foot caught under gnarled root that
extended across the way, and he fell heav-
lily forward, his head struck the frozen
ground and he lay senseleSs.
When Petcr recovered consciousness
he found himself hanging over the hoad
shoulders of his brother John, and about
TO enter his own door. Here he soon COLI
lectcd his scattered senses and was able
to listen inteligently to his brothers nc
count of his rescue.
Uncle Tom Barry, in his fight, had
stopped ut the cabin long enough to shout
through the window that the wolves
were out, and hurried on. John, who
lived with his brother, knowing that Pc
ter must come the same pnth, took his
gun and walked out to the edge Of the for
est, where he halted to listen. But
sound of the pursued and pursucrs, and
rushing down the hill he arrived upon
the scene just in time to leap between
Peters PROSTATE form and the wolves,
the foremost of which was no less than
ten feet distant, Taking steady aim, he
sent bullet into the creatures brain, and
then, while the pnck were fighting over
the dead body OF their comradc, he -lung
Peter over his back and gained the open
ground in safety.
Peter frankly told the who truth about
the affair, from beginning to end, and
concluded the story with the emphatic
assertion, that rs long as he lived no
would never be guilty OF another ptacu-
cal joke, vow which he faithfully kept.