Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-22
Chased by wolves.

drifting CLOUDS, now paftldllg opoCuieu'
then bursting~furth in flood OF sllyery
light. At one side was dense pine 1of-
est, broken by clumps of leafless oak or
hickory, and winding in and out as it
followed the course OF the river, on lhe
other, the wide snow covered PLAIN "A
mile vet before n house would be reach
ed, and in that time
Brave as he was. Mr.. Vance shudder-
ed. At twenty-eight there was so much
of life before him. He had reached a
Onoint where fortune began to smile up
ON him, and for the past six months his
leisure hours had been bright with glow
ing air-castles, which all had Rose Ard
lev for their day dream For her sake IL
was that he had undertaken this peril
Gus journey. ,,
him the fierce, cleaning eyes, that re-
peatet9themselyes until there seemed 10
be hundreds. Rays of lurid light flash
ed ont lolling scarlet tongues, that
8birsted for draught of blood, and a
D dainty morsel of flesh. A mis-step, a
half-hidden hillock of ice to trip the I'M
wary traveller, a moment lost, and he
would be in the power of these ravenOus
animals No wonder his pulses CULVER
"a cd, or that he shrank from so horrible
fate.
More than once he had gone up and
down the river for pleaeure More than
once there had been gay party-glrls
in their pretty skating cOstumes-6ut
sweetes0of al was ROac, her golden
d Zurls blown about by the wind, her
cheeks brilliant, her purple eyes dllatlng
with enjoyment. Bright and coquettlsh
was she, fond Of teasing him until his
patience was almost exhausted, but a
b sweet loving girl in the midst OF 1t. AZ
midsummer she was to be his wife. lie
had extorted that promise from her, tho
uph he would have fain taken her long
before And yet only the other morn
inc they had fallen into trifling dispute
about this very visit. She wanted him
to 90 up for this very Thursday evening,
he did not see his way clear to do 1t con-
yeniently.
Thursday is pay day" he said, al,
ludinrto his works and wOrkmen. ~
never can get away Thursday nights
until dark. My horse has fallen lame,
too0Rose, | cannot ride him after to-
day"
river a mere pastime, replied MISS Ard
ley, and her tone was tritie sharp and
naughty.
"In the daytime, and with company.
That makes difference
"Oh, very well, if you care so little to
come, there's no more to be said, And
she turned away with an air of superb
: Indifference
"Rose, il is not that. l can come up
Friday and stay till Monday.
but Thursday night is EleanOrs
birth-night. I thought Of the pleasure
to her, to have you among her guests.
Don't put yodrsclf out, however
Charles Vance was not a man likely to
be canonized for either meekness or
patience and she was purposcly trying
him. He felt veXed
'I'H come if | can concluded Mr.;
Vance shortly. His tone was cold, and
his eyes wandered oyer the waste OF
snow.
expect you, mind. Good-by.' And She
kissed to him the tips of her dainty fin
gers, 49,,
He strobe down the path, unhitched
his horse with a jerk, and went riding
over the road, never once glancing back
Perverse Rose Ardley was privatelypeep-
ING after him, rather enjoying than not
the semi-quarrel.
.TIl not 90: she shall not get me
there on Thursday evening" he ans
wered,to himself in his annoyance. But
ere Thursday evening came bis resolve
was broken, after the manner OF lovers,
and he meant to go.
81 must skate up. he said; 'the night
clear and frosty.
Hone there'u be no wolves abroad,
Master Vance" said the braWny Eng
lishman. Hugh, one of his wOrkmen and
warm admirers You'd better take a
pistol"
'I1l trust tOluCk andmy good skates,
answered Mr.. Vance, laughingly, rather
ridiculng the notion of evolves
He started The night, as he 0bscrv-
ed. was clear and frosty. very bright
and cold. UaIf his Journey had been
accomplished, when he heard 9hrill,
sharp echOing from the woods. Then
another, as in answer. and one at dis
lance. For a moment his blood Curclled
in his veins What were these cries
All, what--What but the wolves:
Nearer came the cry, and nearer, as II
the dreadful animals scented their vic
tim He gidcd over the ice like ght-
ming, his strides quickened by the first
click he heard from his pursuers-a
first. as rapidly as possible, in a straight
line: for not a second was to be lost.
Every nerve and limb was Strengthened
TO its utmost tension. 4 mile, perhaps
and if he had to double \ horrible
Flash of despair almost paralyzed him.
That was certain death. Why had he
been SO needless as to disregard sag
Hugh's warning: But he had never
seen a wolf during his SoJourn in the
Canadian wilds.
Faster! faster Turn, that fright
fully heightened his Journey. but gave
him a moments respite for his pursucr.
were by this means thrown off theil
track, and were some time in recover