Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-02-06
BOzEMAN MONTANA TERRITORY, FRIDAY. FEBRUARY

MAN, MON'IANA
and chimed merrily, making tho frosty
air ring again as the gaily caparfsoned
horses paved and shook their heads
impatient at their owners to be of. Al
length we started, Eric and I as hosts
being the last Of the party, f5I, O
course, he was my charioteer. / well
remember my father standing at the
door to ses Us 60, and as he tucked the
bear.skin rns moro closely around me
bidding us 'sreturn early" and beware
of the Salten hounds" We laughed
At tina warning. then. but. had awful
cause to remember it 2tterwardS.
1z.0f that day I sh1li not speakS w
were all young and in wild spirits, and
some Of ns In love. Need / say more,
Amidst the many fair faces and 1.-the
forms that glidcd SO gracefully ovel
the frozen mere, tireless through these
long hours, was the fairest. l, blue
eyed, golden haired Ella Bieorn, was
the acknowledged belle and queen ol
tho party, and Eric, my lover, the
most stalwart youth of the country
side. But all things, even the pleas.
ATTEST, must come to an end. So when
the shades of evening began to fall
heavily, merging earth, sky and water
into one great leaden cloud, We began
our journey homewards. Tired out
with exertions, as soon as We started
I nestled down amongst the soft flra
in the sleigh, and, rocked by its easy
motion, soon fell fast asleep. How
long I slept l knew not; but when ]
awOke it was showing fast, and the
darkness so intense that We oeuld not
see a hands breadth sefore US. l call.
ed to Eric, who was driving, and asked
if all was we'll. To which the answer
came back, alf.deadenetl by the thick
atmosphere, "Au well, but for Gods
sake try to keep awake"
So I aroused myself and sat mp,
knowing that sleep in that bitter night
air might mean death. Of any other
I had no thought, for my driver was
skillful, whilst Thor and Odin, our two
sturdy little mountain pones, knew
their way home almost unguided. Sud.
denly, as I listened rainly for the echo
of our companions bells, I heard an.
other sound come up with the wind-a
long drawn hollow moan. Twice or
thrice It came at intervals, this wierd
noise, each time nearer and mora dis.
tinct; the third time the ponies also
heard it. for they sprang forward with
an impetus that almost shook me out
Of the carriage. Frightened, I said to
Eric, "What, o what is that" And
the answsr came back, short and stern,
s'The Salten hounds!"
Then commenced that terrible chase
"for dear life," which, though we
should both live twice our allotted
span, we never could forget. Swiftly
we sped along; our steeds seemed i'm.
PEELED by terror as great as our own,
until they appeared almost to fly.
Breathlessly we hearkened, hoping
even vet to leave the enemy behind.
But no; they travelled with us, gaining
nearer and yet nearer-their cry grow.
ing perceptibly from an uncertain
vague voice of tho darkness into the
wolflike note. We knew from the
direction whence it came that they
were tracking us from scent; so now
our last poor chance lay in the dark
ness of the night and our nearness to
StOr Aswan. Eric still held the reins,
and covered down at the bottom Of
the sleigh and prayed more earnestly
than / had ever yet done in my life
"for an increase in the snow drift, or
aught, even = miracle, il it might only
save u.s."
On, an on, for time that seemed
interminable, yet might in truth have
been hut q few moments. Then the
storm ceased, the moon merged from
her shelter, and we saw, half mile in
our rear, . dark line coming swiftly
and steadily upon rs. In the middle
Of white plain, with no nook or cor
ner visible wherein we could take ref.
uge, and still nearly league from
home, our case looked hopeless enough.
So our pursuefs seemed to think, as
they caught sight Of rs for the first
time, and lifting their black muz1les
from the ground gave vent to . howl
Of savage exultatf6n. I could have
screamed too when / heard It, for
fright was driving ono half Wild; IL
was 70 unutterably horrible to perish
thus. But q glance at Eric, 20 calm
and steadfast, gsve me new courage
I felt that, come what might, We Guild
d least die together.
Faster and faster we-ilew, Hike hunt
cd animals, death behind % coming on
apaco. A few yards moro and hewould
ctsim us for his own. Already wei
could hear the rapid breathing Of our
foes, zee their fierce eyes and wsite
teeth glittering and cleaning in the
moonlight. Prompted bv 4fic ! threw
out the bear skin rug which projected
mo from the cold. For moment they
smelt Of Il, then on With hesh fury
.lter their old prey. Ono b onet
punhlDus, wraps, u went over 10 the
hungry peck, essa gaining 2. an 10. |