The anti-monopolist., 1875-12-16

,oueh. and by vigorous effort had succeeh-
a ;n tearing away portion Of the i'll Kept 6
ince. 40 as TO establish gap through which !
slender figure might pass. Yet minute
nd Annette was seated beside him in* the
,ledge. speeding rapidly away from the pull
aged castle.
The road. which had hitherto traversed
cultivated district. at this point plunged IN
n dreary tract Of forest land, so 7that the
black nine trees soon barred out the light OF |
the diving day, and little could be seen ex-'l
cent the white snow that cleaned rom be-
tween their boles.
chilly breeze sprang up, and the even
ing grew perceptibly colder: but the sledge
was well provided with wraps, and Edgar
was careful to draw heavy furred peilsse
around the trembling form OF the young
countess. while, in fond and soothing
words. he strove to calm her agitated nerv-
es. She was safe. Within an hour or two
he should be able to''place her, on their arrlv-
al st Vasilkof, under the care OF her par.
ents, and that before alarm OF the reVoL oi
the series should have spread ltsetl Inc
horses went well; the distance was trlnlng,
and
What interrupted Edgar's speech was
fierce snarling cry, accompanied oy .he
quick pattering of teet among the "ithereo
leave and the snow, and then long-ura"n
whining howl, that seemed to issue from nj
| ty throats, while dark objects began TO
glance phantom like, between the trees.
..W Wolyes! wolves! cried Annette with
shrek of torror, but already the anrlgh.ea
horses had set off at mad gallop, swerVihs
from side of the road lna manner thas
threatened to upset the sleoge. Agaih
there burst forth that horrld cry; ana MAT
ston exerted his skill and strength In malh
tanning a mastery over the snortlng hores'
Annette, looking fearfully back, anne nnc-
the unwelcome tidings that they were pur-
sued. r..
lyon must be cool, dearest one, now, Tor
both our sakes-for mine, said the young
E Enclishman, as he cast glance at the darf
specks dotting the snow
.You can drive well, know. only keel
the horses to the road and all will yet h'
e well'' =,
AS the young countess took the relns' Ea
/ gar stopped for his trusty rifle, ana leseie'
Q It with deliberate aim at the foremost Won
/ now bounding far before the rest. II
. huge brute rolled over on the crlmsone
s snow, with cry OF rage and pain 'ha' wa
answ cred by yell of the hurrying PACK
: and then succeeded g hideous mediey
confused sounds, followed BY perlou
e silence. ...,
o "Haye they given up the PURSUIT. aske
,f Annette, with white lips, as Mars'oh fe
} loaded his piece. a,a,
If ..No, no!' answered the young man. snai
d inr his head. ''Ihe creatures nave D'
d paused, as Is their custom, to deVour 'he
,e wounded somrade. 1t IS but an instant
l.
le breathing time which
is He fired both barrels as he spoke INTO u
st thick of the advancing pack.
IN Then ensued a terrible contest OF speed
4 tween too gallant horses, wild with iear al
Mt the willy and savage denlzens OF tne huss!'
is woods. Four more shots from Edgar IN
rs brou cht down as many woives' ou' ~
st were now toe near, and too eager III 'he
Sc ravening fury, to be beaten on. Inc WIN
he ing of the road. too, enaoieo some u
leaders of the pack to gain upon the Ia
av;ng sledce. and. with a@rare audaclty,
n7 an5eevor to overlay its sides, while Edgs
-. a;ns;nr down the gun, slashed at the bro
a .ss and hairy throats with the keen bla
of If his heavy hunting knife, and succeed'
,of though with difficulty, in disabling the I
,.so,,ost of the assailants The third, slig
,ty lv hurt. SUNK bowling away; but
|
tly der of the fierce drove told no" ru'nies
the the chase was maintained
be There Is but one thing to be done, u
He t.rel Edgar Marston, with a groan, rs
in .ast despairing glance along the road
a. ,ote1 that already two Of the gauns P
for s,ars were nearly abreast of the sleo
5o ,.vas;,kof as reckon, is but three We
from this. but before we cover thetwo m
Iii ,bot lie between us and safe'y. yonder J
,rv. ;ng brntes win drag down onr horses
and haye,,s a, their mercy. At any cost Al
49, Nus, no saved and the wolves deiays
had lie rose to his fee. as he spoke, ana 4
-, "A - ,;,bt and left. Close to the road
.bar an ,bn lef, grew a mighty beech tree q
far ha sot his back to that tree, kill or cri
b,i ~. sr.f of the furious wolves, and sV
,,,y. h;n,.elf nm among the lower branches,
mis- of roach of the others, he might have
N, .hau.e of life. while the sledge would
,rry 90 much yan.ageground that 1t could NJ
sna,, aas:Iv over,akcn. Yes, the desperate
rous ture ms, be risked-
u.s,;lv the Young man kissed Annie
,o,, .old cheek. and bidding her to be Of I
- If .b,sr since he had devised strsta
,,,nr ~, xould outwit the wolves, he ssrucA
,rees s,ra;n;nv horses sharply with the wniP,
rss,. ,y;,b his hunting knife beween MS
min took clear leap over the low ol.sa'' ~
rnar snl fell on his hands and knees .. 'ns
.y to Of the beech tree.
Edgar. Edgar" cried the agonl.ea =
,e al aS yainly she expended her ssrenr.n -
n as effort to reiniu the terrined no.a
i hy ,hev wen, like the wind. while the ca 7
lakes ,he exulting wolves told that they ,..r "a
nv b. ;s.ed from the chase, to crowo alo.'
easy prey. - horses dew
esih, o us-sow road. which, fortunately =
- w ~ the course, became stragn.er
u 'ns pa pa. ! hitherto been, and the hgat
aHea' - I hurried along as if it had seen
9 ,aa ght over the frozen SNOW
'h.ln = confused thoughts passed tnIoug
haas ~. g;rl,s brain as with relentless spee
y ~ .,s.ice dar,ei on. farther aud iar'neI
~ ~ ~ spot where Edgar Marson ma. 3
i l.h 81. :, confront what appeared 70 oe ihs'
naSlaS For me. for mel Annieife murn
after last despairins effort 20 -
~ A"ss - .,r-rana~aabla steeds she CAST