The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-11-13
ade. 1t is but IN instan,'s breathing time

D rade. II Is but nm inStants breathing Time
] which,
G He fired both barrels as he spoke into the
r thick of the advancing pack.
: Then cnsued terrible contest of speed be
tween the gallant horses, wild with fear and
. the WHY and savage denizens of the Russian
woods Four more shots from Edgar's rifle
, brought down as many wolves, but they were
5 now too near and too eager in their ravenous
, fury to be beaten Off The winding Of the
| road, too, enabled some Of the leaders OF IN,
| pack to gain upon the flstfying sledge, and
; with rare audacity, to endeaver to Overleal
{ its sides, while Edgar, flnging down The gun
slashed at the broad paws and hairy ,hroa,s
with the keen blade Of his heavy limiting
knife, and succeeded, though with difficulty
in disabling the two foremost Of the assail
aats. The third slightly hurt sunk bowling
away; but few rods in the rear the clamor
/ ofthe remainder of the fierce drove told how
ruthlessly the chase was maintained.
There Is but one thing to be DONE" nut
tered Edgar Marston, with groan, as he cas-,
a despairing glance along the road and noted
that already two of the gaunt pursAers were
nearly abreast Of the sledge; "Vasilkoi, rs
reckon is but three versts from this but be.
fore we cover two miles that he between us
and safety, yonder yelling brutes will drag
down our horses and have us AT their mercy
At any cost Annette must be saved and the
wolves delayed
He rose to his feet as he spoke and looked
to right ana left. Close to the roadside on the
| left grew "a mighty beech tree. Could he set
his back to that tree, kill or cripple the first
Of the furious wolves, and swing himself up
among the lower branches, out OF reach OF the
others, he might have yet chance OF lie,
while the sledge would gain so much advan-
foreground that il could not be easily over
taken. Yes, the desperate venture must be
risked.
Hastily the young man kissed Annietle's
cold cheek and, bidding her be of good cheer,
since he had devised y stratagen that would
outwit the wolves, he struck the stralnng
horses sharply with the whip, and, with his
hunting knife between his teeth, took clear
leap over the low brushwood, and fell on his
hands and knees at the foot of the beech tree.
Edgar Edgar cried the agonize,I girl,
as vainly she expended her strength in the
effort to rein IN the terrified horses. On they
went like the wind, while the clamor Of the
exultng wolves told that they had deslsted
from the chase to crowd around an easy prey
GOaded by terror the horses flew along the
narrow road, which fortunately at this part
of its course became sraighter than II had
hitherto BEEN and the light sledge darted on,
farther and farther from the spot where Ed
gar Marston had sprung out to confront what
appeared to I've inevitable death.
For me! for mew Annette murmurcd, as,
after a last despairing effort TO rein IN the un
manageable steeds, she cast IA glance back al
the white road, now cleaning, rs the sledge
emerged from the woodland into the open
country in the first rays Of the newly-nsen
moon.
OF the dread pursuers size saw and heard
nothing, but she suddered as the remembrance
forced itself upon her OF the probable cause
OF the disappearance Of the wolves. Her lover
could she doubt its-hGd purchased her
safety with his own blood. Their fouriOoteu
foes had been too many Tor mortal valor to
have prevailed IN the unequal contest against
their numbers She was sate-sate-fOr now
she was among the fields and cultivated lands
again out of the gloomy forest, and there be
fore her lay Vasilkot, the noonbeams CLEAN
ing on the FURNISHED copper domes of It's
churches; but she scarcely realized the fact
of her own escape, so busy was her fancy
with the peril of him whom she loved
The scared horses needed no urging to-
strain every slnew IN the race, as, Snortng
and gasping tor breath, they dashed into the
wide Struggling, main street OF Nasilkof.
In the spacious markct.place or pubic
square of the town crowd had collected, in
the midst OF which the light OF a number OF
torches fell on glistening bayonets of steel
and the bright brass mountngs OF military
acCoutrements. A column of the ftat.capped,
gray.coated infantry of the Russian line was
preparing 10 march, while cavalry escort
encompassed two or three carriages mounted
on sledge-runners, and to each Of which three
or more horses mad been harGessed. Sundry
persons in authority, as their civil or military
M lnnntnI hustlinu and fro
some mounted and others on foot, while the
drums rolled and the trumpets OF the Cos
sacks sent their snrill summons through the
streets as though to call the laggards who yet
fingered to the muster.
"IIalt, there halt, | say!' called out SEN
tinel, roughly, as the sledge that bore Ami
cite swept like whirlwind across the mar.
ketplace, scattering to right and left in dis
may all who barred its frantic course. And
then followed babel of loud outcres of sur.
prise, alarm and pity; for the picture that
was then presented to the gazers III the rad
dy glare of the torehlight was not one readily
&c be forgotten. In the sledge, still mechan.
really grasping the relns, sat the terrorstrick
en- girl, her face white and rigid, her dark
hair streaming loose, for the furIed hood of
her mantle had fallen back and her beautiful
head was uncovered.
the sledge crossed the square had been the
old Count and Countess Galitzin They had
recognized their daughters paid face as she
was hurried past, and within few moments
the halfiainting yirl was in the arms of her
parents and surrounded by friends and we'll
wishers, who seemed disposed to welcome
her rs one risen from the dead.
1--WE were about to set out for Czerngorod."
the Count explained, when Annette appear
ed TO be sensible to her mothers caresses and
endearing words, with the escort with which
the kindness of His Excelency the Governor
had provided us, hoping-but hardly daring
to hope, my lamb-that you would have been
spared in the first outbreak of the fury of
those serfs, of which the news reached us but
au hour ago. Troops are about TO march TO
the scene OF the revolt but since you are safe |
though through what marvellous piece Of
good fortune cannot conjacture-'
"Itwas through no such fortune, interrupt
ed Annette, piteously; Ut was his lite-his |
gallant, noble life, dearer to me than nv own,