Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-10-27

had occurred, to indicate the place
where she left him, and to implore that
rescue might be sent thither without
delay.
Like wildfre the news fled through
the crowd, for the whole population of
| Vasilkof had collected in the streets,
and women wept and men grew pale al
the news, while the ordinations of by
ISLANDERS evinced the horror, admiration
and sympathy which Edgar Marston' s
intrepid self-devotion had evoked. The
young English manager of the Land
Bank was popular in the town, and
even had he been a stranger, the deed
he had done would have suficed to
make him hero. But, ready and
willing to render assistance as were all
who heard the story, the most san
guine could not venture to express a
hope that aid could arrive in time to be
of service to him.
In spite of these dismal forbodings,
it was determined that not an instant
should be lost in carrying help to Ed
gar Marston, If human help could indeed
avail; and about thirty gentlemen, some
in sledges, others on horseback, set off at
a rapid pace, escorted by twice as many
of the mounted Cossacks, the governor
having decided to delay the marching
of the column until such tidings should
arrive as to Edgar's fate. The distance
was rapidly traversed, and as the ex-
ploring party entered the forest, a wild
mournful sound came floating on the
night wind.
"They are there yet, the pack of
them,' . cried old Baron Jagellon, spur
ring his horse and handling his gun.
"Push on, and let us pepper some of
their gray hides, at any rate
But wolves are cunning as well as
fierce, and when the pursuers came in
sight of the great beach tree around
the foot of which the pack had gathered,
bowling and whining over some object
at first indistinctly visible, their quer-
elous cry changed into note of alarm,
and they huddled themselves together
among the chestnuts and birches, with
their bushy tails dropping, and their
bright eyes shining through the dark
ness like points of flame. An irregular
discharge of musketry succeeded, while
the Cossacks lowered their lances, and
dashed forward with their shrill "hur-
rah - as though charging against hui
man foes. Neither lance nor bullet did
execution among the wolves, who,
fairly cowed, skunk off into the recesses
of the woods, while the headmost horse
man checked his wiry steed but just in
time to prevent horse and rider from
falling headlong into deep but narrow
pit dug at the foot of the huge beech
tree.
"Holy st. Sophia of Kew! Blessed
st. Stephen of the Steppes What
wizards work have we here ?'' exclaim-
ed the soldier as he wheeled his horse.
"My name isn't Dimitri if 1 did not
hear groan from out yonder open
grave p
"Grave, forsooth - returned Baron
Jagellon, hastily dismounting; cit is a
bear trap, such as peasants set in likely
spots, near where the honey of some
swarm of the wild bees that dwell In
hollow trees is sure to tempt Bruin to
the pitfall. And, as I live," he added,
after listening for a moment, there is
some one down there. and alive-young
Marston, for thousand gold eagles p
And when, by means of rope hastily
constructed by linking together stirrup-
feathers and buff belts, Cossack was
lowered into the pit the truth of this
conjecture was confirmed, for Edgar
Marston, pale, ivid and exhausted, but
to all appearance unhurt save for a
bruise upon his right temple, was drawn
forth from it. The bystanders crowded
round him, but he was faint and weak,
and 1t was not until he had swallowed a
portion of the fiery corn brandy from
the Baron's hunting flask that he was
able to speak. ae3 4ag to184
I Edgar's story, when he was able, to
tell it was simple one, and had already
been anticipated by the matured sylvan
experience of the Baron When he
sprang from the sledge it had been
with a full conviction tIiatahe was about
to save Anniettes life at the sacrifice Of
his own. He had, however, made a
desperate effort to reach the great beech
tree, in the poor hope that, by setting
his back against it, and making vigor-
GUS use of his hunting-knife, he might
gain time to grasp one of the lower
boughs and draw himself up beyond
reach Of the wolves. But to his con-
sternation the treacherous surface on
whichhe alighted, and which was CON-
posed Of rotten branches coated with
moss and dried leaves gave way be-
meath his feet, and he was pre-
cipltated into the narrow pit below,
receiving as he fell blow on the head
from a projecting stake, which stunned
him for a moment; and when he recov-
cred his senses it was to hear the furious
yelping and bowling of the disappoint-
ed wolves that ragged around the brink
of his prison, and to see by the uncer-
tain light their lolling tongues and
crashing teeth, as they bent over the
edge, and vainly tried to sieze the prey
beneath them.
| The tale is told. The prejudices
which had induced the Count and
| Countess Gallitzin to object to Edgar as
a sutton for their daughters hand,
melted like snow in the sun when their
hearts were touched by the generous
self-sacrifce Of the gallant young man,
1 whose DraiSeS we're on every lin