The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-12-27

OlU bon trcmOltu IN every llmO, ana
seemed powerless 10 move Allan real
lied that he could not. before dark, reach
home through the drifts ahead, aud the
increasing cold of the advancing night
would render refuge in a tree top pIob-
ably as deadly as All encounter with the
pack.
Presently there came cry, Shriler and
sharper than before, ana Allan, looking
back, saw n great lean. hungry gay
wolf burst from the underbiuSh into the
read, followed 10y dozens more; and in Il
moment the road behind him was full OF
wolves, open -mouthcd and keen in chase.
Their yells now seemed notes Of eXuitn.
ton, for the leader of the pack-thc
strongest, tleetest, hungriest one among
them-was within dozen yards OF Altar,
who was now riding faster than ever ola
Bob had ever gone before or would ever
90 again. Excitement made the lad ;
blood boil in his veins, and he determined
to show fight. The moon had risen and
the scene was as light as day. Now he
could count the crowdiug host of his en-.
emies, and just as he broke from tie for.
est road into the old clearing, he turned
in his saddle and fire l. The foremost Of
the pack rolled over and over: the rest
gathered around him and tore their leader
IN pieces.
by the time they resumed the chase.
Allan was a hundred yards ahead with
his rifle loaded. He determined to make
a running fight of it to the hill, where
he was sure Of meeting his father. or
could take to q tee and shoot until help
came. This had hardly flashed through
his brain when, right ahead of BIN, Il
detachment of the pack sprang into the
road and answered with double wells the
cries of the rest coming up behind. The
horse wheeled suddenly, almost unseat-
ing Allan, and dashed across the clearing
toward the wood: but he had not t. ken
dozen bounds when wolf sprang upon
him. Old Bob reared and fell, pitching
Allan nearly w,nty feet ahead, and was
covered with wolves before he could re-
gain his footing. That was the last OF
poor Old Bob.
But Allan! What of him: When he
recovered from the effects of the shock,
he found himself over head and ears IN
snow. He had no idea where he was.
but struggled and plunged in vain en-
deavols To eXtrica'e himself. until at last
be broke into Il space that WAS clear OF
snow but dark as Erebus, damp and close.
Feeling about him he discovered over his
head logs resting slantiDgly against the
upper eud of pit, and then be knew
that he was in the cellar Of the old house
his father had built, and which had been
burned down nine years before. The
cellar was full Of snow, except at the cor
ner roofod over by the falling logs, and
Allan, bursting through the snow into
the empty corner, was rs secure from the
wolves as though seated by his fathers
tireside. 1t was not nearly as cold in
there as outside, and he found dry spot
upon which he lay down to think.
He was in no danger of freezing to
death, his food would keep him from
starvation a week at least, and A Ian con-
cluded that, with the first glimpse Of
dawn, his father would be in search of
him, and following their tracts, find old
Bob's bones, and quickly rescue him from
his predicament. He reasoned wisely
enough, but the elements were against
him. Before sunrise a furious storm of
wind and snow had completely obliter-
ated every trace of horse, rider and wolves.
At home, as the night wore on, the
anxiety of the family had increased.
While they were watching the gathering
torm,they heard the Ions dismal howl oil
the wolves coming over the hill. The
chill of fear that they should never see
the boy again settled down upon all their
hearts, until the house was as dreary
within as the winter waste and gloomy
forest were without
Meanwhile the brave youth was sound
asleep, dreaming as peacefully as though
snugly resting with his brother in his
warm bed at home. He slumbered on
unconscious of the raging storm without.
and did not wake until the next forenoon.
1t took him several seconds to realize
where he was and how be came there. but
gradually he remem bered his ride for
life, the falling of his horse, his strug-
giles ia the snow, and his breaking into
the protected space where he lay.
The storm lasted all day and far into
the succeeding night. Allan ate slightly,
quenched his thirst with few drops of
water obtained by melting snow in the
palm of his hand, and began casting
about for means to get out. He soon
found that to dig his way up through the
mass of snow that filled the cellar was
beyond his powers. If he could have
made succession of foo.holds, the task
would have been easy; but all his efforts
only tended to fill his retreat, without
bringing him nearer the air As soon as
he saw this, he gave himself up To calm
ly waiting for help from without.
The second morning of his imprison-
ment broke clear and cheerful. and Mr..