New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-02-20

deliberaticn, 6 will drive fast-make
every effort to escape; but if it comes to
the worst, and it's impossible for both to
be saved, you shall 90, and rightly, too,
for not warning me-
He grasped the reins and urged the
horses on, and as they sped rapidly over
the snow, Maggie sat dumb and motion
less with horror.
Only the sledge-bells-a bitter mock
ery-now broke the stiffness. She began to
hope taey had been deceived, or the
wolves had lost the scent, when a quick,
loud CRY, bursting from the whole pack,
scarcely hundred yards away, reused
her from her apathy, and drove Tracy al
most into frenzy. He cast the reins vio-
lently from him and sprang from the
sledge, giving the horses as he did so a
heavy lash with the whip that seat them
yards away from where he was standing.
Maggie comprehended dimly that he
would take to tree for safety. Then her
own dangerous situation required all her
attention.
And now the courage Of a western
woman, Injured to hardships and dangers
Of all kinds, asserted its existence. She
wound the reins tightly around her slend-
Ell hands, and drew the horses in for a
brief and much-needed rest, and to calcu-
late upon her chances Of life, without Civ
ing another thought to her cowardly cav
alier.
A faint sound, resembling the first pat
tering Of rain-drops on forest leaves, warn
ed her that her time was limited; with an
encouraging word to the horses, she
touched them with the whip. Away they
dashed with the speed Of the wind. On!
on! guiding them with q steady hand,
the wide open plain was soon left far be-
hind, and Maggie held her breath hard,
as they dashed with lightning speed un-
der the boughs of the seconed stretch of
woodland. Faster and faster through the
thick woods, thanking God that the faint
glimmer of moonbeams through the dark
trees enabled her to keep in straight
road. A faint light ahead! she bent for
ward to look, and once more they dashed
out on an open plain, the only one that
lay between herself and the yillage-and
safety! The first house was passed--an-
other, and another For the first time re-
laxing her firm hold, she drew a sigh of
intense relief, and ventured glance be-
hind her.
A cry of horror burst from her lips.
Never abating their speed in the least,
the whole pack of famished animals, with
loud cries, poured into the road towards
the village, and surrounded the sledge;
she felt them dash by her, their hot
breath tanning her face, and, with a NUT
tered prayer for mercy frozen on her lips,
she sank lifeless to the bottom of the
vehicle.
When her father lifted her out and car
ried her to house near at hand, friendly
neighbors rubbed down the painting and
trembling animals, giving them their
due praise, in having so nobly saved their
fair charge and themselves from a fearful
death.
Harry and Mr.. Martin came out of the
village in time to see the danger, and the
poor girls terror had deafened her to the
shots fired in her defense. However she
soon rallied sufficiently to tell of her own
thoughtlessness, that had so nearly cost
her her life, and Of Tracy's desertion.
More than one brow grew dark at its
recital, and hard hands were clinched in
rage.
They had no opportunity to avenge it,
however, for Arthur Tracy was never
seen in the neighborhood again, and only
a note, sent to the inn, requesting the re-
turn of his trunk, told of his safety.
This adventure effectually cleared the
"dazzel Of gold" from Maggie's eyes; and
when the roses over the little low house
opened their first buds in the early sum-
mer, Maggie became Mis-. Henry Nelson;
and if there is any person Of whom she
thoroughly dislikes being reminded, it is
the "braye' companion Of her ride for life