The daily gazette., 1878-02-11

take 1t as an omen for good that you
will not reject my plea"
He turned his face toward the light of
the purpbng sunset-the brilliant, fas-
cinating eyes were fixed on mine, thrill
ing me with strange, ,bewildering pow
er.
1 struggled against it, fearfully agoniz-
ingly-yet the black eyes of the stranger
held me as with a hand of iron. / felt
that he was possessing himself of my
will that he would soon use IL as suited
his designs, and yet as the bird charmed
falls into the jaws of the serpent, was
~ helpless in the power of my stranger
adversary.
But bark one sound brought back my
powers of speech and motion. That hid
eous sound, methinks i hear it now,
borne at first family, then nearer, and
still near er, upon the night wind. Some
times In nightmare ] live this scene and
that which follows over again in its hor-
ror. | feel the blackness of the night
around and above me /; behold again the
deep, dark forest, the dreadful, yawning
chasm at my very feet feel the touch of
that magnetic hand upon my fingers
and see those dreadful eyes looking
fiercely, strangely into mine.
"Do you hear that?' he cried, with
strange eagerness. evolves! girl, be
mine, or you are their prey,"
| lashed my trembling horse to fury,
but "a strong hand held him down. /
screamed aloud in my terror, hut echo
only replied, and nearer and nearer came
the maddening yells, up along the ravine.
"Monster, tiendw | cried, in my agony
and terror, but sardonic laugh answer
| ed me. One glance into the wild, fierce,
blazing eyes, and knew the man beside
me was maniacl God only knows my
| terror at this moment, for around IA bend
in the stream came the terrible wolf
pack.
"AIine! mine will you be mine ?'
| shrieked the mans voice in my ear.
"Yours ?'
eyes, mine in and in death, mine
| forever and ever.
| What said do not now remember
| but ii must have been decided and Bit
| ter refusal, for the next moment L was
torn from my saddle-and thrown vlo.
lently upon the ground. And next
heard the sound of my horses hoofs dy.
ing away III the dislance, while behind
me, so close faucled i could see theil
glaring eyeballs end feel their hot
breath, came the painting pack of half.
starved animals.
1 staggered wildly to me feet. One
little attempt would i make for life
How many thoughts will pass through
cied my parents grief and horror VIII II
they should know my fate; my lovers
sorrow and despair-and to die thus
With one Cry to Heaven for aid. L totter
ed onward-staggering over falleI
trees, laceratinR my flesh with brambles
yet unheeding the pain, knowing moi
whittier went, only fleeing from the
destruction behind to the unknown dam
gers before.
nnoard ettll nnmard oracpinn ~,
breath. with that strange feeling of in
ability TO walk or run one often expert
ence in disturbed dream, cropping, ans
grasping, and shriekiDg, though my
voice seemed TO rise no higher thar
my throat and to die despairingly
upon my lips.
Just then heard shout. Only &
fe " feet behins me were the foremos
of the wolves; but that shout seemed tt
startle even them for an instant. 1t wa
/. Eric's voice; knew 1t in an instant
aud answered with shrek of Joy. Tn,
next moment was elapsed in his arms
and his voice cried out
"Cling to ne. Clara;-I have been al
; this time reaching you-going round-uI
In tree, quick"
"And you?" / questioned, hurriealy
as he tried to assist me in my tremblin
and awkward attempts to ascend a smal
tree, scarcely large enough to bear IN.
weight.
] never heard his voice again, save il
! a shrek of mortal agony, as he wa
borne down by his terrible foes. NJ
J worthless life was saved at the exPens
of his. / would fam sometimes hav
have shared his fate that long, desolate
terrible night; but, life is sweet, and
was so young, 50 full OF life, to die sucl
death
A.. Toward morning the wolves departed
and descended 10 the ground. A fes
, hairs dabbled in blood, few bones AM
! bits of clothing were all that remained Q
the man 1 had really and truly loved.
AND yet am married. Ah yes. that
: my boy; call him Eric-for the one VIII
! died!-and his father is kind and tende
; husband though he never won my hear
yoa can see him there coming up tn
garden walk.
| You know now how erring and hoy
sinful have been--how l have suffered
, for God only knows what my heart ha
! endured since that fatal night.