The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-02-04

| proDaOly as deadly as an encounter with
the pack.
Presently there came cry, shrlller
and sharper than before, and Allan,
looking back, saw great, lean, hungry
gray wolf burst from the underbrush
into the road, followed by dozens more
and In moment the road behind him
was full of wolves, open .mouthed and
keen in chase. Their yell now seemed
notes of exultation, for the leader of the
pack-the strongest, fleetest, hungriest
one among them-was within O dozen
| yards of Allan, who was now riding
faster than old Bob had ever gone before
or ever would again. Excitement made
the lads blood boil in his veins, and he
determined to show fight. The moon
had risen, and the scene was almost as
light as day. Now he could count the
crowding host of his enemies, and, just
as he broke from the forest road into the
clearing, he turned in his saddle and
fired. The foremost of the pack rolled
over and over; the rest gathered around
and tore their leader in pieces.
BY the time they resumed the chase
Allan was hundred yards ahead with
rifle loaded. He determined to make q
running fight of 1t to the hill where he
was sure of meeting his father, or could
take tree and shoot until help came.
This had hardly flashed through his
brain when, right ahead of him, de-
tachment 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 un-
seating Allan, and dashed across the
clearing toward the wood but lie bad not
taken dozen bounds when a wolf
sprang upon him. Old Bob reared and
fell, pitching Allan nearly twenty feet
ahead, and was covered with wolves be-
fore he could regain his footing. That
was the last of poor old Bob.
But Allan ! What of him ? When be
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-
deavors to eXtricate himself, until at
last he broke into space that was clear
of snow, but dark as Erebus, damp and
close Feeling about him, he discovered
over his head logs resting slanting
against the upper edge of pit, and then
he knew he was in the cellar of the old
house his father had built, and which
had been burned down nine years be-
fore! The cellar was full of snow, ex-
cept at the corner rooted over by the
fallen logs, and Allan, bursting through
into the empty corner, was as secure
from the wolves as though seated by his
fathers fireside. 1t was not nearly as
cold in there as outside, and he found a
dry spot upon which he lay down to
think.
lie was in no danger of freezing to
death, his food would keep him from
starvation a week at least, and Allan
concluded that, with the first glimpse
of dawn, his father would be in search
of him, and, following the tracks, 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
obliterated 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
storm they heard the long, dismal howl
of 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 weary
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 with
out, and did not awake until late the
next forenoon. 1t took him several
seconds to realize where he was and how
he came there, but gradually he remem-
bered his ride for life, and the falling of
his horse, his struggle in 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 slight
ly, 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