The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-01-15

and before she could founder q dozen
yards through the snow, the wolves
would be tearing her to shreds. Hen
reich leaned forward and spoke kindly
to his horse, which raised her ears that
were fiat with terror, and fell into more
even pace. He then turned, and bran
dishing his keen edged hatchet, shouted
to the brutes. but it did not discomft
them in the least. Reaching forward he
patted his mare with the hand that held
the reins, while he held the hatchet in
the other, and kept his eyes on the fero-
cious brUtes. However, he did not use
the weapon, for the closer the wolves
kept to the Sled the less they were seen by
the horse, and as consequence, there
was the less probability of her terror
becoming uncomfortable, and her break
ing aside from the path.
So long as matters remained i'll their
relative position, Henreich felt that all
was going we'll. It was not long before
the wolves discovered that there was lit
tie prospect of success SO long as they
remained in the track, and they now be-
gan springing aside and attempting to
get abreast of the horse. In every in-
stance they fell behind; but each effort
revealed them to the terrified mare, that
had no blinkers, and the furious plunges
she made filed Henreich with the great
est anxiety.
One of the wolves was very large,
straight limbed, and showed speed su-
perior to the rest. More than once when
he sprang out into the snow, he advanc-
ed nearer abreast the horse than did the
others. Upon this gaunt creature Hen
reich fixed his eye, and caught the green
light that played from his eyelids. BY
and by the snow became fatter, and the
huge wolf again sprang aside. The
speed Of these animals is extraordinary,
and he gained rapidly. Henreich waited
until he got just abreast, when, rising in
his seat, he circled the hatchet over his
head, and brought it down with the
quickness of lightning. The head of
the wolf was cleft in twain, and, with n
dying yelp, he doubled over in the snow
and was quickly left behind. One of
the dreaded animals was dispatched;
there were three left, as furious for
blood as ever; and these never abated
their speed in the least. Had they got q
taste OF the blood of their companion
they would have gorged themselves on
him before seeking the horse; but he
whisked off The stage of life SO suddenly
that they scarcely noticed his absence.
The distance from home was quickly
diminishing bonoath tho quick steps OF
the mare, which continued to carry the
sled at full speed, until the fear of over.
turning became again a source of anxiety.
Henreich, too, had learned by this time,
that these were no ordinary animals
with which he had to deal, but sharp
set, fercely courageous and determined
brutes, to which man of beast would be
alike welcome, their preference, however,
as manifested by their actions, being for
horsefesh. These were not the animals
to be frightened away by the sight of a
mans house, and there was a bad open
space between the outskirts Of the forest
and Henreich's house, TO which he look
ed with no little apprehension.
They had now approached the very
edge of the wood, and the wolves began
gaining on each side. The terror-strick-
en- horse became uncomfortable, and,
bounding terrifcally forward, caught the
sled against the stump of tree, over
turned it, and galloped away at full
run, leaving Henreich alone in the snow.
Before he could rise he felt the brutes
clawing at his throat, but his garments
were so thick that he was saved from
injury; and rising to his feet, he threw
them off. His hatchet had been jerked
ont of his hand as he fell, and he looked
desperately around for it.
By this time the mare was almost out
of sight and two of the wolves were upon
the defenseless man; and the other de-
serting the animal, bounded back. Hen
reich faced the foremost, and the next
moment was surrounded. The powerful
man now called into play all the strength
for which he Has SO renowned. He
struck furiously at the leaping, snarling
brutes, and flung them off when they al
tempted to cling to him. Had he poss-
essed weapon even club--it is not
impossible that he would have saved
himself. One blow with club in his
hands, would have cracked the skull of
the largest brute, and with a knife he
could have ripped them open.
But there was no hope, fighting with
his naked hands. His blood had already
dyed the snow, and the smell and taste
of it made the brutes furious. Their
1.-the heavy bodies were hurled against
him, as if impelled by some power not
their own, and finally they pulled him
down. The sweets of this earth, the
mystery of heaven, swept through poor
Henreioh's mind; nay, in these brief,
terrible moments, the particulars found
time to intrude. 1t is often, very often,
thus in the moment of death. He
thought how hia devoted Mary would
watch through the vigil-how his mang-
led remains would tell the tale in the
morning-a life's despair for the mother
of the little ones. All these things rush
ed through his brain, and he knew that
he himself was in the jaws of the wolves.
Then those foul, lurid eyes glared
over him; the Tightening OF the throat
f,lI,rrol onl