The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-03-10

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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 Ratchet with the
other, and kept his eye upon the fero-
cious beasts. 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
breaking aside from the path.
So long as matters remained in their
relative position, Henreich felt that all
was going well. 4
It was not long before the wolves dis
covered that there was little prospect of
success SO long as they remained in the
track, and they now began springing
aside and attempting to get abreast Of
the horse. In every instance they fell
behind; but each effort revealed them
to the terrified mare, that had no blink
ers. and the furious plunges she made
filled Henreich with the greatest anx-
iety.
One of the wolves was very large and
straightforward, and showed a speed
superior to the rest. More than once,
when he sprung out into the snow, he
advanced nearer abreast the horse than
did the others. Upon this gaunt Great
ure Henreich fixed his eye, and caught
the green light that played from his
eyeids.
By-and-by the snow became fatter,
and the huge wolf again sprung aside.
The speed of these animals is extraor-
binary, and he gained rapidly. Hen
reich waited until he got just abreast,
when, rising in his seat, he circled the
Ratchet over his head and brought it
down with the quickness of lightning.
The head of the wolf was cleft in twain,
and with dying yelp he doubled over
IN the snow, and was quickly left be-
hind.
One of the dreaded animals was dis
patched. There were three left as furi-
GUS for blood as ever, and these never
abated their speed in the least Had
they got a taste of the blood of their
companion they would have gagged
themselves on him before seeking the
horse; but he whisked off the stage of
life so suddenly that they scarcely
noticed his absence.
Tie distance from home was rapidly
diminishing between the quick steps of
the mare, which continued to carry the
sled at full speed, until the fear of over
turning became again source of anx-
iety. Henreich, too, had learned by
this time that these were no ordinary
animals with which he had to deal, but
sharp-set, fiercely courageous and de-
termined brutes, to which man or beast
would be alike welcome, their prefer
ence, however, as manifested by their
actions, being for horsefesh.
These were not the animals to be
frightened away by the sight of mans
house, and there was bad open space
between the outskirts of the forest and
Henreich's home, to which he looked
with no little apprehension.
They had now approached the very
edge of the wood, and the wolves began
gaining on each side. The terror
stricken horse became uncomfortable,
and, bounding terrifcally forward,
caught the sled against the stump of
tree, overturned 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
we're so thick that he was saved from
injury, and, rising to his feet threw
them of. His Ratchet had been ierked
out of his hand as he fell, and he looked
| desperately around for it. bnt it WAS not
| to be found.
By this time the mare was almost out
OF sight, and two of the wolves were up.
on the defenseless man, and the other,
deserving the animal, bounded back.
Henreich faced the foremost, and the
next moment was surrounded.
The powerful man now called into
play all the strength for which he was
so renowned. He struck furiously at
the leaping, snarling brutes, and flung
them OFT when they attempted to cling
to him. Had he possessed 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 knife he could have ripped
them open.
But there was no hope, fighting with
his naked hands. His blood had al.
ready 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 Hen
reich's mind; nay, in those brief, ter,
| rible moments, the particulars found
time to intrude. It is often, very often,
| thus in the moment of death.
He thought how his devoted Mary
would watch through the vigil-how
his mangled remains would tell his
fate in the morning-a life's despair for
the mother of the helpless little ones.
All these things rushed 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
followed, and thinking was finished.
Still he struggled to release his arms -,