The Osceola times., 1881-01-29
pursuing him. l know that cry well, it

pursuing him. | know that cry well, it
is their cry of the chase"
Forward, then, answered the other;
mot minute is to be lost. Whip up,
you sluggard."
The Moujik, thus addressed, lashed up
his horses, which broke into a fierce
gallop.
Listen" cried Alexis, a moment after,
that was surely rifle shot. 1t is he"
But though they both listened now,
intently, they heard no second shot.
You must have been mistaken" said
the officer, drawing deep breath of re-
lief 81 can hear the internal bowling,
but nothing else"
NO! there it is again. Great God, we
shall be too late. There must be hun
dreds of them, from their noise. No sim
gle rifle can keep them back. Forward,
forward" And he rose to his feet and,
seizing the loujik's whip, himself lashed
the horses.
Yes, there it is again. How CALAMITY
he fights cried the officer. "One, two,
three. He has breech-loader-"
But ii has no effect. He wouldn't be
firing so often if it had He must be
miles away, the sound is so remote. OH
who will break the news to olga"
Nothing" said the officer, "is so de-
ceptive as TO distance than sound in an
atmosphere like this, half laden with
snow. 1t is as misleading as sound in a
fog"
At that instant their horses, which had
been tearing along at the maddest speed,
suddenly shied wildly, almost upsetting
the sledge. At the same moment dark,
tumultuous mass rushed out of the for
est just ahead, and swept on like black,
tempest-driven cloud.
ut is new pack" said the officer,
leaping also to his feet and shading his
eyes as he peered into the gloom ahead,
down the long, straight, shd seemingly
endless forest road. "No wonder the
horses SHE'D. Hal | see him by the
flash of his rifle shot. He is alone The
snow is black with wolves before and be-
hind. Oh! for minute more of time"
He had cooked his own rifle as he
spoke, but waited to fire, for the light
that had been shed on the scene ahead
by the flash of Carl's rifle had faded and
now all was darkness in the distance
there, the torches, as yet, falling to pen
citrate so far through the gloom.
Alexis also stood erect, with cooked
weapon, while the Moujik lashed the
horses again and again, furiously. Both
the young men held their breath in the
excitement. All at once the awful clamor
ahead broke into a wild crescendo, that
curdled their very blood. Then follow
ed moment of death-like silence. This
was succeeded by sudden breaking
away of the gloom in front, the darkness
rolling off in what seemed wave on wave
of lurid mist as they dashed up and their
torches Illuminated the scene.
"The sledge is down." cried the officer,
in uncomfortable excitement. THE
horses are struggling under an avalanche
of wolves. j see nothing of the baron"
"Ies, there he is," interrupted Alexis,
with a shout of exultation, that ended
with a catch of the breath that was al
most sob. "He was only for moment
borne down. He is on his feet again.
How he swings his saber, right and left.
He has cut circle clear about him. 1t
is but for an instant only, however. Fire
in Gods name, fire. We must take
the risk"
But that instant had been enough. The
other sledges by this time had come up
and were now seconding the rapid fire
with which Alexis and his brother officer
had accompanied the words they had
spoken. The fusilade was incessant, for
there was score of rifles, and every rifle
was q repeating one. In less than five
minutes not wolf was to be seen on
foot; but scores lay dead, or dying
around. The rest had fled.
What an army of them" said Alexis,
kicking dead monster out of his way,
when the first congratulations were over.
But the winter has been unexampled
for its severity, and they are starving by
thousands, and mad with hunger. We
have no time to lose, however. Think
of the suspense Olga is suffering! Here,
Jump in, Carl. These are my famous
stations, that | bred myself, and they
can go like the wind"
II owe my life to them, in part" said
the baron, as he sprang into the sledge.
IL could only have held the monsters at
bay for a few minutes longer" IIewiped
the blade of his saber, as he spoke, and
returned it to its sheath. at was like
fighting an incoming surf you mastered
one wave, but another was on you the
instant after. Nothing but the speed of
your stations saved me. All! my poor
Moujik, he and his horses both" He
added this, as he glanced at the corpses.
81 must enquire if he has a family, and
keep them from want for the rest of
their days
And are you not hurt?"
"Only scratch or two, which | shall
have to ask Olga to bind up for me.
Don't talk of it,"
p,,t nl.,o shn,rnlt sha
"only n scratch or two" very alarming
wounds, and tended her lover as fair
maidens once tended knights of chivalry.
The wounds really were mere scratches,
however, except one in the left arm, and
that was not serious, so that the marriage
took place at the appointed time, the
bridegroom looking all the more inter
esting. the ladies said, from wearing his
arm in sling.
The RaVa for plusb.