The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-01-29
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Carl half way"
The girl threw her arms about her broth
ers neck and burst into tempest Of tears
and sobs.
ooh thank you, thank you" she cried,
in broken words. "You always were brave,
you always were good. But there" spring-
ing suddenly away from him, Ego, 60, every
minute is precious"
A moment after the sledges were heard
driving swiftly away, the bells OF the horses
ringing out and the torches, Of which each
sledge carried two, lighting up tho scene till
it was almost like day.
| Alexis, like his mother, was more alarmed
than he would admit. The night had now
fallen, but the forest was lit up by the many
torches, and was eminently picturesque fir
trees heavily laden with snow dark clouds
overhead the whole appearing for a mo-
rnent in the red glare and then fading into
darkness behind. Suddenly Alexis started
and turned to brother officer who sat at
his side, one of the guests who had been bid
den to the wedding, and who had volun-
teered to accompany him.
CLARK p he said. "What is that 2 Great
heavens not the wolves2"
For that terrible sound, which startled
Carl was now heard by the others. 1t was,
however, still far distant.
81 hope the baron has not ventured into
the forest" said the officer. "If So"
"If So" interrupted Alexis, "they are
pursuring him. know that cry well, it is
their cry of the chase"
Forward, then," answered the other;
"not minute is TO be lost. Whip up, you
sluggard."
The Moujik, thus addressed, lashed up
his horses, which broke into fierce gallop.
"Listen," cried Alexis, a moment after,
"that was surely rifle shot. 1t is he"
But though they both listened now, in
tently, they heard no second shot.
"You must have been mistaken" said the
officer, drawing deep breath of relief al
hear the internal bowling, but nothing
else"
"Nol there it is again. Great God, we
shall be too late. There must be hundreds
OF them, from their noise No single rifle
can keep them back. Forward, forward"
And he rose to his feet and, seizing the
Moujik'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 it has no effect. He wouldn't be
firing so often if it had. lie must he miles
away, the sound is so remote. Oh! who
will break the news to Olga2"
"Nothing," said the officer, dis so decept-
i've as to distance tLan sound in an atmo.-
phere like this, half laden with snow. It'll
as misleading as sound in fog"
At that instant their horses, which had
been tearing along at the maddest speed,
suddenly SHE'D wildly almost upsetting the
sledge. At the same moment dark, tu-
multuous mass rushed out of the forest Just
ahead, and swept on like black, tempest
driven cloud.
at is new pack" said the officer, leap
ing also to his teeNand shading his eyes as
he peered into the gloom ahead, down the
long, straight, and seemingly endless forest
road. "No wonder the horses SHE'D. Hal
l see him by the flash of his rifle shot. He
before and behind. Oh for minute more
of time"
He had cooked his own rife as he spoke,
but waited to fire, for the light that had
been shed on the scene ahead by the flash
of Carls rifle had faded and now all was
darkness in the distance there, the torches
as yet, failing 10 penetrate 50 far through
the gloom.
| Alexis also stood erect, with cooked weap-
on, 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 followed a 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. see nothing of the baron"
"Yes, there he is" interrupted Alexis
with shout of exultation, that ended with
a catch of the breath that was almost sob.
"He was only for moment borne down.
He is on his feetsgan. How he swings his
sabre, right and left. He has cut circle
clear about him. It is but for an instant
only, however. Fire-.in Gods name, Are.
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 ae-
companied the words they had spoken. The
fusiade was incessant, for there was a score
of rifles, and every rifle was a repeating one.
In less than FIVE minutes not a wolf was to
be seen on foot but scores lay dead, or dy-
ing around. The rest had fed
"What an army of them" said Alexis,
kicking dead monster out Of his way y,when
the first cong-atulation were over "But the
winter has been unexampled for its severi-
ty, and they are starving by thousands, aud
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,
ana they can 60 like the wind"
81 owe my life to them, in part" said the
baron, as he sprang in.o the sledge. al
could only have held the monsters at bay
for few minutes longer" lie wiped the
blade of his sabre, as he spoke, and returned
il to its sheath. at was like fighting an
incoming surf you mastered one wave,
but another was on you the instant alter.
Nothing but the speed Of your stations saved
me. Ali my poor Moujik, he and his
horses both" He added this, as he glanced
at the corpses. al must inquire If he has a
family, and keep them from want for the
rest Of their days"
"AnA are you not hurt?"
"only a scratch or two, which shall