The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-04-14

GUS occasion. They are coming this way,
I thought to myself and straining my
eyes in the direction from which the
sounds came, ] tried to distinguish the
pack. This was no easy matter, for the
hounds were of color not readily VS.
ible in the distance and, on the burnt
grass of the heath. However, I at last
succeeded in making them out, and per-
ceived that they were alone. This sur
prised me, for Fred had mentioned that
the kennelman always accompanied
them when they we're out for exercise,
or when they were being used to drive
back any deer that had succeeded in get
ting over tue high railing that surround
ed this part Of the park.
AS watched them, they appeared to
be slowly approaching in my direction,
and to my establishment they seemed, as
nearly as I could tell, to be taking ex-
actly the same course, which was very
cratic one, as Ihad done. Spell bound,
| watched them disappear in one Of the
pits 1 had visited, and, as they vanished
from my sight, the music of their voices
ceased, the sound waves being inter-
copied by the intervening ground. In
very short time they emerged from the
had come, and then hunting on in
compact body, led by one hound, which,
being slightly larger than the others,
was on that account more conspicuous.
Slowly they made for the next pit, Civ
ing tongue as they came on. Suddenly
the thought flashed across my mind:
"They have broken loose and are
hunting me"
What was to be done? Here was {,
stranger to the hounds, alone and I'M
armed in the middle of vast heath.
No house or shelter of any kind was
near. For a moment I was paralyzed ;
but, collecting my thoughts, I began to
turn about for some way of escape.
That the hounds, if once they came up
with me, would attack me, I we'll knew.
and all thoughts of attemp ting to resist
them were out of the question. Hastily
throwing off the sachel which. full Of
boxes and cases, was slung across my
shoulders, I buttoned up my coat and
started off at a steady trot. My net,
which was a strong, serviceable one, I
kept in my hand, thinking it might be
of use.
Scanning the very limited horizon
eagerly to catch sight of any shelter
that might be visible, I saw nothing that
could help me. It was clear that my
best chance of safety lay in my being
able to foil the hounds by making them
lose the trail. The tales I had read in
my boyhood of the hair breadth escapes
of runaway slaves in Cuba flashed across
my mind, and I suddenly recollected
that in these stories water almost always
played a prominent part. To cast my
eyes round in sealch Of the stream was
the work of moment; but, as may be
imagined, on the high ground where T
was, no stream was possible. No time
was to be lost, for already the notes of
my pursuers sounded clearera and clearer,
showing that they were gaining on me.
1 dare not run at too great q
speed, for I knew I should soon become
exhausted.
The undulating nature of the ground
made it very hard work for me; but, for
all that, it was not an unmixed evil, as
it prevented the hounds, which now
gained steadily on me, from quitting the
trail to run by sight. On descending
the slope, was delighted to behold
long and somewhat. winding pool of wa
ter. Here, thought I, was nv chance;
and Immediately went for it. The run
was beginning to tell on me, and I knew
we'll that the reduction in my speed,
rendered necessary by my having to
wade almost knee-deep in water, would
enable me to recover my breath some
what. Fortunately the water was not
very deep-little more than foot--and
after the first few steps, the bottom
was fairly firm and hard. My progress
now was not only slow but very IA
tiguing; and nearer and nearer came the
hounds.
After wading about a hundred yards,
stronger gust of wind than usual
waited the deep tones Of my pursuers
even more clearly to my ears, and the
fear that my ruse might not be success
full compelled me to quit the water once
more and toll YEARLY up the sloping side
OF the miniature glen in which the pool
was situated.
Once on the summit of the slope. I
paused and looked behind, to catch, if
possible, hurried glimpse of my p,1r-
euoho. ~ LILY uOIIOI, Saw Lnem SGfedm
over the side of the hill and make straight
tor the spot where entered the water.
Here, as had hoped, the hounds were
puzzled, but only for little.
was rapidly becoming exhausted
with my long run, and more than once
was tempted to stop and collect heap
OF stones and try to keep the hounds at
bay until help should arrive. Rejecting.
however, that it might be an hour or
two before the kennelman discovered the
whereabouts of his lost pack, I gave up
the idea for the present, and moved on
with all the speed could muster. Still
losing my trail, the hounds had. been
silent, and began to fatter myself that
they had lost the track, when suddenly
the recommencement of their cries told
me that they had hit off the scent again.
On, on 1 tottered, my head reeling
and my eyes swimming with the un-
wonted exertion. Thoughts of the home
I might never see again foated across
my brain and renewed my failing
strength. Ny pursuers were gaining
fast now, and already no more than a
couple of hundred yards interviewed be-
tween IFS