The Red Cloud chief., 1882-06-22

Win al efHPtpscu. rNccpt us sOus iOa
| Of fifteen. and a lass his junior by some
two years. left the camp for their re.
spcciive homes. Harold being charged
by his father 10 '.look sitter things" and
start with Jennie for home before sun.
down"
"All right" replied Harold. ''Jennie
and I will be st the Hill by the time
| IL is dark, anyhow, II il Is three miles,
for you know we are both good walk.
ers." And as Mr.. Inskip and party
disappeared in the forest. he fell q
work righting affairs in the camp with
the assistance Of Jennie Mcmillan, q
bright haired. buxoTn and brave little
| girl. adopted as a daughter into the In.
skip family. q fayoritc with all, and,
perhaps. particularly so with Harold.
But there vas To arrange thar
was expected, and the sun had set and
twilight come on, and the grea, forest
through which they had 10 pas loomct
up black, and the sky was hidden by
clouds threatening 10 deprive them both
Of moon and starlight. while they had
only n " blazed'' path to follow through
the dense and dark woods. IL wa MOI
a pleasant walk in prospect for Jennie
and Harold. but thus far in their bright
and sunny lives they had learned moth
ing Of fear. Their hearts were innocent,
and guilt alone hath dread "of thing.
seen and unseen"
Come, Jennie" said Harold, cal
is ready now 10 start, and l shall take
my AK along"
But YOU don't want il ut home To-
night. audit l. soheayy YOU will get tired
carrying il; besides you will want it here
on Monday" urged Jennie.
That's true, but ! don't mind its
weight; then some stragglcr might drop
into camp aud steal it. o. yes, III take
il with me-" and throwing it on his
She .lder. and clasping J%ennie's hand in
hp. they walked out Of the dying camp
fires light into the gloom of the dark
ness. and one following them at a rod s
distance could not have disccrncd their
outlines; and for a few minutes they
were as mute a. the gigantic poplars
and black walnuts, between whose
trunks they CROPPED their way.
20, Harold, isn't this a drcadfully
dark night?' asked Jennie. in an under
tone, as If fearful Of disturbing the aw-
full hush above and about them.
"Yes. Jennie: but it won't be long
until we reach that bit Of prairie that
, runs into the wood. and then we will
have some light. You don't feel afraid.
do your and Harold pressed her hand
cn~couragingly.
Z" No, but then. Harold. / though
Just now-There' bark, don't you hear?
There's something following usr' and
Jennie drew up closed to the side Of her
companion, who, pushing her quickly to
the front, stepped back. and, peering
into the darkness, saw but q few feet
distant a black object.
IL see it," he replied. "it's only the
big black dog that neighbor Houston
brought from Pennsylvania last week.
I'll call him. Here, Carlo. come here!'
As the supposed Newfoundland
deigned no answer in any manner,
Harold remarked: Hes n surly brute.
Wen let him alone. Come, Jennie,
well 90 ahead" and putting her arm
through his, they moved forward, oc-
c~asionally looking behind. and always
finding that the intruder ON their attcn-
ton was still Keeping them company.
At last the little space of prairie was
reached. AT the point where their path
crossed its pcninsuiar shape. it was not
more than "a couple of hundred yards in
width. and the high grass and dead
leaves had been beaten la the ground by
the heavy SHOWS of the past winter.
Having emerged from the thick gloom
of the wood into the open light of the
moon, which at that moment shone
through a rift in the clouds, Harold
turned To look ut their four-foOted
companion. just as. half i'm shadow.
halt in light, it crouched backward and
uttered a yell that rang out over the
prairie. and echoed through the forest.
and curdled the blood in the veins of
the young sugar-makers.
Involuntary Harold's hand swung
his AK into the air, and recovering him.
self in an instant from his surprise and
horror, he sprang forward. his uplifted
weapon cleaning in the moonbeams,
and seeming 10 weightier than a child's
Ratchet in his grasp.
ado not rum" he cried to Jennie;
''tis n black wolf. and there are others
in the forest to whom he is calling. Ii
we run. we are lost. Perhaps 1 may
frightcn him away and with that he
rushed at the beast, whose eyes glared
at him with IN indcscribable fury.
But the attempt was abortive; the
shaggy and wolf only retreat
cd TO the bushes skirting the open
ground, and when Harold and his
frightened ward resumed their walk. it
boldly came out, and by the time they
reached the opposite wood had ap-
preached SO near that. fearing it would
leap upon them. Harold again sprang at
the savage creature. brandishing his AK
in its very face. Finding that it could
do nothing safely alone. the wolf now
set up a series of appalling yells that
filed their hearts with terror and in
creased the anxiety of Harold, who
knew that if the apparently half-fam-
ished animal was reinforced by one or
two of his fierce species, they would not
hesitate to make an attack. Ii they
could only have time before the sum-
moned succor came, they would reach
1.-The Hilr' in safety; but it was still a
full mile and a half distant, and a deep
ravine was 10 be crossed on a rude
bridge not more than five feet in width.
and this spot might be called the battle
ground. in case assistance came to their
pursuer.
Harold thought of this contingency
with alarm. The ravine was deep and
dark. and on a narrow. unbalustraded
bridge. the odds in a struggle would all
be in favor of the wolves. He said moth
ing in regard to his anxiety. but urged
with calmness the necessity of increas-
ing their rate of speed. determined. il
possible, 10 pass the dreaded spot before
help arrived for their persisting and
bloodthirsty enemy.
Jennie" he said, Il have not heard
any answers to those horrid wells; but
let us walk faster. and then il they do
follow us to The HILL why. YOU see, 1
will give N of them At least, and tina.
is this old black villain behind us, o bul-
let that will make YOU re-christen Kill
buck and call it Kill Wolf"
To this Jennie family replied: 81
hope so. Harold; but here we are at this
dreadful ravine. l wish we were over
it in safety. Listen! what was that:e"
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