, 1883-11-10

river bank. The sight was an old
one to Rube, and he paid little heed
to it, but stalked on silently, still
thinking of Kate, and wondering if
the cabin would be tenontless. Sud-
denly he stood stark still and listened.
Many on ear would have heard moth
ing but the sound of rushing waters.
Rube's acute and practiced hearing
detected something more, and he
felt instinctively for his ammunition
and looked to the priming of his rife.
Then from distance the sound came
again-a peculiar cry, followed by
another, and another, until they
ended in a chorus Of unearthly yells.
Rube muttered to himself one word
wolves! and strained his eyes in
the direction Of the curve to the nv
er's edge. The cry proceeded from
that direction and grew louder every
instant. Before he could decide on
a plan of action there shot out from
the bend in the river what looked to
him like woman carrying bundle
and skating for dearlife. She strained
every nerve, but never cried out.
Next came wolf, followed rapidly
by others, which swelled the pack to
a dozen, all yavenCuS, yelping, sn RI
ing and gaining closely on their prey.
Rube raised his rife, fired and began
to load as he never loaded before.
The cries came nearer and nearer.
Great God the wolves were upon
the woman! 1t seemed as if no earthly
hope could save her, when, quick as
an arrow from bow, she swerved to
one side, the maddened brutes slid
forward on their hind legs, and she
had gained few steps. Again she
few onward, and again she tried the
ruse Of swerving aside, the man on
the bank in the meantime firing rap
idly, and picking off wolf after wolf.
A fresh danger arose. The woman
evidently did not see the abrupt
break in the ice above the falls, and
the dark, swift current which lay
beyond. Perhaps she was too fright
ened to hear the rushing waters.
On she went, making straight for
the falls, the wolves almost on her
heels, and the mans voice crying in
terrified accents, as he dropped on
his knees in the snow:
"Kate Kate My God save her ~
The woman was on the brink Of
the Ice, when she made a sudden
sweep to one side. Nearly the en-
tire pack, unable to check their mad
flight, plunged into the water, which
carried them swiftly over the rocks,
and Kate Wexford was flying tow
ard qlph the IEiYeEv Yvha bank, KbgeBa gSSARr fftl4
arms, while Rube's rifle frightened
the remainder Of her pursuers away.
1t was some time before she could
answer her husbands voice. When
strength enabled her to do so she
arose feebly in the snow, her resolu-
tion to go to her father as strong as
ever, but Rube took her hand, knelt
down and said:
"Kate, bear with me for the last
time. AS God is my judge, 1 shall
never again taste liquor This night
has taught me lesson which, l can
not forget"
Kate believed him and accepted
his promise. Then they started for
Pineville, Rube carrying the baby
and more than half carrying his
wife. When they arrived there
Kate told her parents she had been
dying to show them the baby, and,
taking advantage Of the moonlight
night, had made the journey on
skates.
Rube kept his vow, the roses
blOOmed again on Kate's cheeks and
to-day a happy family Of boys and
girls feel no touch of shame as they
look up with pride to their father.