Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-09-28

10 btN a houbh hiah ohS VIVIAN haNS ~
badly.
Alfred had not seen the adventure, and
was ignorant Of it until Marie told him OF
II at their next meeting.
The Nagot hamlet, as stated above,
was situated near a large forest, which
has now given place TO a populous and
flourishing neighbcrhood. This forest
had nee been famous for the terrible
wolves which haunted it in the winter
season. OF late wears they had disap-
peared, but now, as the winter set fairly
in, they came again. OF course, popu-
lar prejudice al once declared that these
monsters were not real wolves, but wehr-
wolves, or, in other words, the Nagots
who inhabited the hamlet, and this was
the occasion of renewed prosecutions.
Marie and Alfred continued TO meet in
the forest, and if they knew that the
wolves were there paid no attention to
them.
Late one afternoon Marie started out
to cut some wood for her hut. Taking
her Ratchet, she set out, and. although it
was late and the distance long, bent her
steps toward that part of the wood where
she usually met her lover, hoping she
might see him there. Arriving nj the
spot, she saw nothing OF him, and as the
darkness was coming on, fell at once to
chopping her wood.
She soon obtained q sufficient quantity
and was about 10 return home, when she
saw him coming toward the forest.
When he joined her he said it was so late
hat he would walk with her portion of
the way toward her home. He told her
he was ready to 60 with her 10 some dis
tant part Of the country and get married,
as soon as the spring should set in, and
that she must make her preparations to
60 with him. This she readily promised
to do, but while she was speaking foot
falls were heard, and Alfred turned away
and plunged into the gloom of the woods
TO escape recognition. Marie fell at
once TO chopping wood, but she was so
nervous and excited that she cut her
hand badly with her Ratchet, and while
she was trying TO bind il up a mar came
up with her, and in a harsh tone said:
"What are you doing here, girl, at
this hour?"
She glanced at him in alarm, for she
recognized his voice. 1t was Dick Thayer,
who had been the chief of her perse-
cutors on the day she was rescued by
Uncle Eben.
''What are you here for. | sayY' he
continued. f~iercely. ''By st. Peter, !
think you are lying in wait for some
honest fellow who may chance 10 pass
this way after nightfall. But I'll put a
stop TO that
With these words he sprang at her,
and w~renching her hatchet from her
hand aimed a terrible blow at her.
She eluded il, and after a desperate
effort managed to escape, and fled into
the woods. pursued by Thayer. 1t was
dark and gloomy in among the trees, and
she paused a few yards from where she
had started. and her blood froze with
horror as she beheld two bright eyes
shining before her in the darkness. Dick
Thayer saw them, too, and paused for a
moment in dismay; and Marie, taking
advantage of this, slipped by him un-
observed, and, regaining sthe path, fled
homeward.
Well might Dick Thayer pause and
utter an exclamation of dismay. Straight
before him stood a large she wolf, with
her bright eyes glaring iiercely at him
and her huge gray form standing out
boldly amid the gloom. Dick was not a
coward. and in this case he saw that his
only safety lay in making a good, bold
fight for life. So he grasped the Ratchet
firmly and breathed a short prayer. As
he did so the animal uttered a savage
growl and sprang at his throat.
A sharp, short struggle followed, in
which Dick was sorely put to it 4 defend
himself. At last, however, he gave the
wolf a deep cut in the fore paw, and.
with a yell Of bafled rag the animal
turned and fled from him. leaving linn q
little scratched and bruised, but in no.
wise badly hurt.
Now, as he had come so suddenly upon
the wolf while in pursuit of the young
Nagot girl. and as he was a firm believer
in the wehrwolf superstition, Dick
Thayer did not for a instant doubt that
the wolf he had fought wa no other than
Marie in her lupine form.
When Dick, upon his return to tho
village, had told his story, the people
went wild with excitement.
Down with the Nagots!" was the cry
that went up.
YES said Dick, ''down not only
with this Nagot, but with the whole
race"
Not 5 fast, nv friends, cried one
Of the crowd. Let us go 10 the she
VOLTS den and take vengeance upon her,
and burn tee den over her head. We
have nothing as yet 10 punish the rest
for, but we can rid ourselves of this one,
But" he added, turning to Dick, "did
you not say that you wounded the vol
in the fore paw"
''Niost undoubtedly | didl' replied
Dick, ''in the left fore paw"
Then" said another, 'if this girl i
guilty Of the charge you bring against
her, she will have the mark Of the wound
on the left arm or hand. Let US go t.
the she VOLTS dem"
With an angry shout the crowd
rushed madly toward the Nagot hamlet,
AS they neared the locality their erie,
and shouts reused the poor wretches
from their slumbers, and caused them u
tremble with dread, for they thought
their hour had come. But the mol
swept through the wretched streets and
passed on toward the lonely cottage near
"a -