Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-20

now and again Kisses In the dir over their
heads. Great jets of steam burst from their
gaping nostrils, and they show the bloodshot
whites Of their eyes Since Skien got upon
the sledge not another word has been spoken.
Svantsen drives with magnificent nerve and
judgment, keeping the horses steady, but get
ting everytinch out of them he can If either
comes down it must mean certain death to
all Skien sits crouched up at the back Of
the sledge with his face to the oncoming
multitude and a pistol in each hand Nearer
get the wolves and nearer. They are now
going about twenty yards in hundred
quicker than their prey. The big sledge rug,
manufactured from the skins of their defunct
kindred, is thrown to them; but what are
dead wolves coats as an article of food
compared with the shining sides of those gal
Looping animals, now only fifty yards in 'front.'
1t hardly stays them for moment
Joksdal is still nearly quarter of a mile
off. Svantsen jodels and the clear notes go
echoing forward to the village and back to
the wolves. They give tongue in answer and
strive each to be alongside the horses before
the other. That last long drawn howl may
save the sledge, for it had told those at home
everything. Svantsen sees lights flashing in
the distance and knows that doors are being
opened. dogs let loose and guns hastily
snatched from their places. Twenty-Five
yards only now between the sledge and the
foremost wolf. Skien cocks his pistols and
keeps cool as a statue. Graabeen No. is
| grand, determined fellow, believe me- They
| look at one another, the man and brute, and
| there is more expression now in the VOLTS
face than in the mans One, reckoning
without his host, his sharks eyes glittering
like stars, is divided between an attack upon
Eric or the horses. The human being feels a
pistol trigger under each forefnger and
waits; for it will not do to miss. Twenty
yards, eighteen, flfteen-then Svantsen
shouts to his comrade:
''The dogs are comingm
Skien does not answer and keeps his eyes
upon the foremost wolf Ten yards off he is
now. The deep baying of big dogs and shouts
of men mingle with the cry of the wolves,
the snort of the horses, and the bells ringing
on over everything Then Skien feels the
sledge slacken speed and raises his arm not a
moment too soon. Graabeen No. sees a
stream of fire dart toward him, feels terri
bic blow in the chest and falls writhing,
bleeding and gnashing his teeth in the cold
snow. Some among his companions stop to
i do the last honors TO their old leader, but
more than half keep on. Skien shoots
another, and hurting his pistols with ire
mendous force among them, breaks the leg
Of q third. Svantsen gives the horses their
heads, and strikes at the long gray brutes
nov streaming upon either side. Here come
the dogs at last, fresh and full of fighting.
Twenty there are il not more, all eager for
The tussle with the universal enemy They
rush into the wolves, and at the same mo-
nent one of the horses comes down with a
crash, struggles upon his knees, falls again,
snrieks, tries in vain to rise and rolls over,
beaten, upon his side The other, breaking
the trace and lashing out, comes near brain.
ing his driver, but instead catches wolf
which has just jumped at Svantsen fair in
the chest, and Lurls him back five yards.
Skiea has wound his coat round his left arm
and Uses a knife with his right The
freed horse, with dozen wolves leap.
ing at its head, rms straight into the
reScuing party. Then torches CLEAN and
men yell and fight hand TO hand battle:
with gaunt, draggled brutes that snap al
their threats, fill the air vita the strong
vulpine smell Of their kind, and when 6
blow gets home, howl and kick out their live
in the reddening snow. Ii was notable aIs!
terrific battle while it lasted, and forms topic
for conversation to this day in JoksdaL Hall
the dogs were killed, and more than on,
brave man who rushed to the rescue viii
carry deep tokens of the fight to his grave
Svantsen came worst of, his left arm wal
badly torn and one bite in his throat mus
have been fatal had the brute who made i
jumped little stronger. Skien fought like
demon, and escaped marvelously with
scarce more than an ugly scratch or two
One horse died where it fell, the other ESCAPED
with his life, but was ruined for all practica
purposes. SvantSen's wife, however, looked
TO it that the excellent beast should live tn,
remainder of his days in honored idleness.
And the wolves, though decisively beaten
cannot be deemed disgraced. Upon the fielC
they left four-and-twenty slain and SOM
eight or nine wounded TO death Deeply de
jected, torn, MANNED and exhausted, the sur
vivors got them back TO their desolate fores
homes, and, maybe, the God that sees fit L
let them live provided an adequate meal be
fore the moon had set
For, mark you, those wolves, withou
exactly approaching the fact, had achieved
great and splendid work. They had brough
to the surface much that is noble in human
hearts; they had in two short minutes don,
that which years of time might not hav'
done; they had destroyed bitter feud anC
built upon its ruins friendship which vii
stand while the friends have lifelong
mans Magazine.