San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-10-05

cues we'll % ytIu Dy ydru Jney Bet upon
better terms with the vehicle. True, the
black horizon gradually changes into irregu.
lar outlines of a pine forest; true also, be-
meath the trees CLEAN sparks Of red and yell
low fire that suggest human habitations; but
Joksdal is distant mile yet, whereas 800
yards alone separate wolves and men. Now
long pull, a strong pull, and pull alto
gether, and then-supper.
Like the bellows Of forge sob the horses,
and need not the heavy whip, though that
now and again Kisses in the air 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 every,inch 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 pistol in each hand. Nearer
get the wolves and nearer. They are now
going about twenty yards in q 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 a moment
Joksdal is still nearly quarter Of a mile
off. Svantsen jodels and the clear notes &C
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 a
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 gllttering
like stars, is divided between an attack upon
Eric or the horses The human being feels
pistol trigger under each forefinger and
waits; for it will not do to miss Twenty
yards, eighteen, ffteen-then Svantsen
shouts to his comrade:
"The dogs are comingw
Skien does not answer, and keeps bis eyes
upon the foremost wolf. Ten yards off he is
now. The deep hayiug 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 Siien feels the
sledge slacken speed and raises his arm not
moment too soon. Graabeen No sees
stream of fire dart toward him, feels terri
BILE blow in the chest and falls writhing,
bleeding and gnashiHg his teeth in the cold
snow. Some among his companions stop to
do the last honors to their old leader, but
more than half keep on. Skien shoots
another, ard hurting his pistols with ire
mcndous force among them, breaks the leg
of a third. Svantsen gives. the horses their
neads, and strikes at the long gray brutes
now streaming upon either side Here come
the dogs at last, fresh and full of fighting
Twenty there are, if not more, all eager for
the tussle with the universal enemy. They
rush into the wolves and at the same mo-
ment one of the horses comes down with a
crash, struggles upon his knees, falls again.
shrieks, tries in vain to rise and rolls over
beaten, upon his side. The other breaking
the trace and flashing out, comes near BRAIN
ing his driver, but instead catches wolf
which has just jumped at Svantsen fair in
Skien has wound his coat round his left arm
and uses knife with his right The
freed horse, with a dozen wolves leap
ing at its head, runs straight into the
rescuing party Then torches CLEAN and
men yell and fight hand to hand battles
with gaunt, dragged brutes that snap at
their throats fill the air with the strong
vulpine smell of their kind, and when a
blow gets home howl and kick out their lives
in the reddening snow. 1t was notable and
terrific battle while it lasted. and forms topic
for conversation to this day in JoksdaL Half
the dogs were killed, and more than one
brave man who rushed TO the rescue will
carry deep tokens Of tho fight to his grave.
Svantsen came worst off Ills left arm was
badly torn and one bite in his throat must
have been fatal had the brute who made it
jumped a little stronger Skien fought like
a demon and escaped maEvelouSly with
scarce more than an ug ly scratch or two.
One horse died where it fell, the other escaped
with his life, but was ruined for all practical
purposes. Svantsen's wife, however, looked
to 1t that the excellent beast should live the
remainder of his days in houored idlenesS
And the wolves, though declsively beaten.
cannot be deemed disgraced Upon the field
they left four-and-twenty slain and some
eight or nine wounded 10 death. Deeply de
jected, torn, manned and exhausted the sur
vivors got them back to their desolate forest
homes, and, maybe, the God that sees fit to
lot them live provided an adequate meal be
fore the moon had set.
For, mark you, those wolves, without
exactly approaching the fact, had achieved
great and splendid work. They had brought
to the surface much that is noble i'll human
La.a H.. LID