The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-11-27

Po"ueieu glass; DuJ as there were nc
signs OF snow-storm, and Adair had
the wind at his back, he thought it best
to continue on his way, and swept for
ward on the SKIS at good gait.
When within mile of the ranch.
house, he came upon bunch of spirit
less cattle which were walking slowly
| down before the gale, their heads droop-
ing, their hair filled with the ice-dust,
and their entire appearance showing the
effects OF cold and exhaustion. AL
though he had beheld such sights hun
dreds of times, Adair was touched by
their forlorn and starving condition.
All at once the cattle wheeled about,
tossed their heads to windward, and
then, with low means, hurried on in a
weak and unsteady run. AT the same
time the distant baying of dogs came to
the foreman's ears. He had heard much
OF the wild dogs which had recently in
vaded that part of the Territory, but
he had never seen any of them.
Again that mournful howl came down
the wind, and Adair, shielding his strain
ing eyes from the scudding snow-dust,
caught sight of half-dozen dark, brute
forms wallowing through the deep drifts
on the trail of the frightened cattle.
The dogs were reported to be very
daring and vicious, and he scarcely
knew what to do. They had not seen
hi m, and he stood gazing at them, hest
tating, until they were almost upon the
cattle. Then, as one of the cows turned,
with fiery eyes and tossing horns, to
give the pursuers battle, he threw off
his fears and rushed to her aid.
AS he advanced, he drew his revolver.
But before he could get near enough to
use it, the foremost dog flew at the COW
with terrible ferocity. With a savage
toss the COW threw him sprawling. But
the others rushed in, like so many hun
CRY wolves, attacking her on all sides at
once. One of them was tearing at her
shoulders and another had fastened it's
teeth in her throat, when Adair opened
fire. His first shots were intended to
brighten them, as it was almost impossi-
Bile to shoot directly at them without
hitting the COW. But seeing that she
was doomed, and that the dogs paid no
heed to the reports, he shot to kill and
MAIN them, regardless of her. Fortu-
nately one of the balls, after stretching
dog lifeless, entered the cows head
and ended her distress. The other dogs
at once leaped upon her body and began
to tear it ravenously-all but one, which
had been slightly wounded, and which
turned upon Adair with maddened fury.
The other cattle were now some dis
lance away, hurrying as fast as their
weak legs could carry them. Seeing this,
and not being sure that the other dogs
might not also take it into their ugly
heads to attack him as soon as they had
slightly appeased their hunger, Adair
fired a shot at the one which was ad-
vancing upon him, and then turned in
flight. With a blood-curdling howl, the
animal darted after him. The others,
answering the howl, left their steaming
banquet and joined in the pursuit, their
fangs showing cruelty and their jowls
dripping with the warm life-blood of the
slain COW.
Adair felt certain that he could out
strip them on the skis, and made grand
burst of speed. But in leaping a chasm
one of the skis snapped short off, leaving
him, SO it seemed, at the mercy of the
fierce brutes. He viewed the broken ska
with low cry of horror. Just behind
him was wind-swept rock, it's top and
sides almost bare of snow. If he could
gain that he might kill or beat back the
dogs. Otherwise his life was not worth
a minutes purchase.
He whipped out his knife and severed
the straps that held the skis to his feet.
Then, turning, he fred two or three
shots at the dog, and scrambled away
through the snow for the rock. None of
the shots took effect, but the pattering
balls caused the animals to leap aside,
thus checking them for moment, and
he made such good use of the time thus
gained that he had reached the rock and
to it's top, just as they ar
lived at its base. To his dismay he
quickly discovered that they could climb
almost as well as he could. The fierce
creatures, with their eyes aflame and
heir jaws flecked with bloody foam, be-
ran to crawl up the precipitous slope.
The wind tore at and howled about |
he exposed rock, driving the ice-dust
before it in such binding clouds that he
,ould scarcely see. Into this singing
ce-dust he was compelled to turn his
ace to meet and repu1se the dogs. With
'enumbed and trembling fingers he
'iected the shells and slipped fresh
cartridges into his revolver. Before he
'ould complete the reloading of the pis-
ol one of the strongest Of the dogs was
Utmost upon him.
Turning partially on his back-he was
n reclining position-Adair dealt the
log heavy kick that sent it tumbling
lown among its fellows, knocking two
# them sprawling into the snow at the
,ase of the rock. But in it's fall it sunk
is teeth into his heavy boot, ripping it
'pen, and he could see and feel the
warm blood from his torn foot gush
through the rent.
Not in the least discouraged or fright
med, the dogs leaped again up the
lope. Again he kicked at them, firing
lis pistol at the same time, and one Of
he maddened animals fell dying. But
he sight of its death struggles served
My to increase the ferocity of the other
ogs, and they returned to the attack
With such determined energy that it Is
oubtful If he could have again beaten
hem off.