The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-03-19

tueul' urging ineuh Oh Will voice. BcS-
ture and spur, that the powerful riders
seemed TO carry their heavy beasts be-
tween their thighs. and to lift them mp
rs though they would fly away with
them. They went iius. belly to the
ground, breaking through the thickrts'
crossing the ravine', climbing the Eiils.
descending the glens a - sounding the
horn with fun lungs 10 attract the at-
tention Of their companions and their
dogs
"All of a sudden, III this wild run, my
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. dashed his fore
head against an enormous branch, which
split his skull, and he fell to the ground
stone dead, His horse, mad with fright
disappeared in the shadows that en-
veloped the wood
"The younger d'Arville stopped short,
jumped to the ground, seized his brother
in his arms and saw that his brains
were pouring from the wound, with his
blood Then he seated himself beside
the body, took the red and disfigured
head upon hs Knee and contemplated
the irnmohilc face Of his elder brother.
Little by little fear invaded him, a
singular fear which he had never felt
before; the fear OF the shadow, the fear
OF the solitude, fear OF the deserted
wood, also fear OF the fantastic wolf
which had killed his brother to yenge it
self upon them
Darkness was falling rapidly, and the
sharp cold made the trees crackle, Fran
co.'s rose up shivering, incapable of re-
naming there longer, feeling himself
almost fainting. One could hear moth
ing, neither the voices OF the dogs, nor
the sound of horns; all was silent. And
this gloomy silence of freezing night had
in it something horrible and strange.
"lie seized the colossal frame OF Jean
in his hands, lifted it up and laid it across
the saddle, in order to carry it back to
the chateau. Then he slowly started to
return, his mind wandering as II he
were tipsy and pursued by horrible and
startling images. Suddenly in his path
way through henight monstrous form
passed.
at was the beast.
"a shock of fright agitated the hunt.
er; something cold, like drop of water
glided along his loins, and, like frial
haunted by the devil, he made the sign
of the cross. He was distracted by this
sudden temperance of the frightful
wanderer. But his eyes fell upon the
inert corpse lying before him, and his
fear Immediately changing into chOlor
he shook with rage. Then he spuIred his
horse and dashed after the wolf. He
followed it through the copse, through
ravines and through the forest, travers
ing woods which he no longer recog
nized, his eye fixed upon the gray spot
which flew before him in the night. His
horse also seemed animated by an n
known force and ardor. He galloped
straight ahead with outstretched neck
the head and feet of the dead man across
the saddle dashing against trees anC
rocks Tie brambles tore the hair oi
the corpse, the forehead battered th'
enormous tree trunks, scattering then
with blood, the spurs ripped the bark t'
tatters,
Suddenly the animal and its pursuei
emerged fronrthe forest and rushed int,
valley Just as the moon appeared abov,
the mountains. This valley was CLOSED
on all sides by immense rocks, withou
possible egress, and the wolf found it
self driven into n corner Francois theI
emitted a howl of joy, the echoes o
which were repeated like a roll of thun
der, and Jumped from his horse, cutlas
in hand. The bristling beast waiteC
with rounded back. its eyes cleaning
like two stars. But before Offering bat
tie the hunter lifted his brother down
seated him on il rock, and supporting b,
means of stones his head, which wa
hardly more than a patch of blood, h
cried into his ears, as though he wa
speaking to deaf person:
"'Look, Jean; look therer"
"Then he threw himself upon th
monster He felt strong enough t
overthrow mountain, to grind tn
stones in his hands, Tie beast woul
have bitten him and tried to dash at hi
stomach, but Francois had seized it b
the throat, without even the aid Of hi
weapon, and slowly strangled it, listen
ing to the stoppage of the breathing i
its throat and the beating of its heart
And he laughed wildly, closing tighte
and tighter his powerful grip and cry
ing in a deliriun Of joy;
Look, Jean; loolsr
"All resistance ceased; the body q
the wolf became limp. 1t was dead
Then Francois took it up in his arms
carried it and threw it at his brother
feet, repeating in a tender voice;
Thine, thine, thine, my little JeaT
there itisr
"Then placing the two cadavers aero.
his saddle. one upon the other. ho S,
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