Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-10-08

young moose-actually gave out, crying
for quarter, az cant run another stepr
The brisk, sharp wind blowing acros!
the river soon cooled their heat, and
after few moments of rest, they com
menccd their return.
They began to realize by this tim,
how thoroughlG tired they were. Thur
So took the tongue, walking slowl,
along, while, though Ziba's hand was
still on the end board, he did little more
than hang ON and grumble about his
fatigue. {
go my!" he painted, "but how tired
l am! feel like a run down deer, with
painter after him!"
"You act more like a rundown lazy
mill, retorted Thursa, jerking the sleo
away from him. Show you hang
back !"
RegainiDg his equilibrium with somc
difficulty, he remarked with comica
display of dignity, "Sister Thursa, yet
had better be more civil, or friend Isaac
won't ride with US again" making 1;
dive for the sled. ''Besides you might
spill him out, aud lose him; then, like
enough, there'd be another bear
fuueraln
"There's not much danger but that
shall go every time you ask me" re
turned Isaac, smuggling down under the
bearskin robe with comfortable sense
of security. "But what about the
r-fGneralF
"Why, didn't you ever hear of the
Dutch Workers. young one the bear eat
up, and the whole Albany settlement
turned out to hunt the bear down, 81
they might make a proper funeral for
the young one2'
"Well, what if they'd got the wrong
bear7' asked Isaac, laughing.
"Oh, we'll, they had their tears aud,
Holland gin, all the same, you know.M
"Why, boys" exclaimed Thursa,
suddenly breaking in upon their nom
sense, with anxious alarm in her voices
lido you see how late it ISL The sun
has gone down.
"Never mind, returned Ziba, putting
his hands on the end board in good ear
nest, ''it can't be great way to tho
river, and then we'll have the wind at
our backs to help lis up"
al don't know" answered she, glanc0
ing ,uneasily around. 81 do wish wa
hadn't come so far
They moved along rapidly and III
silence, each one regreting, in his way,
that the fun aud excitement had le0
them so far, though it must be said Of
them that they had no fears, except the,
fear of offending their parents by MOI
returning at the hidden hour. They
never gave a thought to the dangers
lurking in the miles and miles of woods
that surrounded them.
But the dangers of the woods were,
mindful to them in the shape of one
gaunt, gray wolf that came boldly across
the ice, from the opposite shore, shifting.
the air in evident search of them.
There was one startled look in each
of the children's faces as they caught!
sight of HIM, but not a sound escaped,
their lips. Only redoubled efforts to
hasten homeward told of what they had
seen; all, naturally, thinking that the
stiIer they were, the safer they would
be from the VOLTS attack. And SO it
was with one wolf.
Isaac raised himself, as we'll as he,
could. on bis well knee, and both boys.
turned their faces toward the wolf,
watching his actions with frightened,
anxious eyes.
Thus far, this winter, the wolves had
rot troubled the settlement; but the
snow had lain on the ground since the
first of November, and the wise ones,
we're already preparing to defend. their
young stock and sheep from the depre- :,
dations of the wild beasts, knowing
from experience that there would be a
descent OF starved out wolves before the
winter was over.
con! Why didn't 1 think of this be-
fore2' cried Thursa, in gasping whis.I
per. ''Aud there's sure to be morel"
The stiffness for while seemed to,
make the wolf uncertain, but he coutin(
ued his advance in nearly straight line.
from where he started until he came
upon the children's track, where he took
the Scsnt-much after the manner of a
hound-ruuning with great speed and,
certainly for few rods.
so Thursal" Isaac's frightened face
was turned for moment toward the
noble girl who was making such efforts
to save them, "he has found our trail,
and is coming straight on"
"Get your clutches handy" she said.
in sharp, decisive tones, turning her faces
little, so that they might catch hel'
words. "And, Ziba, hold on tightn
There was no shaking in the girls
voice, yet. Though she had often heard
1t said that wolf alone would not attack
a man, she knew there was daugeE
from Il famished wolf. especially if tho
chase was long enough for the vol
to become familiar with their ap$
pearance. But the wolf, after running,
swiftly a short distance, with his nose ttj
the ground to make sure of the nearnessl
OF his intended prey, sat down with his;
face toward the opposite shore and gave
a succession of long drawn bowls, the
signal that ''game was started;" a sig
nal well known and dreaded by our first
settlers.
No pen can describe the sound; anC;
yet these children knew aud uuderstoo /
its awful meaning, and did not need thu
'SMore woIves!" that burst from thu
purpling lips of the overtasked girl to-
tell them of their impending DOOM!
1t had seemed impossible to run, any
faster, but at the sound of those howls,,
Thursa fairly flew over the ice, not event
noticing the extra weight caused by the,
poor frightened Ziba, who had fallen,
half in the sled box, until he walled !.
80, sisteri | can't run another stop!'i
Without attempting to stay the sled,
she raised the tongue with one hand
aud allowed the sled to run past
her. Then she caught the now almost
fainting boy and lifted him into the sled.
box. As she bounded to the from;
again, she said: SECT ready to do what
tell you-Tve-Iye7 a-pianl"
She could now see little way abe I'd
of them tie mouth of the ''little river"
Her only hope lay in gaining that before
the wolves should collect. As the wind
was blowing up the liver, there was a
possible chance that their cries might be
heard at the settlement; but she had
taken no more than dozen steps when
Isaac cried out, "There's another wolf!t
The heavy sled with its precious load
was telling upon her, but this confrma
ton OF her worst fears renewed her fiao
glng strength The huoe sled swaved