The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-05-13

they were not wanted. Come what
might, l resolved to assume the often
sive, So having recharged the maya
zine, pcered cautiously over the top
Of the box. There was not live wolf
in sight, but there were several dead
ones in the rear of the sled TO these
the driving snow was fast giving sep
ulture. Confronted by the assurance
that, in case any of the brutes should
return, they would find cold lunch
to hand, pulled down the hood and
lay with chattering teeth, listening to
the wind which from time to time bore
the distant howl of wolf family to
my ears. AS grew warm also grew
drowsy, and finally dropped into
sound slumber. How long l slept l
could not even hazard a guess, but
was awakened by the jolting OF the
sled. Scrambling hastily out OF the
bag, / found to my intense surprise
that the sled was running down an il
cline with the speed Of the wind. An
iuky cloud lay across the face OF tho
moon and darkness was over all the
snowy waste, while the blizzard ragged
more furiously than ever. l looked
ahead into the darkness for horses and
driver, but found neither. Holding my
breath and the top of the tailboard, l
awaited the end. / had not long to
wait. With a sudden burst of speed,
the sled dipped down a sharp incline,
the runners seemed to leave the ground
for an instant. and then came a crash
and a phenomenal display OF stellar
groups as shot forward and banged
my head against the dash board.
"Well where in thunder did you
come from?' were the words that
greeted me as / opened my eyes
YEARLY and caught a glimpse OF sun
light streaming through window and
a pair of bushy black whiskers above
me, out of the upper part OF which a
pair of keen blue eyes cleaned in the
kindest manner. was still dizzy and
faint and there was a singing in my
ears like that of vibrating telegraph
wire, yet sense enough had been
spared to me to recognize in the speak
err honest old Bob Flavin, whom had
taken so much trouble to look up.
answered Bob's question by asking
another. SHOW in thunder" l cried
I, did get here?"
well, pard," said Bob. ''it's just this
way: l was lying on my bunk last
/ mig I, listening to the blizzard as il
yelled all sorts of things at me down
the chimney, when, all of sudden,
felt the old shebang shake as IT q
landslide had struck it. Then above
the bowling of the wind l heard the
cry Of human being in distress-jus'
once. jerked open the door and go'
a Whit of cold air that nearly took
my breath away. hadn't taken three
steps when l stumbled against some
thing softlilse that made me jump
mighty high. Well, just got hold o.
that something and carried it in by the
fire. You were pretty timber at first
but ! put some snow on the back o
your neck and poured about pint o
post-traders' whisky down your throat
and held other inducements to you Il
stay awhile longer with us--and herr
you are"
When Bob had finished speaking
saw quite plainly how it had all hap
pened. The tussle with the wolves
had taken place near the brow of thu
high bluff at the DO tom of which Bob
ranch was located. The storm. which
had ra ged with hurricane force ut tn
summit of the bluff, had thrown tn
sled down the slope, and n start wa
all that was necessary. ! had com
pleted the trip without further assist
ance, and aside from stiff neck and
bump on the head was not much tn
worse for the shaking up.
Later on Bob informed me that h
had found my horses early that morn
ing, bumped up under the lee of tn
ranch barn, and that they were nov
safe and snug in the warmest stall i
the corral stables. ] stayed with Bo
for q few days, resting up and keepin
him company during a succession o
billiards. that made travel simply i'm
possible, and. when the weather finall
, moderated, fixed up the broken sic
tongue and, accompanied by Bob, cor
tinued the journey to Fort Lincoln
which / reached just one week behin
, time.-Larry Vat, in Detroit Ere
] Press.