The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-23
A RACE FOR LIFE.

cycllst flulnB through tic ioreSo sosso
Ailes from Moscow recently had terrible
adventure with pack Of wolves.
After riding long time, he says,
heard slight sound as Of yak, yak" I
stopped and dismountod In order to listen.
After awhile heard 1t again plainly.
II some farmyard near.
Mounting again, rode on at rcdou-
bled rate. The only thing that perplexed
me was that the sound came from behind,
but this attributed to some curious echo.
Soon the sound grew louder, and II was
plain that whatever IL was 1t came from
more throats than one 1t was like bark,
yet il was not the bark Of dog.
In a moment the hideous truth burst In
upon me- The sound was from behind.
They were following me. They were draw
ing up on me. They were not dogs. They
were wolves.
For moment felt as II there were no
power In my limbs. Only by a strong ef-
fort managed to work the bicycle at all.
Even In those few seconds OF terror the
brutes had measurably approached.
Regaining courage, l raced for my life.
Icertainly forged ahead little, but could
not keep up the speed.
Closer and closer undoubtedly they were
coming. And now as the brutes were gain
ing on me they ceased to yelp.
But this was even less endurable. To
think of death-and death so horrible
coming thus, silent and inevitable, in the
darkness Of the night, In the midst OF a
Russian pine forest!
could now hear the scurrying, patter-
ing sound they made as they sped over the
ground. Sometimes solitary yelp would
break the stiffness, and once or twice, AS
II preconcertcd. the whole pack burst into
fearful chorus.
The moon was now up, and could see
rs looked back, the pack 100 yards be-
hind, all but one lean, famished brute,
who, with red tongue lolling out, was, I
saw to my horror, withing ten yards OF me.
Just then the noise Of n torrent burst on
my ears. A wide, open space in the CEN
ter Of the forest lay before me. Running
through the center of 1t shone I'm the moon
light the foaming waters Of u mountain
stream.
1t lay down in low but steep ravine,
its rocky bank rising straight to the height
of ten feet or thereabouts. On the opposite
bank could see the white road still con-
tinuing. Farther on light beamed out.
shouted loud, but IL only seemed to set
the wolves behind me yelping more fierce
ly than ever.
But, looking ahead, perceived that the
bridge no longer existed. 1t had probably
been swept away by some food In the
river.
Despairingly / looked at tho light that
lay only few hundred yards away from
me, that light that promised shelter and
human companionship to me could only
reach 1t. / shouted and shouted, again
and again.
Twas now withing ten yards Of the river.
was hesitating whether to end my life at
once by riding over the precipice and into
the torrent or to dismount aud die stand
ing at bay.
Just was about to adopt tho latte,
course perceived that the bridge was not
entirely gone. Ono solitary pine trunk
sparned the torrent from cliff to cliff.
In a moment l had decided on my
course. ! grasped the handles tightly AND
put on the highest speed / could, for
knew that the faster the pace the more ac
curatcly could steer.
murmured prayer. was on the
beam. Fortunately it was somewhat
planed on the top.
Steadily kept my eyes on the narrow
track, every little unevenness, every knot
ia the timber had TO steer clear OF. The
slightest jolt would have cast me into the
swirling waters beneath.
i may say with truth that the texture
and outline of every inch Of that beam ar,
imprinted On my memory to this day.
So intent was on 1t that for the time
gave not thought to the wolves that hac
forced on me SO hazardous ride. Blu,
twice thrill Of terror ran through me az
the trunk tilted over to one side and
threatened TO pitch me down.
Yet IL must be remembered that all thi:
took place in, at the most, three seconds.
Now, ] was not foot from the other bank
when the beam gave third tilt over.
leaned again to the other side This time
In vain.
Before we'll knew 1t Twas falling. But
made wild spring toward the bank
Fortune favored me- landed on my fact
In cluster OF bramble bushes.
I seized hold of them, and, though my
legs hung over the precipice, pulled my
self up. Below me heard splash, caused
by my machine as IL fell.
A moment after that was louder one
turned to look and saw with the greatest
Joy ever felt the beam was gonel heart
smothered yelp below me and saw thu
wolf that had followed me so close swept
down by the torrent. He and must have
been together on the beam.
Words fail TO describe the terr' BILE din OF
the infuriated pack when they saw theil
prey had escaped them.
now looked up the road and heard an
swering shouts in the direction of tn,
light. A door opened, as I could see by
the increased brightness that beamed out
There Is little else to tell. spent the
night in the peasants hut. The next day