The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-09


Ptatof flung him q gard or ttco ordD.
port echoed through the ravine the deer
was seen to fall, but it rose again quick
ly and sped on in flight. That brief de-
lay was fatal. With wild bowls half
dozen wolves burst from the forest, and
overhauling the fugitive in half doz-
en- leaps bore it still struggling to the
ground not 20 yards from where Platoff
stood.
The boys, hearing the cutlery and not
knowing what was taking place, were
inclined to run, but Platoff turned
around, his face aglow with triumph,
and shouted:
Follow me now. We can easily drive
off this handful Of wolves.
Then he vanished down the ravine,
pistol in hand Maurice cooked his re-
volver and followed, shouting to Phil,
who was armed only with knife. to
keep in the rear. He reached the bot
tom of the gully almost at Platotf' $
side, and his hasty glimpse of the strug-
gle made plain the Russians eagerness
for the conflict.
The first glimmer Of dawn shed a
dim light on the scene, and the gray
forms of the wolves outlined against the
snowy whiteness of the ground afforded
a fine opportunity for aim.
The struggles of the wounded deer
were over, and his assailants were
swarming over its body, tearing the
! flesh with such ferocious haste that the
approach of Platoff and Maurice was
unheeded.
"We must have that meat" whis-
pered Platoff. 1T will keep us for
weeks" And raising his revolver he
| aimed at the nearest wolf, huge,
gaunt brute, who toppled over simulta-
neously with the report. At the same
| instant Maurice fired, but unfortunate
| w made miss, and the remaining
wolves, angered at this interruption to
their feast, sprang in body at the dar'
ing intruders.
Crack, crack, went Platoff's revolv
er. and down went the foremost ami
NAL, staining the snow dark crimson
His second shot crippled another, wh'
retreated with mournful howl
Maurice, who remained admlrabl,
cool under this trying ordeal, killed
third by careful shooting, and the re
manning uninjured brutes, two in mum
Der, very wisely retreated up the slope
The wounded wolf had crawled ava.
under cover.
"Hurrah! We've done it," crie'
Maurice with pardonable glee, and a
he spoke loud outcry was heard from
Phil, who had remained on top OF tn
slope. Platoff was off like streak, wit
Maurice at his heels, and, gaining tn
ridge, they were Mortified to see the la
struggling with one of the fugitlv
wolves. The crust had broken, and bot
were fioundering about in the soft snoN
! beneath.
Platoff reached the spot in coupl
of leaps, and, actually seizing the brut
by the throat, lifted him up and fun
him yard or two away. He reache
for his revolver, but it was missing
and. snatching the knife from Phil, VIII
, was now rising unsteadily to his Zee
he turned Just in time to meet the rabi
, animals attack. The wolf was not
large one, but what he lacked in size
made up in ferocity, and for momei
Platoff's position was one OF extremes
l.I merrill. The brute landed on his breas
. and for a second or two he tottere'
Then. recovering himself, he clutche
, the woolly throat in one hand and WI
+. the other struck repeatedly with Il
knife. The muscular blows went hom
. the brute's efforts relaxed, and dow
: he went on the blood stained snow,
limp and lifeless heap.
!, Platoff coolly wiped the blood fro
a his hands and examined the scratch
on his arms and breast.
. "I'm not hurt" he said in answer
i the boys eager inquiries. 1.-The mar
n are only skin deep. 1 dropped my
volyer somewhere or would have Sc
y tied him without all this fuss.
v "You saved my life," exclaim
- Phil. "In q moment more his tee
IL wouJd have been in my throat L
brute sprang ON me from that thick
!. there, and when we fell the crust brob
IL That is what kept me from being b
= ten. l don't believe I'm hurt at all, G
a cent for my clothes. And he pointed
= the front of his coat. all ripped q
,e hanging in tatters.
!. Platoff disdained all praise a
"a strobe of to look for his lost revolv'
Il was found half way down the slol
a where he had dropped IL while runni
II TO Pills assistance.