Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-15
CHAPTER XIX.
The Battle with the Wolves.

The Battle WIN tho "OiSO"
LET us get out Of this heliish placed"
cried James Douglas so soon as he had seen
with his eyes that which lay within the oeo
chamber of the witch woman, and made GER
tain that IT. was all over with Caesar Mar
tin.
So the three men issued out into the gloom
Of the night and made their way to the sta
BILE wherein they had disposed their horses
90 carefully the night before.
The door lay on the ground smashed ana
broken. 1t had been driven to kindling WOOD
from within. Its inner surface was dinted
and riven by the iron shoes OF the frightened
steeds. but the horses themselves were
nowhere to be found. They had broken their
halters and vanished. The three Scots were
left in the heart Of the enemies country
without means Of escape save upon their
own feet.
But the horror which lay behind them In
the house of La Meffraye drove them on.
Almost without knowing wnither 'ney
went. they turned their faces toward the
west, in the direction In which lay Macns-
coul. the castle Of the dread lord OF all the
paws du Retz. Malise, as was his custom,
walked in front, Sholto and the Lord JAMES
Douglas a step behind.
A chill wind from the sea blew through
the forest. The pines bent soughing toward
the adventurers. The night grew densef
and blacker about them, as, with the wan
waters of the marismas on one side ana the
somber arches Of the forest on the other,
thew advanced, sword in hand, praying that
that which should happen should happen
quickly.
But as they went the woods about them
grew clamorous with horrid noises. All tho
evil beasts Of the world seemed abroad tnat
night in the woods Of Machecoul. presently
they issued forth into a more open space
The grayish dark of the turf beneath their
feet spread further off. The black blank
wall OF the pines retreated, and they found
themselves suddenly with the stars twink
ling infinitely chill and remote above them.
They were now, however, no more Alone
for round them circled and echoed the cry
ang of many packs Of wolves. In the 1orest
of Machecoul the guardian demons OF is
lord had been let loose. and throughout all
dts borders the poor peasant folk snivered IN
their beds. or crouched behind the weak
defenses Of their barred doors. For they
knew that the full pack never hunted In the
PAYS du Retz without bringing death to
some wanderer found defenseless within the
borders of that region Of dread.
"Let us stay here" said Sholto. III these
howling demons attack us We are at least
On somewhat better case to meet them and
fight it out till the morning than IN the
dense darkness of the woods"
In the center OF the open glade IN which
they found themselves they tumbled
against the trunk of a pine which had been
blasted by lightning. 1t still stood erect,
with It's withered branches stretching, bare
ard angular, way from the sea. About this
the three Scots posted themselves, their
backs to the corrugations Of the dead stump,
and their swords ready In their hands to
deal out death to whatever should attack
them.
Well might Malise declare the powers OF
evil were abroad that night. At times the
three men seemed wholly hinged with
devilish cries. Yells and howls as OF
triumphant fends were borne to their ears
upon the western wind. The noises ap-
preached nearer, and presently out OF the
dark of the woods shadowy forms glided.
and again Sholto heard the soft pad-pad OF
many feet. Cleaning eyes glared upon
them as the wolves trotted out and sat down
in a wide circle to wait for the full muster
OF the pack before rushing on their prey.
Sholto knew well how those In the serv-
ices OF satan were able to change themselves
onto the semblance OF wolves and he never
doubted for a moment that he and his
friends were face to face with the direct
manifestations OF the neither pit. Neverthe-