The Florence daily tribune., 1899-01-12

Still. il was likely to prove surest ano
speediesi in the end.
1--WE had thus been picking our way
carefully for about three hours. or. in
ether words. il >vas then about ten
o'clock when the traits led toward a
narrow cluster of trees. Up to this we
made haste and hurried through the
opening beyond both of us evidently
icing moved with the came impression
that the farther side would solve the
mystery of the boys absence.
"And it did.
"a couple of hundred yards out il
'he plain we saw solitary poplar. con.
siderably larger than the otners there
about Tine first thing that drew oui
attention 10 il were the TWO black OBJ
jects ON its largest limbs. These OBJ
iects we speedily made out TO be the
missing children.
But why were they there? And
casting our eyes about for the cause il
was at once made manifest by seeing
three large, gaunt wolves sitting at
the base of the tree, watching the
forms above.
We both simultaneously looked at
the priming of our rifles and. although
the distance from where we stood was
considerable for the muzzie-loaging
guns Of those days. yet we had nc OPP
ton but TO try a. there was no other
point of concealment between us and
the tree bu' the place we wer, in.
jerome selected an immense gray
fellow as his mark. and pick, out on,
uf the others-a pure white. with black
cars aud muzzle We each took careful,
aim and fired together at the word
three.
when the smoke cleared away
from our guns we had the satisfaction
of seeing both animals rolling and
-nnpping their great jaws in the death
agony. and the third disappearing in
full retreat over distant knoll.
'Rrloading our guns as we went. we
hurried on with what speed we could
owurd the tree, the fathers heart in
Jerome being stirred TO its depths by
.he awful dread he felt at seeing those
motionless figures, which made no per
,eptible move at our firing or approach.
The younger boy, Mark, was thc
uppermost, aud lieu TO the tree trunk
With his Drother's belt, and. better To
,ecure his sanoly, his brother SAT astride
If "a limb lower down and clusped the
legs OF Mark and The trunk of the pop
lar with uIe same cuprace.
AT first, as we gazeG up at the poor
children, We thought they were both
lead. but when !. the ligh,cr man and
the least overcome. U>CcndOd the tree.
found The younger cong since past all
ussis tuucr, Tor has LouN MAS frozen
hurd hut Williain : still gave ont some
warmth. but quite overcome with the
,tupor that precedcs death by exposure
30 excessive cold.
Fortunately before leaving the
mouse. had showed into my pocket
: small flask of the very p"rest
Frauch brandy, some of small
,uautitN given to me by the cap
ain of Jersey vessel that had vis-
lied the coast the prev iouS summer As
best could I forced a portion OF thir
,.etVvren his cl.nchod teeth. which
caused him to cough, aud a, the same
lime he opened his eyes for u moment
II IA dazed way.
Sufficient of the liquor had found
its way down his throat TO create gen
tie glow through his body. and after
moment or two he opened his eyes and
ndeavored to speak. glancing up IN
mute and appealing way toward his
brother.
His fingers were frozen, interlaeed,
on the opposite side of the tree, but as
hey were past all chance of being
saved. and especially as they gave him
no pain. wrenched them apart without
hesitation and lowered the boy to his
father.
AS we had all we could do 10 carry
the frozen boy TO the house before night
SET in, we concluded to leave the corpse
OF little Mark secured to the tree as he
vas. There, AT all events, he would be
free from any other wolves that might
be in the vicinity.
while old jerome built fire to
make warm drink for the boy William.
| ripped off the skins of the dead beasts,
rs they were both beautifully furred
and of uncommon size. These l made
up in a ball and hung them up for safety
from destruction until we came back
the following day.
"A trifie more of the brandy and some
warm Cruel brought William back to
full consciousness, and we started for
the house. bearing him between us on
an improvised litter.
What night we passed, with the