Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-02-24

but now, so eager were they in their
watch, they seemed not even to notice
the new arrivals.
John hastily tied the dog to sap
ling so that he might not disturb his
aim (not daring 10 turn him loose, as
he would have been torn to pieces in
moment), and then he and Jennie fired
into the crowded pack together. Two
wolves fell, and, instantly, the whole
snarling. gnashing mass of their COM
panions rushed upon and devoured
them. Twice more, while the wolves
cannibalistic feast lasted, the brave pair
loaded and fired, and at one simultane-
Gus discharge two of the ravenous crea-
lures were killed; at the other, three,
and then the pack turned and fed.
l. All this time-though not more than
five Misunderstanding had been seen or
heard of Duncan, but on going close to
the beech tree, and looking upward,
the now dismayed searchers saw him
sitting motionless against the trunk,
on the first great horizontal limb, APP
parentIy insensible or dead, as he re-
turned no answer ia repeated calls.
.Jeannie, lass" said John, moo is
the time to prove yer grit. TAX the
punk an steel, gather a wheen o tnael
dry leaves and sticks and kinnel gran
fire, while L gang up the tree tae Dun
can
The girl needed no second bidding,
and soon gathered large heap of dead
brush, which she ignited by flint, steel
and tinder-friction matches being
then unknown. The flame had just be-
gun to dance merrily through the mass,
when John. who had in the meantime
climbed up TO his brother, called out:
THE puir lads no dead, JEANNE; his
body's warm an his hearts beatin' a
right; but he's clean senseless am
ABBOTT persist wi cauld: Well need
to get him doom to the fire vera quick.
TAX the collar and rope off the dog,
an toss them up til me"
The stout branch upon which Duncan
sat was about Is feet from the ground,
and he had secured himself to the stem
OF the tree by the cord which formerly
bound the bundle of furs.
Blu the aid of this and the dogs long
leash, taking half hitch around the
limb, John managed to lower the in
sensible man down to Jennie's waiting
arms, and the two then lifted him over
to the fire and laid him upon a pile OF
soft brush, while both went vigorously
to work to restore animation. Duncan
had evidently been overtaken by that
fatal sleep, superinduced by great cold.
but only his feet were frozen, and those
very slightly. In another half hour
he would have been beyond help. but
now there was hope. While John was
getting off his brothers moccasins and
socks, SO as to rub the frost-bitten feetl
with snow, Jennie pulled small piece
of bark from a white birch tree and
with leaden bullet wrote upon it:
Come quick! twa miles DOT on trail
2ring speerits an blankets" This rude
missive she tied firmly to the dogs
neck, saying: 'Hame! Bose; hame;
off WI ye quick!'' and the intelligent
creature went off like the wind.
The resolute girl then built up an
other great fire, so that Duncan lay be-
tween the two, and in a few minutes
the blood again circulated through his
feet. The intense pain which invari-
ably accompanies this recovery from
frost bite, and the genial warmth OF
the fires, aroused the injured man from
his deadly lethargy; and when, in not
more than 55 minutes after the hound
started, McGill and McGregor arrived
on the scene, he was able to speak, but
not to stand.
However, he managed to swallow
nearly a half pint of raw spirits, and
then, being wrapped in blankets AID
placed upon an improvised litter, was
conveyed homeward by the four car
riers.
Arrived at the house and assiduously
piled with hot drinks and food, he
shortly revived sufficiently to tell his
story-briefiy this:
Just before dark he had been sud.
denly attacked by eight or ten wolves.
and, being too closely pursued to gain
a tree or light fire, had set the barrel
upright on the ground, and, standing
on its head. had for awhile fought them
off with a heavy staff. During the
fracas fresh wolves kept pouring in
from all sides, and he had then, realiz.
ing at last that he was in<deadly peril.
killed two of the brutes, and while the
pack, according to the usual habit of
their kind. were busily fighting over
and devouring their dead companions,
he made a dash to one side and climbed
the first suitable tree. For hours he
had remained awake watching his
bloodthirsty besiegers, but finally, be-
coming convinced that he should freeze
to death, he bound himself to the tree,
determined not to furnish a feast to
the ferocious beasts. and that was the
last thing he could remember but,
mither." he loosely added, 1.-The fiooer
is safe i the bush, an ye1l fin''a a thae
ither bit gimcracks "a RIGHT i my
pooches.''
The next June, after the spring work
| was done, Jennie and Duncan. having
been duly called" for three successive
Sabbaths in the kirk" al York, were
happily married, and the muscular