Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-09-14
MICAH CLARKE
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ground. and leaving space of twelve or
fifteen feet between them. Through this
gap We rode, and | shouted loudly for
Saxon to join us. His horse, however,
had been steadily gaining upon ours, and
at the renewed alarm had darted off
again. SO that he was already some hun
bred yards from us. 1t was useless TO
summon him, even could he hear our
voices, for the hounds would be upon us
before he could return.
Never heed him." | said hurriedly.
DO you rein your steed behind that
rock, and | behind this. They will serve
to break the force of the attack. Dis
mount not, but strike down and strike
hard"
On either side in the shadow Of the
rock we waited in silence for our terrible
pursuers. Looking back at it, my dear
children, | cannot but think it was a
great trial on such young soldiers as
Reuben and myself TO be put, on the
first occasion of drawing our swords. into
such position. For | have found, and
others have confirmed my opinion, that
of all dangers that IA man is called upon
to face. that arising from savage and
determined animals is the most unnerv-
| ing. For with men there is ever the
| chance that some trait of weakness or
Of want of courage may give you an adj
vantage over them. but with fierce beasts
| there is no such hope. We knew that
| the creatures to whom we were opposed
could never he turned from our Threats
while there was breath in their bodies.
| One feels in ones heart too, that the
combat is an unequal one, for your life
| is precious, at least to your friends.
/ while their lives what are they! All
| this and great deal more passed swift
| ly through our minds as we sat with
drawn swords, soothing our trembling
| horses as best we might and waiting for
the coming of the hounds.
| Nor had we long to wait. Another
| long, deep. thunderous bay sounded i'll
our ears. followed by a profound silence.
| broken only by the quick. shivering
breathing of the horses. Then, suddenly
and noiselessly, a great tawny brute.
with its black muzzle to the earth. its
oyerhung cheeks Tapping on either side
! sprang into the band of moonlight be
tween the rocks, and on into the shadow
| beyond. 1t never paused or swerved for
an instant, but pursued its course
straight EDWARDS without a glance to
right or to left. Close behind it came
| a second and behind that a third. all of
enormous size. and looking even larger
and more terrible than they were in the
dim, shifting light. Like the first, they
took no notice of our presence, but
bounded on along the trail left by Deci-
mus Saxon.
The first and second l let pass. for
hardly realized that they so completely
overlooked MS. When the third. how
ever, sprang out into the moonlight, |
drew my right-hand pistol from its hol-
ster. and resting its long barrel across
my left forearm. fired at it as it passed.
The bullet struck the mark for the brute
gave fierce howl of rage and pain, but,
true to the scent it never turned or
swerved. LOckarby fired also. as it dis
appeared among the brushwood but with
no apparent effect. So swiftly and so
noiselessly did the great hounds pass
that they might have been grim. silent
spirits of the night, the phantom dogs of
TIerne the Hunter, but for that one fierce
yelp which followed my shot.
"What brutes!" my companion ejacu-
lated; what shall we do. Micah?"
They have clearly been laid on Sax
on's trail" said /. "We must follow
them up, or they viii be too many for
him. Can you hear anything of our pur-
suers?''
Nothing
They have given up the chase, then.
and let the dogs loose as last resource.
Doubtless the creatures are trained to
return to the town. But we must push
on. Reuben, if we are to help our com
panion."
"One more squirt, then. little Dido"
cried Reuben; can you muster strength
heart to put spurs to you. If you can do
it. | know won will.
The brave mare snorted, as though she
understood her riders words. and
stretched her weary limbs into gallop;
So stoutly did she answer the appeal
that, though | pressed Covenant to his
tOpmost speed. she was never more than
| few strides behind him.
He took this direction" said |, peer
| ing anXiously out into the darkness.
He can scarce have gone far. for he
spoke Of making a stand. Or, perhaps.
finding that we are not with him. he may
trust TO the speed of his horse
What chance hath a horse Of outstrip-
ping these brutesy' Reuben answered.
''They must run him to earth. and he
knows it, Hullo. what have we herc?"
y dark, dim form lay stretched in the
moonlight in front Of us. 1t was, the
| ly. at which | had fired.
There is one of them disposed of, /
! cried. ioyouSly: I'VE have but two to
settle with now
As | spoke we heard the crack of two
pistol shots some little distance to the
left. Heading our steedS in that direc
ton. we pressed on at the top Of our
speed. Presently cut of the darkness in
front of rs there arose such a roaring
and q yelping as sent our hearts into our
mouths 1t was not a single cry. such
as the hounds had uttered when they
were on the scent, but continuous,
| deep-mouthed uproar. SO fierce and so
prolonged that we could not doubt that
they had come to the end Of their run.
Pray God that they have not got him
down. cried Reuben, in a faltering
voice
The same thought had crossed my own
mind for ! have heard a similar though
lesser din come from n pack of otter
hounds when they had overtaken their
prey and were tearing il to pieces. Sick
| at heart | drew my sword with the de-
termination that, if we were too late to
save our companion. we should at least
revenge him upon the four-footed hends.
Bursting through a thick belt OF scrub
and tangled gorse bushes we came upon
a scene so unlike what We expected that
we pulled up our horses in establishment.
A circular clearing lay in front Of us.
| brightly Illuminated by the silvery moon
shine In the center of this rose giant
stone. one of those high. dark columns
which are found all over the plain. and
| especially in the parts round Stonehenge.
1t could not have been less than fifteen
feet in height. and had doubtless been