The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-07-12

l
midday lie entered a wide, treees
1eVel OF frozen meadow. There. i,
early summer, rain and melted snow
formed a large lake, on which duck:
anu geese and other waterfowl con
gregated in myriads,
A network OF the curious yinelik,
tracks ct the ptarigan indicated thar
coVey of these birds were feeding or
the succulent seeds of aquatic grasses
the feathery tops Of which appeared
| IN patches above the snow. Presently
ne perceived one OF them crOucbips
TRANQUILITY few feet away, evidentl,
trusting to its white plumage for con
cealment.
Having secured it, he continued his
search, and soon finished a second
whereunoh the rest of the covey took
wig, but alighted after brief flight
The boy followed eagerly, keeping ur
the chase until five more had been
added to his string.
He heard at intervals the report of
a distant gun, and he cOn1ectured that
another hunter had also found game
The pursuit of the ptarmigan had
enticed him far from the way Snow
had been falling internationally for
some time, and daylight was waning
rapidly when he struck out on a bee
line toward the trail.
Beyond the meadow the trail led
over a steep, wooded ridge to a similar
natural clearing, many acres in ex-
tent. There for perhaps a halfmile
it skirted the base of a precipitous
hillside, irregular, vertical wall of
weather-worn rock, overlooking the
clearing.
Just in front Of the precipice, and
about midway along it's face, grew a
single tall spruce, SO close that it's
branches almost brushed the rock.
One Of its exposed roots protruded
across the trail, making mound over
which the natives, when sledging,
drove with care to avoid a spill.
The twilight was fast deepening into
dusk as Akowma descended the ridge
He was abreast of the solitary tree
when musket-shot close at hand, fol-
lowed by prolonged outcry as of an
animal in pain, brought him to a
standstill. A moment later he heard
his brothers voice.
'Nipsu has shot the wolff" he ex-
claimed, joyfully. He hurried on,
shouting as he ran.
He was within a few strides of the
thick forest bordering the clearing
when wolf leaped into the trail right
in front of him. His first thought was
that it must be the creature at which
Nipsu had fired. Possibly it was
wounded. Without hesitation he fit
ted an arrow to his bow and let fly
at the brute. Despite the dim light,
his aim was true. With the shaft
sticking In its side the wolf sprang
back into the thicket, yelping and
bowling.
Scarcely had the arrow left the bow
before Akowma heard his brother call.
ing to him.
"Gah! gah!" ely! fyD was all
that he could make out, but he COM
pretended that Nipsu was entreating
him to find a place of refuge without
delay.
The reason for this was quickly re-
vealed. The yelping of Akowmas VIC
tim was answered by a chorus that
the lad. 1t was sound that,
once heard, is not likely ever to be
forgotten-the hunting-cry OF a fam
ishing wolf pack. Having treed
Nipsu, some, if not all, of the brutes
were coming to attack MIN.
His sole chance of safety lay in his
tree Immediately. Those
before him were Of sman growth, but
the pig spruce at his back would af-
ford sure protection if he could but
retrace his steps. Facing about, he
sped neetly down the trail toward it.
Had the snow been covered with
crust firm enough to bear the wolves,
Akowma could not have escaped. AS
it was, the foremost of the racing
pack broke from the cover Of the
woods as he paused at the foot of the
rec to slip off his snOwshOes.
Knowing that if he left them lying
n the snow the wolves would speedily
levOur the sinew meshes and gnaw the
brentwood frames to splinters, he
hooked the toes of the snow-shoes, to-
,ether with his bow, over the stub of |
broken bough above his head. Then
,rasping a stout limb. he scrambled |
Up.
In doing so his head struck the heels |
# the suspended snow-shoes, dislodg- |
ng the bow. 1t fell upon the leader of |
he pack as the snarling brute snap
,ed at Akowma's moccasins. The |
,oys first care was to remove the
to another stub higher up
N the trunk.
Dreading lest anxiety on his ac-
cunt should lead Nipsu into making
rash attempt to come to his aid,
Akowma climbed to a height from
which he could look over the woods
where his brother was still besieged by
art Of the pack. and called out reas-
uringly to him. Although neither
ould see the other, they wete able
y shouting to converse intelligibly.
Nipsu, it seemed, had successfully