The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-11-09

ening, the more utterly malignant.
sprang to nay feet, gripping Reski by the
shoulder.
'sWhat is thatY' cried.
Evolves, mein Herr"
Twill they attack US?
"Calm yourself, mein Herr" he an.
swered grufiy, his eyes still set on the
track before him. 1.-THE winter is young,
and their mouths are not empty.
The pace of the horses had dropped to
slow trot.. They advanced stifiiy, with
staring eyes and ears pricked forward. |
remained standing, peering across the
drivers seat at the white track that ran
dimly away between the banks of pines.
Suddenly from snow-powdered thick
ct before us there burst chorus Of low
snarls that grew into the short, angry
barks of dogs disturbed. With a jerk
the horses stopped, trembling and squeez-
ing themselves together with the fear
that was on them.
''They have something there" cried
Reski, and there was a shudder in his
voice. Otherwise they would not be Sc
bold. Take the reins, mein Herr"
He thrust them into my hands and
jumped from the seat. His pistol fash
ed, and l caught glimpse of forms sour
rying over the snow. Then the darkness
fell again like veil.
"What have you foundr' / shouted.
"Under the trees it is hard to see"
came back his answer. Perhaps was
mistaken. But wait"
He struck match, and his tall, thin
| figure sprang out In silhouette as he
moved slowly forward, shielding the light
with his hands.
Here are the footprints Of the wolves
it was here that they gathered.
There Is something by the tree.
1t is not log-ah, NO! but 1t il not
a log, though it lies so still. /
fear to approach--how l fear! Have
mercy! 1t is a man! 1t Ii Ivan, my
sonp'
We were on Marnac's trail--the trail
Of the dead.
At last It was all over. Alone, for
dared not leave my hold upon the fright
| ened horses, Reski carried his son to the
sleigh and laid him there beside me, with
a rug across the face. He had been killed
from behind, poor lad, with a revolver
| shot in the back of his head. He had
i
hesitated. That was plain enough.
thanked God that we had been in time
Ito save him from the wolves.
Yet there had been but short delay.
| For when Reski had seen his dead be-
| slowed upon the sleigh, he had taken
the reins and sent his horses forward. He
did not speak, nor did / offer him con-
ISOLATION. But as watched him sitting
/ oh he did
teak figure on a vessels bows, there was
grim intensity about the man, fixed
resolve that was strange to witness. So
| we fed through the night, down the
interminable avenues Of pines, bearing
our dead with us.
1t was one o'clock whca VIZ liz upon
wayside inn. Our clamOr aroused the
landlord, who directed us to where ket-
tie simmering on the stove gave warm
mash for the horses and hot coffee for
ourselves. He was sleepily injurious,
nor did he inquire what was the thing
beneath the rugs which we carried with
US. But he gave us news. Marnac had
left there less than two hours before. He
had been greatly delayed by collision
with tree, and some rough repairs had
been necessary. One of his horses, too
uuu Deeu Slightly ldnSu. ASt ANeoA
showed no unusual interest in the tale
we heard. He spent his time with his
horses, grooming and soothing them. II
was not till they had rested three-quar
tiers of an hour that he called me out
from my seat by the stove, and again We
swept away upon the chase.
1t was at dawn that we sighted him
He was climbing long slope, a blacl
speek in the white riband of road
Above him, long fakes of orange CLOUD
were slowly Frightening and deepening
in color. As he topped the hill, the SUI
came peering up over moorland heapet
with tumbled drifts. The sky flushed
| aud faded to deep cobalt blue. So day
came.
1t almost seemed as If our horses un
/ derstood. They increased their pace
, without a touch of the whip, Juggling a
| the frozen, twisted reins. As they, too
rose the hill, Reski shouted to them, ant
they stepped briskly forward. The fresl
snow had frozen, and we travelled well
, the surface cracking as we crushed owe
: it. We were less than a quarter of |
mile from him when he turned and no
ticed us. We saw him spring to his fee
and lash his team, but the off-side hors
was running stiffly and his pace scarcel,
increased. He leaned down, fumblini
! and searching at his feet, while he hell
the reins in one hand. After that h
did not hurry, but drove steadily forward
= CHANGING at us now and again over hi
! shoulder.
J, Ito be continued1
..