Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-12-04
The Stranger Girl.


nearest railway station. There was
in her face none of that free from
care look natural to girls of her age.
but a serious, resolute expression as
though she were intent upon some
great purpose. She had no baggage
except n leather travelling bag, which
was noticeable. for she was not of the
peasant class. who are often too poor
to have any clothes except those on
their backs, but one of an intermediate
people between peasant and noble.
1t happened that there had been a
wedding in the village. and the groom
was about to take his bride to his
farm some versts away. The journey
lay In the direction of the railway,
and it was agreed that the stranger
girl should be permitted to accompany
the bridal party and be driven on be-
yond the groom's farm to the station.
Several friends of the young couple
were going to see the bridal couple to
their new home. Just as they were
about to start a man entered the
sledge without an invitation. The
groom objected, %whereupon the man
showed the badge of a government of
fetal. which silenced any further re-
fusal.
1t was in the springtime, but the
snow had not yet melted. The air was
cold and penetrating, and the travel
ers were all wrapped in fur robes.
But they were a gay party, cracking
their jokes and chatting the newly mar
ried couple. Only two persons sat
mute-the government official and the
stranger girl-though their rigid de-
meanor had no effect in dampening
the spirits of the others. But present
~, on coming to a wild tract that they
were obliged to cross, they suddenly
ceased their merriment. From the
forest came a sound muffied by dis
lance, but none the less terrible-a
sound known only too well to the oc-
cupants of the sledge as the distant
baying of wolves. The horses threw
up their heads in fright. then set off
at a gallop. The groom reached down
under the seat and. not finding what
he looked for. turned pale.
"The arms!' he exclaimed. "Where
are they?"
He looked at his young men friends
successfully. None had put in the
weapons. Each had expected some
n else to do SO. They had been left
behind.
Presently from the right and real a
dark mass came through the trees like
black water pouring in before a rising
tide. There it Joined on the road and
became a pack of wolves. There was
but n weapon In the party, and that
belonged to the government official.
1t was a revolver with six shots in its
chambers. Its possession could not be
considered a chance-it was hardly
ever a hope. It's owner drew 1t,
$1,000 - c5--ffha .woElas.c
within range fired at the leader and
bounced upon the dead wolf, while
the rest came on. The official fred the
six shots at intervals, with each shot
killing a wolf, and when he had done
this he had finished his defense. The
party were at the mercy of the wolves.
Though the horses were tearing along
at frantic speed, the wives were
drawing nearer every moment. When
they had come to a distance of about
fifty feet the stranger girl rose from
her seat, opened her satchel, took out
a steel ball the size of an orange and.
posing 1t In her right hand. said:
II give my life to save yours. This
man." referring to the government of
fetal, will see that | disappear from
the world. The stroke l intended for
n tyrant heaven wills shall go only to
n pack of wolves"
She threw the ball deliberately, and
1t came down near the center of the
pack. There was a fash. an explosion.
and where the wolves had been was n
vacant spot around which c~arcasses
and bits of carcasses we're spread on
the snow as if buttered with a huge
knife. A few lay moaning in agony,
while a few more limped or dragged
themselves away.
The party had been saved.
All turned to the stranger girl, the
bride and her girl companions throw
lis hANAl az AAOOhL iCls lhC ilCh DtlLH
ing her hands Inc covering them with
kisses. Then, when they had given
full expression to their gratitude, they
turned to the government official. who
sat mute.
"What is your intention with regard
to our preserver?" asked the groom.
"She is my prisoner"
"Inform on her at your perili'
"1f l don't inform on her / will be at
a peril equal to any you can inflict. She
was reported as being in correspond
ence with revolutionists at the capital.
| was sent by the minister of the in
terror to shadow her. If l fail to re
port her l will be arrested, taken to
st. Petersburg and executed"
Friends" said the groom, this girl
has given us our lives by killing a pack
of wolves. Is 1t not our duty to give
her hers nv killing this man whose life