The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-11-07
ack. He had arrived not mo-


cattle started pm about the stack
and ran to the opposite side of the en-
closure, as far away from their ene-
mics as they could get. All were
frightened, but two of the steers paw
ed the litter and showed symptoms of
willingness to fight. There seemed
to he about dozen wolves outside.
Dapple and her calf were inside the
shed, the gate of which Tom had
closed that evening to keep the other
cattle from them. 1t now occurred to
him that the herd might be safest
with them, as he could guard the
opening over the gate with his rifle.
The pack, foiled in their efforts to
reach the cattle by jumping over the
fence on the north side, now started
to circle the end of -tlas gard Tom
ran and opened the shed gate, hoping
the steers would lead the way inside,
but instead, they hurried behind the
stack.
At this instant the wolves found
the big drift and ran up on it. Their
leader lifted his forefoot to the top
log, and was upon the point of leap
ing into the yard, when Tom took
aim at his side, and fired.
The beast sank down across the
fence and struggled for a moment,
till his body slid forward to the tram
pied ground below. At the sound of
the gun the cattle began to below,
and at last bolted for the gate. Tom
fired again as two more of the wolves
showed their heads, but the next in
slant was enclosed by the stampeded
herd, and now had to run for his life.
He was in the corner by the barn and
could not dodge past them.
He sprarg through the gate, and
was turning to the left, when one of
the steers, blind with terror, plunged
headlong against him, hurting him
against post that supported the slab
roof. His thick cap prevented his
skull from being fractured, but the
force of the blow was so great that
he sank down unconscious, across his
rifle, at the foot of the post.
For minute thereafter the cattle
were jammed in the gateway; then
they forced their way inside and
crowded to the farthest corner, each
fighting to get into the midst of the
struggling mass.
Dapple had been lying beside her
calf, back of the post against which
Tom had come to grief. This pro-
tected her from being trampled upon,
and kept the little creature safe. As
the stampede passed her, she leaped
to her feet like dear, and, determin-
ed to protect her calf at all hazards,
rushed to the open gateway.
Ten of the wolves were now in the
cattle yard. Their leader was dead,
and the smell of this man place was
very disquieting. But hunger soon
overcame their suspicious.
AS they gathered themselves to
gether for a concerted rush, Toms
wits slowly returned to him, and he
sat upright, half-dazed. The outcry
of the wolves recalled him to partial
realization of the situation.
Twice the wolves encircled the
stack, searching in vain for stragglers.
Then they saw Dapple, and rushed
straight at her.
The COW stood so that only her
head and neck projected beyond the
side posts. The first wolf that came
was caught on her horns and hurled
backward upon its fellows; the next
and the next followed suit. So fierce
was the cows defence that the pack
then sheered off, and ran, yapping
and leaping, along the shed.
Then the calf bawled in fear, and
its mother drew back inside the gate.
On the instant the wolves returned,
and she dashed cut to meet them. A
wiry old she wolf sprang directly up
on her head. Dapple threw her
down and drove one sharp horn
through her chest, inficting mortal
wound. But the limp body held her
nose to the ground, and she charged
fairly outside of the gate, when two
more wolves 1eaped upon her shoul-
ders. She was borne down till Tom
could see nothing but snarl of
struggling animals.
Then with a mighty effort she
broke the horn short off in the she
VOLTS carcass, and with the same inn
pulse freed herself of the others. But
she was bleeding from dozen wounds
and sadly crippled by the loss of the
horn. The pack was upon her again
in an instant, and but for prompt aid
she must have perished.
Tom was now reused and clear
headed. He sprang forward and fired
among the wolves, the muzzle of the
weapon being held so close to them
that the fash actually scorched their
hair. Three times the rife rang out,
and then the survivors ran away and
skulked in the farther cpd of the en-
closure, where they could hardly be
seen in the darkness.
Dapple was so aroused that she was
almost inclined to fight her rescurer,
but finally hurried to the side of her
calf. The little creature, frightened
by the smell of blood, kept as far
from her as possible. Tom closed the
gate, reflled the magazine of his rifle,
and walked to where the lantern was
hanging.
The trapped wolves could not es-
cape. Turning the light upon them,
he fired until the last one was dead.
They made not the slightest effort to
attack him.
He did what he could for Dapple's S
injuries, but her wounds caused a
fever that dried up her milk, and the
promising calf was stunted, although
its owner succeeded In keeping Ii
alive. The other cattle were SO afraid
of the wolves bodies that although
he skinned and removed them the
~a0t dow tho hard Gould MT ha In.