Gilpin observer., 1909-11-18
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A QUESTION jI'E /. !
The Story Of Winter Nights Ride
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'All that skillful, Intelligent physi-
sian could do for his patient you
have done for me. Herr Professor. and
yet after these many weeks my shat
tered nerves are no stronger. my
physical condition no better. There
fore. although touch upon the sub
1ect with extreme reluctance, l feel 1t
my duty to make a confession which
will help you better to understand my
mysterious malady." With a quiet mo-
ton OF the hand the doctor invited fur
ther confidence. and the pale. haggard.
but still beautiful woman began:
II am only "a years old, but
strangers would take me for almost
twice that age. Not SO very long ago
was blooming. vigorous young crea-
ture in perfect health, unconscious Of
the meaning Of nerves. About three
years ago married; my husband owns
large estates. partly near Vienna.
Partly in Gahcia on the Russian from
tier. from which our ample income
Is derived. We lived for time in
Vienna with my husbands parents.
and later at our country house in
LodnaJa. where my little daughter was
born-a frail. tiny creature whose hold
on life seemed alarmingly slight"
Here the young woman paused for a
moment, overcome by painful memo
ries.
You can we'll imagine how we
adored this child: how its every
breath. every motion. claimed our
eager attention. We were as one in
our love for our little baby, though 1t
seemed as II my husband tried
at times to outdo me in tender
ness. He would even reproach me
though with the soul of gentleness in
his tone-for loving the child less
than he did. This was an injustice.
of course-you well know, doctor, that
no man could love child as its moth
er loves it-but later this reproach
assumed an ominous meaning. l
should add that my husband loved me
as truly and faithfully as loved him:
he was the soul of gentleness and
goodness toward me. and was pos
sessed OF tact and fineness of feel
ing rare among men
put " my stOry. IL was winter,
and we were staying at Lodnaja. near
the boundary of Russia One day a
telegram came announcing the danger
GUS illness Of my husbands mother.
and begging that we. including the
baby. start at once for Vienna. The
probably dying woman yearned to see
all her beloved ones once more be.
fore the end came. 1t was no trifling
ordeal for me. with a delicate child
not yet year old. to make such a
journey in the depth of winter, but
who could refuse the last wish OF a
beloved mother on her death bed?
I'VE made the necessary prepara-
tions with all possible haste. and a
few hours later were seated in the
sleigh which was to take us the long.
desolate stretch. three hours across
country to the nearest railway station
My husband drove. seated alone on
the front seat: |. behind him. held our
child warmly wrapped in furs: we
took no attendants
1T grew dark very early: the i'm
measurable desert of snow lay before
us in deathlike sleep under the star
strewn heaven. The snow cracked.
an icy frost caught our breath. Our
horses were excellent; If they held
their pace and no accident occurred.
we might hope to reach the station by
II o'clock that night
MY baby slept calmly in my arms.
About ten o'clock the moon rose
behind us-gigantic. red. wavering on
the edge of the ocean OF snow. I
looked back. awed with the splendor
of the scene-the widening circle of
light which seemed to pour down upon
us like glistening icy stream. Sud.
denly. quite at the edge OF the white
world. far, far distant, as II evolved
out OF nothing, small dark mass ap.
peared. with changing outline which
seemed to follow In our wake. For a
few moments felt no uneasiness, but
as the dark blot drew nearer. o my
God! ] knew then the awful truth: 1t
was the wolves-a great. furious.
starving pack!
Fleet. noiseless, ghostlike. they
sped toward US. one stronger and
swifter than the others leading.
Il gripped my husbands shoulder;
at the same instant a wolf howled a
hoarse cry OF menace which found
echo in score OF eager. famished
throats. My husband raised his whip
and struck the horses with full force;
like boat on high wave the sleigh
lurched as the frightened beasts
dashed forward. Behind us the
bowling ceased. but on the frozen
snow we could plainly hear the patter.
ing foot-beats Of our pursuers.
Dumb with intense fear. heard. as
II in a dream. the strained. unnatural