The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-03-05

taken. But there was STRIP OF open
ground where the unknown animal
must show itself If it was coming
toward him, and In a few seconds,
indeed, the creature came out from
the underground into plain sight. 1t
came at a fast, sinking trot, a gray
brown animal about the size of
collie dog, bushy-tailed and with It's
head carried low.
Horace had never seen a timber
wolf at large. although he had heard
them often enough, but he recogniz-
ed it at once. He did not feel any
particular alarm, for he knew the tim
idity of these brutes when alone.
and he watched it in amused expec-
fancy of the terrified "bolt" when
it should see or scent him.
But it came on with disconcerting
steadiness, even after it must have
become aware of his presence. A
sight uneasiness began to invade the
surveyors mind. The beasts coat
looked DUH and NANCY; there was
curiously jerky motion in Its gait, and
there were large flecks of froth on
its half-opened jaws. AS it came
nearer, Horace heard continuous
low sound, half-snarl and half-moan
from its low-hung muZzle.
The animal was mad-Horace sud-
denly realized the fact! He had
heard many times that rabies is ter
ribly prevalent every summer among
the northern timber-wolves, serving.
in fact, a useful purpose in keeping
down the pack and wanders alone,
spreading its malady at every oppor-
tunity, until 1t dies a solitary death.
He had no weapon but the hatcher
1t was too late to try to reach the
canoe, where his rifle lay; but dead
cedar stood at his shoulder, and with
a bound he clutched the trunk and
pulled himself up among the dry.
piky branches.
The movement caught the animals
attention and 1t sprang forward. Hor-
ace kicked out desperately. His boot
caught the wolf on the jaw as 1t
leaped after him, and 1t fell back
with a yelp, while Horace tremulous-
lily established himself safely out OF
reach.
The unfortunate animal made three
or four more bounds into the air
in an aimless fashion, and stared up
blinkingly. Horace expected to be
help captive Indefinitely, but after a
few minutes the wolf seemed to for
get him, and Hoped away into the
woods, going down the river.
The young surveyor kept his perch
in the tree for several minutes at
ter the animal was out of sight. The
peculiar horror of the peril, beyond
all the ordinary forms of death, had
completely unnerved him. Then, like
flash, it came eupon him that the
wolf was heading directly for the
McNeiM clearing.
It would come blindly out upon the
potato patch and the children; and in
Its madness, as he had learned, It
had no fear of man.
The imminence of this more appall-
ing danger shocked Graham out of
his panic.
He slid down from the tree breath
lessly and dashed toward the river.
The river alone could carry him fast
enough to overtake and pass the
rabid animal, and for the first time
he blessed the rapid current.
His kit still lay piled beside the
canoe, and he splashed the craft in
to the water, taking nothing with
him but the rifle. There was no
time to make another portage; he
would have to run the rapid. and
the spray was scattering in his face
before he regarded the danger.
| The canoe shot like a bullet down
the boiling cascade, missing the
boulders more by good luck than
good steering, shipped n couple Of
bucketfuls of water as it heeled, and
bust through a bank Of piled foam
with a furry of white flakes.
The paddle was almost wrenched
from Horace's hand when he dipped
| 1t; but he was already close to the
bottom of the fall when a violent
twisting eddy caught the canoe
aslant, and 1t went over.
| For a moment Horace was checked,
battered and blinded, and then he
came up at the foot Of the rapid,
feeling dizzy and half-stunned. Sew
eral inches of skin were gone from
one hand. where it had come in con-
tact with a rock, but no serious dam
age had been done, and he plunged
after the canoe, which was floating
quietly. bottom upward, a few yards
away.
The water was hardly waist-deep.
and he overlook and righted the
craft, and clambered gingerly aboard.
His rifle was somewhere at the bot
tom of the stream. but there was
no time to look for it. There was
sure to be a gun of some sort at the
settlers cabin, although the settler
himself, as he just then remember