Gilpin observer., 1909-11-18

ging. or were the hideous creatures
doubling their speed? Frequently now
q prolonged howl broke the stiffness.
which. far more than the whip or
the voice Of the driver. urged the
horses to supreme effort.
Hope left me. My mind was a con.
fused blur as one wolf after another
bounded forward to within few yards
OF US. Pictures of such scenes with
their horrible ending. OF which had
heard and read, crowded upon my
memory. Should we cut one of the
horses loose to delay the catastrophe? :?
But before this could be done. we
would all be lost. II only Barry. our
faithful dog. were with US in the
sleigh!
Il remembered hearing in my child.
hood OF one Of our peasants saving his
life by throwing to the wolves young
calf he had bought at market that
morning.
IF myself were to spring out?
"Then-oh, the horror of 1t all! Doc
tor. you perhaps. as a physician, can
understand the monstrous inhuman
thoughts that take shape in fevered.
distracted brain. There was the child
should /? At the hideous fancy
burst into loud hysterical weeping, my
lips bled with the print of my teeth, I
struggled with myself as II with dew
ilish foe. But. ah. he!"-the suffering
creature here broke down in a food of
hysterical tears-"the hateful thought
came again and again; whirled wildly
In my poor. distracted brain; pos
sessed me, tortured me. maddened me
! with fierce persistence.
81 screamed aloud to rid myself of
the thought-screamed till the horses
took new fright and sprang even fast
er-but the black thought held grim
hold. The wolves were almost upon
the sleigh-close, close behind me. The
compulsion to commit the awful deed
gripped and mastered me with un-
speakable misery.
The road led into a wood. My hus-
band gave never a glance behind-he
only grimly held himself together and
lashed. lashed. lashed at the strain
ing horses. 1t was densely dark in
the woods: the wolves howled inces-
sanity now. One. breathless and pant
ing. vaulted in long. agile bounds
close beside u.s.
Then with trembling hands I drew
my child. my sleeping baby. closer.
pressing her to my breast till she
awoke and began to cry. l stilled her
wailing, which pierced me to the
heart. with torrent of kisses and
wild. foolish baby chatter. l shud-
dered in every limb; a torturing un.
rest overwhelmed me: a longing to
strike myself-anything to end this
terrible. unendurable tension of mind.
A strange electric fluid seemed to
surge through my arm. Then-I shall
never know the truth-did my grasp
suddenly weaken? God is my witness
l am innocent. l have no more rec
objection of myself or my action. Then
suddenly the bowling of the wolves
drowned all else-the child lay on the
snow behind the sleigh" The young
woman covered her face with her
hands. her frail body shaken with the
violence OF her sobs.
After a short pause she continued in
a changed. dry. expressionless voice.
speaking in sharp detached SEN
tences:
"As We emerged from the wood |
regained consciousness: the wolves
were out of sight and hearing; red
lights cleaned forth; bell sound.
ed. We had reached the station. My
husband lifted me gently from the
sleigh and laid me on a bench. People
busted themselves over me with re-
storatives and much kindly commits.
GRAFTON. My husbands eyes were brim-
ming with tears. but he uttered not
one word. except sometimes to muir
muir my name. They lifted me into
the train. For many weeks in Vienna
| lowered between life and death. My
husband never left my bedside. Very
slowly wore on to partial re-.
! covery.
I'VE travelled over sea and land,
searching for the spot that would ben.
eft me. but It has all been In vain
nothing helps me.
"Of that horrible night we have
never spoken one word. My husband
is unspeakably good to me. more ten.
derly solicitous than ever before, but
this awful specter is always between
us. can never look in my dear ones
eyes. | dread always the question lurk.
Ing In them-the unbearable, search.
ing. haunting question: Did you with
intention do that awful deed?"
| Alive to opportupltv.