Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-25

the mistake he was making. but he
settled down to his work and began
pulling away from them again, and
made in toward the shore on long OBJ
lique which brought him back To bet
ter footing without giving his pursuers
the advantage of n short cut To gain
upon him.
by this time we had covered half
the length of the lake, and ! was be-
ginning to wonder what the buck
would do when he came to the land and
how the race for life would go with
him. But he evidently was doing some
thinking himself. A little promontory
jutted out into the lake about a mile
ahead, and he increased his lead as he
neared and went around. | turned the
head of the boat from shore to round
| the obstruction, and as we fell away
from the wind we gathered tremend-
Gus headway We were now abreast Of
the pack and about two hundred yards
further out in the lake.
| when l again turned into the old
course we fell behind little. but were
still in the running. Around the point
went the wolves, with tine long gallop
which knows no finish until the Great
ure they are pursuing gives up the
struggle. Then there was confusion.
l knew from the actions of the brutes
that the prey had Outwitted them, but
how l could not imagine. They clus-
tered around on the ice for moment
as we passed the point, and set up
dismal howl. Then the leader made
for the woods on the landward end of
the point, and the others followed.
1T is all over said to Mary and
now for home. But no. A quarter of
mile down the lake back of us the
deer again took to the ice. The wolves
evidently saw him, for the whole pack
came into view, and renewed the chase
with as mucn determination as ever.
Right then / made up my mind that
l would see the finish IL it took all
night. l swung around and started af-
ter them. The wind was almost with
us now, and we were going at fairly
high speed. Then a puff came out Of
the pines and took us up almost to the
tails of the more laggard of the pack
and in this way we raced about four
miles.
| "The deer was still able to keep away
| from mis- enemies and a few Of them
began to show disposition to quit and
seek an easier meal, but the leaders were
as untired as ever. l eased off the sail
and slackeneG speed to keep from get
| ting ahead of the hunted and the hun
ters. I was occupying the position Of
a man riding a fast horse to hounds,
who must curb his mount to keep be-
hind.
| MY sympathies were all with the
noble animal that was making such
gallant fight for life, and l was hoping
against hope that he would win, when
he struck a sheet of clear ice and
sprawled headlong. Even the lagsard
wolves bounded forward with renewed
strength when they saw him fall, and
were almost upon him when he regain
ed his feet and fled anew. | could see
that he was not as strong as before,
and in spite of every effort the leader
was within a few yards of him before
we had gone another half mile.
He realized that his strength was
no longer equal to the task of saving
his life by flight, but evidently had no
intention of dying tamely. Turning
slightly he gained a spot where big
windrow of snow was piled up, and
wheeled like lightning. Lowering his
antlers he caught the leading wolf,
lifted him into the air, and flung him
ten yards away. The others stopped in
| their tracks, evidently with the inten-
ton of surrounding and hamstringinS
the poor beast, and then pulling him
down without resistance. The leader
was so disabled as to be out Of the
battle, and sat snarling where ne mad
| fallen.
| II was never more cXcited-it all
| happened so quickly. The boat was
headed straight for the scene OF the
tragedy of the wilderness, but | did not
realize it until l was almost in the
midst of the pack. l veered just in
time to avoid the big drift. At the
same moment the wolves noticed my
approach, and the appearance OF the
big white monster, which they doubtless
reasoned tine boat must be, frightened
them. They scurried to get out OF the
way, but one was not fast enough, ana
the bowsprit hit him a blow that
knocked him twenty feet and stretched
him limp on the snow.
| Another got a glancins blow from
| the boom as we went by, ana Dig
fellow snapped viciously at the sail,
| to be knocked over backward.
"There were ten or twelve of them,
and their snarls made me shiver as |
passed through the ruck. In few
seconds we were hundred yards
away. going like whirlwind. | could
hear them yelping as | swung around
in circle toward the other shore with
the intention of again charging. and |
had made up my mind that If any or
them were on the smooth ice where
could run one down | would try tn"
virtue of the bowsprit as a spear
| when l got around so | could Sc"
what was happening they were again
surrounding the buck, which was bat
Ting bravely and successfully. Wnen
approached them the second time they
scattered wildly and dashed into the
| woOds-all but one further away from
| shore than the others. II" kept to the
| ice and | followed him. As | gained
upon MIN he could hear the runners
tearing the ice and light snow. and
his yelping plainly told Of his terror
had him almost sprarcd once, but he
lodged and ! missed him by few
inches. Taking time by the fnrclnck
he made for shore and disappeared.
THAT was the end of it $" far as the
wolves were concerned. They had
| their hard nights work for nothing ana
a few of them had sore bones int" tn"
bargain.