The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-29

proached too closely Sonia whipped up
the horse and gained little on It.
Meanwhile wolves were pouring from
the woods into the road behind the
sleigh. They were yelping and snarl-
ing and tumbllng over one another,
but always keeping their fierce eyes on
the object containing what would ap-
pease their hunger, for 1t was near the
end of long winter, and they were
famished.
Finally the pack, now united, press
ed so closely upon the sleigh that Pc
ter felt it necessary to kill the leader,
knowing that there would be a scram-
bic for his dead body, which would oc-
casion some delay. Peter was good
shot and put bullet between the eyes
of the foremost wolf. The beast drop
ped dead, and, as Peter had expected,
many of the brutes pounced upon the
body and fought for it. But there
were so many In the pack that num-
ber that could not get near the carcass
followed on.
n WOll tlntIEtu lIOIh thC "ooN III
advance and made spring for the
horse, which was going at gallop.
Sonia had brought revolver with
her. Its chambers being loaded, she
took the reins In her left hand and,
drawing the weapon with her right,
fired, and the wolf, releasing Its
clutch on the horse, rolled down into
the road. His carcass took off num-
ber of the wolves following.
The yelping and the shots awakened
little Peter, who threw off the cover
ing from his face and, realizing that
something was wrong, added his own
tiny voice to the din. But neither his
father nor his mother could spare any
time to attend to him, for the former
was now forced by the pressing wolves
to fire more rapidly, while the latter
was emptying the chambers Of her re-
volver upon those that were appearing
in the road in front of the sleigh.
Though Peter husbanded his shots
as best he could, all were gone at last.
Some of the wolves had been killed
by him, some had Jagged behind, and
some had dropped out of the chase al
together. There were now only half
dozen wolves in pursuit, but they
were the largest, the strongest and the
fiercest of the pack The leader made
spring for Peter, who Drained 1t
with the barrel of his rife. But In
doing so the weapon slipped out Of Pc
ter's hand and fell in the road.
While the body of the wolf he had
killed was being devoured Peter turn
ed to his wife, put his arms about her
and kissed her
"Goodby, sweetheart" he said.
"What are you going to doY
"The wolves must have another vic
tim"
"Oh, Peter!'
ut is for you and the child. When
the next one springs at me he will
take me, but there will be food enough
for all of them in my body, and you
may escape"
"No; we will die together"
81 will 90 first. If they require more
food 1t will be your turn next. God
grant that | may save you both"
He bent down and kissed his little
son; then, standing on the rear seat.
was about to jump down into the road
when shot was heard and the fore
most wolf fell dead. The rest scatter
ed under shots fred from an unseen
enemy
Pull up" cried Peter to his wife.
Sonia drew rein and at the same time
several men emerged from the wood on
one side of the road.
I'VE are just in time" said one of
them.
But Peter did not hear him; he was
locked in an embrace with his wife,
while the horse stood painting. Then
the mother took little Peter in her
arms, while tears of relief flowed fast.
A party of woodsmen working near
the road had heard the, yelping and the
shots and, sulmising the cause, had
ran toward the approaching din. Hav-
ing guns and ammunition, the driving
or Of the remaining wolves was an
easy matter.
There was thankfulness in the hearts
of Peter and his wife while completing
their journey, and ns soon as they had
reached their home and put little Peter
in his crib they fell on their knees side
by side and with their arms about
each other.
Peter Nichialiefs farm was besiegcd
10y his ncighbors to hear about the
war Waged so far from them that
they got no news of it except when
some discharged soldier came home.
usually broken down in body and some
times in mind, to tell them about It,
Peters accounts We're listened to In
wrapt attention, but ON telling OF his
adventures he always wound up by
saying that under the most murderOus
fire he had never encountered anything
so appalling as when the only remain
ing defense for his wife and boy was
his own body thrown as meat to the
wolves.
Not long after Peters return another
discharged soldier brought the news
that the Little Father had abdicated
the throne, and new era had opened
for the Russian empire,
RV this time Peter HAVING hncOma