Year: 1868


diminished their speed that they fell be-
hiDd


But should the mare, in her terror,
spring aside, and plunge into the snow,
Kaupman knew all was UP with them.
Such proceeding would disentangle her
from the sled, and before she could foun-
der dozen yards through the snow the
rovonnms wolves wonl1 h. tearing hor to
shreds.


Reaching forward he patted the mare
with the hand that he held the reins,
while he held tie hatchet in the other,
and kept bis eye upon the brutss behind.
However, he did not use the weapon, for
the closer the wolves kept to the sled the
less they we're seen by the horse. and, as a
consequence there was less probability of
the terror becoming uncomfortable, and
her breaking aside from the path into the
snow


1t was not long before the wolves dis
covered that there was little prospect of
success SO long as they remained in the
track, and they now began springing aside
and attempting to get abreast of the horse
In every instance they fell behind; each
effort revealed them to the terrified mare,
and the furious plunges she was now ma
king filled Heinrich with the greatest anx-
iety.


One Of the wolves was very large,
straigh -limbed. and showed a speed supe-
rior to the rest. More than once when he
sprung out into the snow, he advanced
nearer abreast of the horse than did the
others. Upon this gaunt creature Helm
rich fixed his eye, and caught the green
light that played from his eyelds.


By and by, the snow became fatter, and
the huge wolf sprang aside. The speed
of these animals is extraordinary, and he
gained rapidly. Heinrich waited until he
got just abreast, whou, rising to his seat,
he circled the hatchet over his head, and
brought it down with the quickness of
lightning. The head was cleft in twain,
and with dying yelp, he doubled over in
the snow, and was quickly left behind.


One of the dreaded ANIMALS was dis
patched; there were three left as furious
for blood as him, and these never abated
their speed in the least. Had they got a
taste of their companion, they would have
gorged themselves on him before seeking
the horse, but he whisked off the stage Of
life SO suddenly that they scarcely noticed
his absence.


The distance from home vas rapidly d.
ninishing beneath the quick steps Of his
mare. which continued to carry the sled at
full speed, until the fear of overturn-
ing became again source Of anxiety
Heinrich, too, had learned by thi. time,
that these were no ordinary animals with
which he had to deal, but sharp set, cour.
ageous and determined brutes, to which
man or beast would be alike welcome, their
preference, however, as manifested by
their actions, being for horse-fesh.


They had now approached the very edge
Of the wood, and the wolves began gaining
on each side. The terror-stricken horse
became uncomfortable, and bounding ter
rifcally forward, caught the sled agains
the stump of tree, overturned it, and
galloped away at full run, leaving Helm
rich alone in the snow.


Before he could rise. he felt the brute.
clawing at his throat, but his garment.
were go thick that he was saved from In
jury; and rising to his feet. threw thea
off. His hatchet had been jerke1 from
his hand as he fell, and he looked despe
rately around for it, but it was not to b,
found.


BY this time tho mare was nearly out o
, sight, and two of the wolves were upol
the defenseless man, and the other, desert
ing the animal, bounded back Heinricl
faced the foremost, and the next momen
was surrounded.


The powerful man now called into pla
all the strength for which he was go re
nowned. He struck furiously at the leap
ing, snarling brutes, and flung them o.
when they attempted to cling to him: Ha
he weapon, evan club, it is not impos
, sib!e that he might have saved himself.
> blow, with club in his hand, would hav
cracked the skull of the largest brute
J, and with knife he would have rippe
e them open.


k But there was no hope fighting with hi
e naked hand. His blood had already dve
y the snow. and the sme II and taste of it ha
!, made the brutes ferocious. Their lith,
|. heavy bodies were hurled against him. q
q it impelled by some power not their owl
II and finally pul ed him down.