Year: 1863

but to be determined by circumstances.


At this time there was heavy fall of
snow upon the ground, which had frozen
so hard as to be able to bear up a man
anywhere, and in many places horse;
and shortly after there fell light cover
ing to this of the depth of from one to
two inches, just enough in fact to make
it excellent tracking. AS | went out that
morning to fodder my cattle, remarked
to my wife that l had never seen a better
condition of things for pursuing our COM
mon enemy, provided we could get once
upon his fresh trail-but little did | think
when | spoke how near should find it to-
my own door.


On reaching my sheepfold, was both
surprised and enraged to discover nine Of
my best ewes lying stiff and bloody, with
two others all torn to pieces and nearly
devoured, and the trail of the andacious
beast leading off directly toward the first
range of hills.


"Now, then, Mr.. Wolf" muttered l,
"you have given me the chance | asked
for, besides stimulating me to revenge,
and if you escape this chase, you are des-
tined to a longer life than l am"


| Immediately sent off one of my boys
to tell Parker to be on hand as quick as
possible, with his rife and dog, and l
hastened to get myself ready for an ab-
sence of several days. We did not get
fairly started till about IL o'clock in the
morning and then we went off in fine
spirits, the dogs frisking and yelping
along the trail, which we could follow as
well as they.


Two miles brought us to the first range
of hills and another mile to the very spot
where the brute had lain and rested after
gorging himself at my expense. How
long he had been gone we could not tell
but from the actions of the dogs, we judg.
ed the scent to be pretty fresh, and We
pushed on with increased vigor, hoping We
might get glimpse of him before night.


The trail led directly over the frs


range of hills, down into broad beautiful


valley, and across this diagonally to still


higher aud sleeper range, which we reach


ed just as the sun was setting, distance


of twenty -one miles from my dwelling


Of course we could not follow the trail il


the dark, and l confess | was glad of al


excuse to stop, for it seemed as if every


bone in me ached and my neighbor com


planned of the same thing.


"If the first half-a-day knocked us VI
n this way" he said, :" fear we shall hav
e to say good-by to the wolf before we pu
s eyes on his tail"


"Oh, we shall get hardened to it il
S time" said l.


e Hardened to it p he exclaimed. "Goot
d faith, man, how long do you expect to b
d in pursuit of this beast p


l. It'll | overhaul him, and that ma,
r take week, perhaps two, perhaps longer.
e "We shall not be able to stir a step to
r morrow"


# "Oh, yes-a good rubbing down will
J. cold water tonight, will turn us out a
It good as new in six hours"


r We went to farmhouse that chance,
{. to be near us, and, ontelling who we wer
It and the object we had in view, we me
d with most cordial and hospitable recep
,e tion, the farmer himself having been
d sufferer at different times from the sam


rapacious beast.


d AS | had told my friend, a plentiful
IS use of cold water, and good nights slee
It in woolen sheets, brought us out all right
a and we rose at break of day as fresh an
,s vigorous as when we started from home
n The farmers wife, knowing our intention
d to be off as soon as it was light enoug
,f to see the trail had risen an hour befor
i and prepared us hot breakfast, whic
|. we now ate hurriedly. Then filling ou
!. wallets, to fortify ourselves against th
d chances of not being able to stop for dir


ner, we offered pay for our entertain
e ment, which was peremptorialy declined
'r On going forth to look for the trial,
| and behold, we found it almost at the yer
1t door, and leading directly from the farm