Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 368: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STRANGE STORY “I forced my horse into his swiftest gait and sped on through the bitter cold air. It had been snowing all day, and huge banks were piled up, occasion- ally in the very middle of the roadway. “ The latter was not very distinct at best, and I had not ridden a mile before I was in grave doubt as to whether I was in the woods or the ‘ king’s high- way.’ “Then, as suddenly as I tell you of it, there came to my ears the far away, thrilling, echoing yelp of a wolf. My horse heard it and shot forward like an arrow. My heart began to beat as it only does when its owner is thor- oughly frightened, and I leaned for- ward to tighten my grip on the reins. “ Again | “I could hear the shuddering cry just as the clouds broke away from the moon and the gloomy forest became 1I- lumined by the strange, white light. The banks of snow flew apart before our onward rush, and the trees beside me seemed to be wafted backward by an invisible power.: There was a slight breeze, and I remember now that it moaned among the barren pines and added intensity to the cries of the wolves. ‘‘ They seemed to come from no sin- gle direction, and for aught I knew I might be running into their very midst. But for all that I kept on, determined to get out of the terrible forest before —I shuddered at the thought of the al- ternative. “T think it must have been half an hour after I first heard the yelping brutes, that one cry sounded behind me with such awful shrillness that I turned my head. ' § And then I saw what I hope no other man will ever see under similar circumstances—a pack of wolves, eager for my blood, and straining every nerve to overtake me. I used my revolver and the foremost brute fell back dead, but there ‘would have been use for 4 score of bullets before that yelping horde could be brought to bay. OF COUNT BARENZIK. 359 “ They came rushing on, gaining at every leap, and keeping up their infer- nal howling until my ears rang and my brain whirled. “The horse needed no further urg- ing. He ran as I had never seen a horse run before, and the flakes of white foam flew back upon his jet black breast. I was not more than ten yards in front of the foremost beast when my last shot was fired, and he was gaining rapidly. “The road was quite well lighted by the rising moon, and in the distance ahead I saw, just as the echo of the dis- charge had died away, a large black object which I at first thought was a rock. A second glance brought to me the welcome intelligence that it. was a log building, the door of whieh stood invitingly open. : “One sharp, quick pull of the rein to the right, and I had left the roadway and was dashing toward the building. Another instant had not passed before horse and rider were inside, the latter slamming shut the ponderous door and and former sinking on his knees to the earthen floor with a pitiful whinny. . “As soon as I could collect my thoughts somewhat, I struck a match and held it above my head, thereby il- luminating the interior of the cabin for a space of sixty seconds. “The walls were bare of adornment and the furniture consisted of a pile of cut firewood near the stone chimney. I lit another match and then discov- ered a tallow candle on the floor, which being lighted, I was enabled to scru- tinize my surroundings more closely. ““ My escape had been little less than miraculous, and I could hear my pur- suers howling an invitation for me to come outside. But this, I need scarce- ly say, I did not do. “The door was fastened by a slight wooden catch, and fearing that the wolves might break this down, I began to pile against -it the logs of firewood. They formed a barricade which I knew was impassable, and I had just lifted COMIC DOOKS CO