Page:The Pacific Monthly vol. 14.djvu/109

 appened. The poor deer, which were as tame as scented the peril and feared for his mas- hearth cats, and hung around the peep ter. Had Bo3'd required any stimulus hole all day like a crowd around a railway to increase his speed it would have been ticket office on an excursion day, watching supplied by the appalling sight which with great tearful eyes for any crumbs met his eye at the fringe of wood behind Boyd might spare them, suddenly disap- the house, where a dozen gaunt, dark-gray peared. Not a living thing was to be seen timber wolves, in groups of twos and anywhere around the house all day. The threes, in full cry, were bursting through air was much warmer, but still as the the tangle into the open. Their long red tomb. Overhead the sky stretched blue tongues lolled out of their slobbering jaws, and cloudless, and it was filled with warm and the soldier even in that desperate mo- sparkling sunshine. Boyd, who had been ment noted the glitter of those rows of getting out spruce poles up the woods for fearful fangs. No man ever ran faster a new barn to be built in the spring, set clad as Boyd was during that last ten off with his axe and cord, to continue yards.

the work after his week's idleness. When "Back Fruin; lie down, lad!" he about a quarter of a mile from the house shouted before he opened the door, fearing he remembered that he had left his iron ^^^^ ^|^g ^jog ^^^Id spring out and trip splitting wedges behind him, and turned j^jj^^ In ^e flung, and as Boyd dashed back to get them. ^y^Q ^qqj. g]^^|- -^j^]^ ^^ thunderous slam two "Hallo, what's this?" he exclaimed as of the gray fiends tumbled in a confused he stooped down to examine the snow be- mass over one another on the very step, side his own outbound tracks. Close by It was like the fall of a gray breaker on the depression made by his moccasined the beach in stormy weather. Another feet were the deep dents left by either a instant and their fangs would have fas- very large dog or a wolf. They came out tened upon him. Shooting the iron bolts with the footprints to a certain point ; Boyd surveyed the scene in his front yard stopped, turned and went back toward with mingled feelings. There were scores the house, sometimes toping the first of the savage brutes. In their rage and trail. He was puzzled to understand what disappointment they behaved like mad had become of the animal, but at the same things. They bounded high into the air, time pushed on for the house. While still whisking their brushes and snapping their about two hundred yards from the door tremendous jaws with a sound such as the a long low howl that made the silent swarming sharks make in Kingston Har- woods echo strangely, broke upon his ear. bor, Jamaica; howling and wailing the He had heard a wolf's howl before at while in the most appalling fashion. They Fort Perry ; but not like that. It sounded scratched at the door ; stood up on their like a signal ; a strange, sustained ulula- hind legs under the windows ; hurled them- tion, ending in a sharp yelp. Boyd doubled selves in masses against the door, and his speed, running across the clearing for fought with one another for place near the door. Again the long warning howl the building. Then they would race madly burst forth, this time accompanied around the house and stable until they at a greater distance by many others, had a track like a circus ring beaten in There seemed to be hundreds of those hor- the snow with their feet. It was a grand rible voices yelling in the woods. Then though terrifying sight. The poor horses Boyd understood. He had been tracked also smelled danger and whinnied and by an old skirmisher scenting for his band, stamped in their stalls. Boyd took down The wolf had turned when it saw Boyd his Winchester and opened fire on the stop, and then had slunk back toward the wolves, taking the first one clean through dwelling, only to plunge into the bush and the heart. In less time than it takes to give his mates the summons. As Boyd say it the beast's bones were picked. Just sprinted the remaining fifty yards to his a flash of red and gray, some crimson door the bowlings came nearer and nearer, stippling in the snow. Fruin's excitement Axe and cord he cast aside, for he was became intense. He and one of the wolves heavilv clad and knew his danger. If even swore furiouslv at one another through one of the wolves should get between him the door. Boyd had no ammunition to and the house he was done for. Fruin's waste and his intention was to pick off a anxious bark came from the house. He wolf now and then, but his plans were