Cowmen and Rustlers: A Story of the Wyoming Cattle Ranges

hreatened them all he darted out beside the brother and sister

d Fred; "we cannot push

plied Jennie, "for they

spoke the truth. It looked as if a few minu

he woods," said Fred, "and

s. "The instant we start for the shore they will be at our heels. Make as if we were going to

e she and her brother had executed a few

stol," said Monteith, "while you

ay. At sight of the three figures near the middle of the course they rent the air with howls, and came trottin

foot, his revolver, with its two precious

om such a horde could produce no effect upon the rest, unless perhaps to furnish some of them a

frighten the animals into opening a path for a moment, thro

nd him. Fred and his sister must look out fo

light, familiar scraping on the ice told him that Fred and Jennie were at his heels. He kept on with slackenin

of the creatures were drawn well over toward the right shore, Sterry did as his friends did awhile before, skimming abruptly to the left and almost back over his own tra

e moment of turning with a

almost nigh enough to touch him with outstretched hand. No need of shouting any

aking the turn so quickly that they slid a rod or more over the

hemselves. At the moment when everything promised well, the most enormous wolf he had

arp turn in his course. To do this, however, would bring him so near the ot

ver!" called Fr

xigency demanding one of the remaining charges,

cession was coming in a straight line for him. The youth mo

evelling his pistol, w

eps and made a tremend

d, but at the instant

fly with one

who, with a rasping yelp, made a sidelong plunge, as if diving off a bank into the water, and, striking on the side of hi

y near, when the scent of blood and the sight of their fallen comrade suggested to the foremost that a meal

ahead. His crouching body, the head well in advance, somewhat after the manner of a racing bicyclist on the home-stretch, his co

th like a flash and share the fate of the victim of his pistol. They were near, for he could hear that m

ter, whose peril, therefore, was correspondingly greater. He looked around. He was farther from

d close in shore and going like the wind. The couple were still preserved

lance when he skimmed past at the same furious pace as before. It looked as if there was hope at last, for the br

this little river," was his thought, "but there ma

rd them. Not only that, but believing his help was n

extended along that bank, partially obscuring the form of Fred

from them, though they still kept up the pursuit, and while able to foll

end was not skating with his

red?" he called, draw

nie! What will

t was now appar

onteith Sterry slackened his pace

ome of her? W

to the mouth o

n't you

she called to me to keep on and said s

g Monteith, "how could she do

ow, but it seemed half the pack were in my path, and it was certain death. I

Monteith; "the chances are a t

alf beside himself, "that it m

The wolves had gained so fast during the last few minutes t

k!" shouted

on the ice in front. Before he could gather himself a bullet from the revolver was drive

id him, and the next instant were skimm

y from them until, ere long, they were safe, so far as those creatures were concerned. They continued the pursuit, however, being a

ing of the missing one. The wolves were between them and her

s that tributary

ed, but probab

h is not ha

thing l

s become

! What shal

an either of us, and I am sure none of them was in front of

is with enough width to give her room, she w

can take off her skates and continue homeward through the wo

but some of the wolves may ap

have heard their cries if a

o felt that every rod toward home took them that distance farther

ce farther; "we are now so far from the animals that they cannot t

ll we do? Wha

ake off our skates and cut across the creek; she may hav

g forward, where the straight stretch was so extensiv

be anoth

his home by the racket. He is a great hunter. I hope i

y gripped the ar

a man! It i

be? Not Jenn

You are no s

it was her slight, girlish figure

clasped his beloved sister in his arms,

that escape seemed impossible. She had fallen slightly to the rear, and a single terrified glance showed her a beast in the act of leaping at her. Her dart to the left was only the effort to elude him for that instant, and s

, were to the effect that she would try to rejoin him farther down

ly the brute that was on the point of leaping at her, but three others, turned

e surface of the larger stream, it placed her considerably in advance of the nearest pursuers. Add to this her

appeared before her she would be lost, for there

n them to the river, and if there were any n

utary curved so as to bring them near each other. Reaching that place, she buried the heels of her skate-runners in the ic

als so repeatedly disappointed of their prey, b

ugh to leave the wolves behind; they would have done so at once if they had not been

ight sneak up unseen. Often she stopped and listened, but when half the distance was passed, without any alarm from that source, she believed nothing was to be feared. A little farther and she reached

curely refastened, and

were few and distant a

zed it as made by skates gliding over the ice.

midnight all three were at home, where they found the mother anxiously awaiting their return and greatly r