Tales and Sketches.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 47, 16 December 1871, Page 16

Tales and Sketches.

A NIGHT OF TERROR IN MICHIGAN. [From the Red Fox.] I brought out all my embroidery patterns, and the giant took as much pleasure as a child in the pretty painted pictures and gay-colored wools and silks. I make all the conversation I could over the slippers, willing to divert him from the melancholy which seemed to have taken possession of his mind. Over my workbasket he brightened a little, and chatted away like himself, and listened with pleasure to Minny's singing. We did not rise to go to bed till eleven o'clock, which was a very late hour for Maysville. When the Panther spent the night at our house, as was frequently the case, he never would go regularly to bed, but would take his blanket and lie down before the kitchen fire. With great politeness he insisted on getting the wood ready for morning, a thing he never would have dreamed of doing for a woman of his own race. As he came back into the kitchen from the shed, he took up his rifle, which he had set down by the door. As he did so an angry look came over his face. 'Look here,' he said ; ' somebody been spoil my rifle!' I looked at the piece in surprise, for the lock was broken. ' II cannot have been done since you came,' I said ; ' there is no one in the house but ourselves.' ' Of course not, of course not!' said the Panther, eager to show that he had no suspicion of his friends. 'Did you stop anywhere on your way ?' ' Yes,' said he ; with some slight embarrassment; 'stop at Ryan's,' mentioning a low tavern on the borders of the reservation, which was a terrible thorn in the side of all the missionary's efforts. •Stop a minute light my pipe, but no drink one drop,' he added, with great earnestness ; ' but they ask me good deal.' ' Did you put your gun down ?' ' Guess so,' he said, after a moment's reflection ; ' yes, know did put it down a minute or two. _ * •Then that was when the mischief was done, you may be sure. This lock was never broken by accident. It may have been a mere piece of spite because you would not stay. I wonder you did not notice it when you came out.' ' In a hurry, and kept the buckskin over it, not to git it wet; wish knew who did that,' said he, with a look not good to see; ' guess not do it again.' •I am very sorry, but it can easily be mended.' I spread out on the floor for him the comfortable bed and blankets I had brought out for his use, and hung up his woollen hunting frock, now quite dry. As I took it into ray hand, I felt something very heavy in the pocket. 'I hope you have nothing here that will be spoiled with wet ?' I said. ' Oh, nothing but money,' said the chief, carelessly ; ' mean to tell Minny take some of it, and buy clothes for me.' He took out as he spoke a handful of loose change—copper, silver, and two or three gold pieces—and a roll of bills a good deal damp, and put it all into my apron. I counted the money, and found there were seventy-five dollars. Strong indeed must have been the attraction which had brought the old man away from the tavern fire in his sober senses with such a sum of money in his pocket. ' Just got that,' he said, ' part from Washington, part sell deer-skins.' There was no need to tell ma that it had not been long in his possession. Money in the Panther's hands was like water in a sieve. ' You give me five dollars, give the rest to Minny,' he said; and as this was by much the wisest arrangement for him, I did as he wished. ' You got captain's gun ?' he asked me ; ' never like to go to sleep without something to catch up; hit somebody, 'spose somebody come.' ' I am sorry to say the captain has his rifle with him, and I lent the shot gun to Jim Brewster this afternoon. He looked annoyed but he went out into the wood shed and returned with the axe. which was new and sharp. ' Have something anyway,' he said, doggedly. ' Why, what do you think can possibly happen ?' ' Don't know ; always like to have something to catch up ; good-night, mamma ; you go to sleep.' I went to bed, and fell asleep almost on the minute, but I could not have slept long when I was awakened by the noise of the wind against the shutters. The rain had ceased, but the blast was still roaring without. Minny and her child were in a room which opened out of the parlor opposite my own. The lamp which was burning threw a dim light into my chamber, and showed me each familiar object and my little boy asleep beside me. Some one says that between the hours of one and four in the morning the human mind is not itself. I fully believe it. In those hours you do not 'fix your mind' on melancholy subjects—they fix themselves upon you. If you turn back upon the past, there comes up before you every occasion on which you made a fool of yourself, every lost opportunity every slight injury you ever experienced. If you look at the future, you see nothing but coming failure and disappointment. The present moment connects itself with every tale you ever heard or read of ghosts, murder, vampires, or robbers. That night, cither beeause of the wind, or because I had taken too strong coffee, I fell into «the fidgets' as this state of mind is sometimes called, and selected for immediate cause of discomfort the Panther's presentiment about the red fox. Who could explain the mysterious way in which animals

are warned of approaching danger ? Perhaps the old science of divination was not so entirely a delusion: and then I remembered all the old stories in Roman history of people who had come to grief by neglecting the oracles. The old idea that whatever incident is considered as an omen will be such in reality, seemed to me at that hour of the night not wholly an unreasonable theory. I had known, to be sure some fifty presentiments which came to nothing, but then I had known as many as three which had been verified ; perhaps the present case might be one of the exceptions to the rule. Then I remembered all the stories in Scott's ' Deraonology,' which I had lately read, and quite forgot all the arguments intended to disprove them. I thought of the broken gun-lock. I thought it not improbable that the Panther had, when at Ryan's, mentioned that he was coming to our house, and that it was very likely he had let it appear that he carried his money with him. Ryan's was one of the worst places in all the State. I remembered that the money was in the house, and I began to wish, like the Panther, that I had something to ' catch up.' Then there were so many noises about! I heard footstens, which you will always hear, if you listen for them on a windy night. When our petted old cat jumped from his place on the parlor sofa to lie down before the fire, I started up in bed in a sudden fright. I must have been in this uncomfortable state of mind and body for the best part of an hour before I remembered that in a drawer in the front parlor lay two little old-fashioned pistols, unloaded, but in good order. I had grown so excited and uneasy that I felt as if I could not rest unless I got up, found these pistols, and loaded them, though nobody had ever heard of a burglary in Maysville, and half the time the doors were left unlocked at night. Rather despising myself for my nervousness, but yielding to it nevertheless, I rose, put on my dressing gown and slippers, lit my candle, and went to find the two little pistols. I stepped very softly, not to disturb Minny, for I should have been quite ashamed then to have her know my cowardice. I looked in at the door as I passed. She was sound asleep, with her baby on her arm. The baby, however, was broad awake, but lying perfectly still, with her little finger in her mouth. Her eyes shone in the lamplight as she turned them on me —not startled like another child, but simply questioning. The little creature looked so unnaturally wise and self-possessed that I was reminded perforce of a wild tale Wyanota had once told me about a remote ancestress of his who had married some sort of a wood demon. The legend ran that Wyanota's family was descended from the offspring of this marriage, and I think Wyn more than half believed the story. I passed on, and going into the next room found the pistols, carried them back, to my own chamber, and loaded them carefully. I was quite accustomed to the use of firearms. There had been times in my life when I never sat down to my work or went to rest without having rifle or pistol within easy reach of my hand. When I had loaded the weapons, I put them on the table by my bed, and lay down again. My excitement seemed to have subdued and I was just falling asleep when I heard a door in the kitchen violently burst open. I thought the wind had done it, and waited a moment to hear if the Panther would rise and shut it. The next instant there was a shot, a wild cry a-) of mingled pain and fury, the sound of a heavy fall, and a struggle. Before I had well realised that the noise was in the house, I found myself at the kitchen door with my pistols in my hand. I was greatly startled, but my one idea was to help my own friend. The miserable door resisted me for a moment. Seconds passed that seemed hours. Winn at I tore it open, I saw a man in his shirtsleeves lying dead on the floor, his head shattered apparently by a blow from the axe ; another, a large powerful Irishman, was kneeling on the Panther's breast, with his hands at the old man's throat. I sprang forward, but something swifter than I darted past me with a savage cry, and, tearing and biting with claws and teeth, flung itself full at the ruffian's face and naked throat. It was our big old brindle cat, Tom, roused from his place before the fire. The unexpected fierceness of Tom's assault took the man quite by surprise. Before he could tear the creature away I had the pistol at his head. 'lf you move,' I said, ' I'll kill you ;' for, as I saw that my old friend was hurt, wrath took the place of fear. He gave in directly. Indeed, the cat, a large powerful animal, had almost scratched his eyes out. In the most abject tones the fellow implored me to let him go. ' Dun't you do it, mamma,' said the Panther. ' I don't mean to,' I said. Under the kitchen stairs was a dark closet, with a strong outside bolt. I ordered the man into this place. He obeyed, and I drew the bolt upon him. His face and thvoat were streaming with blood from Tom's teeth and claws. All this passed in much less time than it takes to tell it. Roused by the noise, the children, and Minny with the baby in her arms, were already in the kitchen. ' Oh, my dear, my poor darling !' said Minny, kneeling by the old man's side, * you are hurt!' 1 Yes,' he said, quietly,' pretty considerable bad. Charley, you fasten that door;' for the door into the shed, which had been secured only by a button was wide open ; ' you get the hammer and two, three big nails, and drive 'em in,' he continued; 'maybe more them darn scamps round.' Charley obeyed directions in a way which did him credit. Little Ned, with wide, surprised eyes, clung to me in silence; little Carry, seeing her mother in tears, put up a piteous lip* and sobbed in her unbaby like, sorrowful fashion ; the old cat, in great ex-

citement, went purring and talking from one to another. ' Tell me where you are hurt,' I said, holding the chief's hand. He had been shot through the stomach with a great, old-fashioned smooth-bore musket, which lay on the floor, a gun not carrying less than twenty-five to the pound. I had seen gunshot wounds before, and I knew that this was serious. It did not bleed much externally, but the edges of the wound were torn and discolored. ' That fellow dead ?' asked the Panther. ' Yes, indeed !' for the man's head was split like a walnut. The old warrior looked gratified. * Mamma,' he said, touching his hunting knife, ' you take that fellow's scalp.' ' Don't think of such a thing,' I said, not so much shocked as I might have been had I not lived on the Indian frontier ; 'do you know who they are ?' ' See them to Ryan's. Guess they some folks that mizzable railroad bring into this country. 'Spects they follow me. Mamma,' said the Panther, looking up into my face, ' tell you, red fox not bark for nothing. Better be old man than you.' ' Oh, my dear old friend, if you only had not come to us to-night! It was all your love for us that has done this ; but I pray God that you may get well. Charley, do you think you can go for Dr Beach.' 'Yes, mamma,' said the boy, though he turned pale. ' No, no,' said the Panther ; ' you not send that little fellow out in the dark. Besides, no good. You go wrap yourselves up. You two, you git bad cold.' At that moment we heard the sound of wheels and horses' feet. ' Go, Charley,' said Minny ; stop whoever it is, and tell them what has happened.' Charley ran out, and soon returned with Dr Beach, who, happily for us, had been out on one of those errandß which are always rousing doctors from their beds. Dr Beach was a burly, rough-mannered sort of man, but he could be very kind and tender in the exercise of his profession. He wasted no time in questions, but looked grave when he saw how the old man was hurt. ' Needn't tell me,' said the Panther, quietly ; 1 know it's the end. Kill one of 'em, anyhow !' he concluded, in a tone of calm satisfaction. ' And I wish with all my heart you had killed the other,' said the doctor, bitterly ; ' he's got off, I suppose ?' The Panther showed his white teeth in a laugh. ' No,' he said, pointing to me ; ' she got him —she and the cat. Pretty well for one little squaw and pussy cat. Mamma, you keep the kitty always.' ' Where is the scoundrel ?' asked the doctor. ' Shut up in the closet.' Here the man within cried out that he was ' kilt' already, and should be hung if we did not let him go. ' I hope you will, with all my heart,' said the doctor. With some difficulty we helped the Panther into the parlor, and laid him on the sofa. He told us the story in a few words. He had been asleep when the door was burst open. The man whom he had killed had fired the shot. He had kept his feet to strike one blow with the axe, and the other man had sprung upon him as he fell. The doctor did what little he coald to ease his patient, and then went away, but soon returned with some men from the village, who were quite ready to lynch the criminal when they heard what he had done. They took the man away, however, and I am happy to say he afterwards received the heaviest sentence the law would allow. He confessed that, knowing the chief had a large sum in his possesion, himself and his companion had broken the lock of the rifle, intending to waylay the old man and shoot him in the woods. They had not, however, been able to overtake him till he reached the clearing, and then, fearing to encounter him, they had followed him at a distance and watched him enter our house. Knowing that the captiin was gone, they had waited until all was quiet, and then made.their entrance as described. The Panther asked that some one might go to the reservation and send over three of his friends, whom he named. He was very anxious to see Wyanota, and Calvin Bruce, who had come with the doctor, instantly volunteered to take his trotting mare and do both errands. The chestnut did her work gallantly, though unhappily in vain, for the old man did not live to see his friends. ' Don't you fret, you two,' he said, softly, as Minny and I watched over him ; ' great deal the best way for old Ingin. Die like a man now; not cough myself to death like an old dog. Minny, little girl, you tell your husband be good to our people, well as he can. Not much of our nation left now —not good for much either,' he added : ' but you tell him and the captain stand their friends, won't you V

CHASED BY WOLVES. A STOEY OF CXAIRYOYAKCE. (From the Aegosy.) It was a race for life. Following hard upon the fleet skater were a troop of wolves as fleet. Charles Vance heard their breathing, the short impatient sniffs, the regular patter of sharp feet upon the ice like a click. The scene lay in Canada. The moon sailed through drifting clouds, now partially obscured, then bursting forth in a flood of silvery light. At one side was the dense pine forest, broken by clumps of leafless oaks or hickory, and winding in and out as it followed the course of the river; on the other side, the wide, snowcovered plain A mile yet before a house could be reached, and in that time Brave as he was, Mr Vance shuddered. At twenty-eight there was bo much of life before him. He had reached

a point where fortune began to smile upon f 1 him; and for the past six months his leisure s hours had been bright with glowing air-castles, ' < which all had Rose Ardley for their day dream, t For her sake it was that he had undertaken this perilous journey. Faster! faster! this turn showed him the ! fierce gleaming eyes that repeated themselves until there appeared to be hundreds. Rays of lurid light flashed out; lolling scarlet tongues, that thirsted for a draught of blood, and a morsel of flesh. A mis-step, a half-hidden hillock of ice to trip the unwary traveller, a moment lost, and he would be in "the power of those ravenous animals. No wonder his pulses quivered, or that he shrank from so horrible a fate. More than once he had gone up and down the river for pleasure. More than once there had been a gay party; girls in their pretty skating costumes; but sweetest of all was Rose, her golden curls blown about by the wind, her cheeks brilliant;, her purple eyes dilating with enjoyment. Bright and coquettish was she, fond of teasing him until his patience Avas almost exhausted ; but a sweet loving girl in the midst of it. At midsummer she was to be his wife. He had extorted that promise from her, though he would fain have taken her long before. And yet, only the other morning they had fallen into a trifling dispute about this very visit. She wanted him ti go up for this Thursday evening ; he did not see his way clear to do it conveniently. 1 Thursday is pay-day/ he had said, alluding to his works and workmon ; ' I never can get away on Thursday nights until dark. My horse has fallen lame, too, Rose, I cannot ride him after to day.' ' You once thought skating up the river a mere pastime,' replied Miss Ardley ; and her tone was a trifle sharp and haughty. 'ln the day-time, and.with company. That makes a difference.' ' Oh, very well; if you care so little to come, there's no more to be said.' And she turned away with an air of superb indifference; ' Rose, it is not that. I can come up on Friday and stay until Monday.' 'But Thursday night is Eleanor's birthnight. I thought ot the pleasure to her to have you amongst her guests. Don't put yourself out, however.' Charles Vance was not a man likely to be canonised for either meekness or patience ; and she was purposely trying him. He felt vexed. ' I'll come if I can,' concluded Mr Vance shortly. His tone was cold, and his eyes wandered over the waste of snow. ' Very well,' she gaily said ; ( I shall expect you, mind. Good-bye.' And she kissed to him the tips of her dainty fingers. He strode down the path, unhitched his horse with a jerk, and went riding over the road, never once glancing back. Perverse Rose Ardley was privately peeping after him, rather enjoying than not the semiquarrel. | ' I'll not go; she shall not get me there on ] Thursday evening,' he answered to himself in his annoyance. But ere Thursday evening came his resolve was broken, after the manner of lovers, and he meant to go. ' I must skate up,' he said ; ' the night is clear and frosty.' ' Hope there'll be no wolves abroad, Master Vance,' said the brawny Englishman, Hugh, one of his workmen and warm admirers; * Stainsly shot one over by the bridge the other evening. You had better take a pistol.' •I'll trust to luck and my good skates,' answer9d Mr Vance, rather ridiculing the notion of' wolves.' Ye started. The night, as he had observed, was clear and frosty, very bright and cold. Half his journey had been accomplished, when he heard a shrill, sharp cry echoing from the woods. Then another, as if in answer, and one at a distance. For a moment his blood curdled in his veins. What were these cries ? Ah what!—what but the wolves? Nearer came the cry; and nearer, as if the dreadful animals scented their victim. He glided over the ice like lightening, his strides quickened by the first click he heard from his pursuers. On, first as rapidly as possible, in a straight line; for not a second was to be lost. Every nerve and limb was strained to its utmost tension. A mile, perhaps, and if he had to double . A horrible flash of despair almost paralysed him. That was certain death. Why had he been so heedless as to disregard sage Hugh's warning ? But he had never seen a wolf during his sojourn in these Canadian wilds. Faster! faster! Turns that frightfully lengthened his journey, but gave him a moment's respite, for his pursuers were by these means thrown off their track, and were some time recovering their speed. The moon shone out brightly. Every tree seemed outlined against the sky with painful distinctness ; here a gnarled old oak, that had been riven with some fierce bolt; there a clump of gleaming evergreens, that stood and mocked him in their security. And now the river widened. Hardly a week before, he and Rose Ardley had enjoyed a gay frolic of skating on this very spot. Was she still vexed with him ? Oh, if she .could but know ! In imagination their red tongues seemed to touch him. One of them seemed to hurt himself in some way for there came a sharp howl of pain. The pursuit was stopped for an instant, and then they came on the faster. Charles Vance's limbs were weak, his pulses throbbing from exhaustion, his very brain reeled. The fiery eyes seemed to scorch him with their lurid glare, and now he could hear the rapid, expectant breath. So near safety, and yet a despamng cry broke from his lips. Rose, Rose! Farewell to her, to happiness, to all. Rose Ardley, the centre of a gay group of cousins and friends, was this self-same evening doing her utmost to be attractive. She was

fascinating at all times and seasons ; but when she used a little effort, could make herself [ doubly so. She had forgiven him a dozen times since that last angiw morning. He j would be sure to come early, she complacently told herself, and be duly penitent. After all, Charles Vance was a bravo, noble fellow. She thought she would not flirt one bit that night with anybody else. The guests all arrived. All but Mr Vance. Rose wondered. Had he been really vexed, and was he staying away to punish her ? Well, let hi in stay. She should not mope or wear the willow. Lovelorne girls were always absurd. So Rose Ardley was the gayest of the gay. They had a quadrille ; some "of the elder ones sat down to cards. Dr Caltrau, a deeply scientific man and great mesmerist, and three or four others went into a discussion on that wonderful subject—clairvoyance. The doctor had been relating certain remarkable incidents, when it was proposed that a test should be given then. Who would become a subject ? No one appeared inclined at first but Miss Caltran finally acquiesced, and took her seat in a chair in a small room they adjourned to. The doctor had succeeded in sending her to sleep, when Rose looked in. Her attention was immediately arrested and she watched the experiment with much eagerness. ' Would anyone like to put any questions ?' asked Dr Caltran. There ensued a silenc?. Eleanor Ardley bi'oke it. 'Rose will. RO3O is always ready for anything.' And Miss Rose acquiesced at once. • I don't know what to ask ; or what I would most like to hear,' she said with a gay laugh. ' Ask about Charley. Ask what keeps him away. You can tease him well, when you know that.' 'But—is there really any truth in it, Dr Caltran ?' and Rose's djep eyes were luminous with some feeling akin to curiosity. ' It is true that the medium can in many cases seem to enter a person's mind, and answer in a remarkable fashion,' was the reply. ' Many failures are recorded, and, and mistakes made, but I think they are due to our imperfect knowledge of the science. Suppose you try, Miss Rose ; no one can suspect you of collusion.' Quite a circle began to gather round. Miss Caltran appeared to be in a tranquil slumber ; her lips were just parted, showing her white, ' even teeth, which were very handsome. ' Well,' said Rose, daringly. ' Place your hand in hers,' directed the doctor. 'Now think intently of the subject in which you wish her to feel interested, and then ask your question.' A thousand thoughts filled Rose Ardley's brain in an instant, but that of Charles Vance was the most prominent. What should she say? for delicacy seemed to hold her back on this subject. 1 Make haste,' cried Eleanor. ' What is Charley Vance doing ; has he gone to sleep and forgotten to come here ; or has he gone visiting elsewhere ?' Rose colored. • I think I will not ask ' but a chorus of eager voices interrupted her. 'Play fair now, Rose. No backing out.' ' Are you afraid ?' It was her cousin Kate who asked this, and the sarcastic tone would have roused Rose to any effort. In a strange flutter of nerve and brain she began. 'Don't get excited,' saidDr Caltran, smiling cheeringly. Rose's mood was too uncertain at first to sway Miss Caltran (at least, so the doctor said) ; she moved uneasily, and vainly essayed to speak. He approached to tranquilise her. It was some time before any coherent answers could be obtained, and then Rose was wrought up to a strange pitch. Some sudden presentiment concerning her lover filled her mind with apprehension. As if translating the young girl's emotion, Miss Caltran began slowly — ' Your friend is in great danger —great danger. He is flying as if for his life, first this way aud then that way,' making a tortuous motion with her hand. *He is on the river—the ice—and something follows him fast. Hark ? do you hear a sharp cry ?' Roso turned deathly white in spite of her strongest efforts. •Is he coming here ?' she asked, scarcaly knowing what she said. ' Oh, heavens ! they are gaining upon him fast. He goes like the wind, but they are too fleet.' As Miss Caltran said this—and it must be remarked that her words throughout were labored and slow—she sighed deeply and evinced great agitation. Her breath was long and painful. 'Now they are up with—now! Oh, save him ! save him ! Hark to their cries !' • Oh, by heaven, what fools we are !' suddenly exclaimed G-eorge Ardley, a light breaking on him ; • I see it all. Vance has skated upon the river and been followed by a pack of wolves. One was killed a day or two ago, and several had been seen prowling round. Run for your lives, friends. Get something, ' and come to his assistance.' Rose stood spell-bound. For a moment the room swam round ; stars appeared to fill every space. G-eorge thrust on his cap and coat, and slung his rifle over his shoulder. Two ov three followed suit, and the rooms were in a whirl of confusion. ' Let me go too,' Rose almost shrieked. 'My child, there may be some mistake,' 1 said Dr Caltran, soothingly, alarmed at the consequences of his sister's vision ' do pray be calm.' 'No, there is no mistake,' she answered ■ hysterically ; ' I told him to skate up—his horse was lame—l dared him to come, Oh, i merciful heaven, forgive me!'

She was in perfect agony of despair. The horrible vision her cousin George's words conjured up made a more vivid one in her brain. _ Her face, that had been so brilliant a short time before, was now the picture of anguish. She could not help thinking that if any evil had befallen him, it was clearly her ! fault. How many times she had tormented j him _ almost beyond endurance ; been cool, capricious, laughed at his tenderness and his love. Arrainging her heart for judgment, she found it had been bitterly cruel'to him, to ■ the one man for whom she would give her life, if occasion required. In the confusion and crowd, she passed quietly upstairs, got her shawl and hood, and stole out unseen. Along she sped like a j shadowy wraith, and was on the river as soon ' as the men with their rifles. Hark! what was that? A sickening, despairing cry ; a wail of mortal agony. Rose recognised it for his voice—for they were close upon him now. Yes, the cry came from Charles Vance. With that one despairing [ burst, he gave up hope and turned upon his horrible pursuers. In the moonlight, his eyes j glared back to those fierce balls, and there was j a deathly pause. The suddenness amazed the ] unreasoning brutes, but the foremost crouched | to spring. I A ball went whizzing by, so closely that Mr i Vance felt the hot air upon his cheek. Then | a yell ensued, ending in a howl of maddening i pain. Another report, another ; foot steps, I voices ; yet he did not stir. • Oh, Charles! Charles !' and the next instant Rose lay senseless at his feet. At first he could not think, could not speak ; the utter surprise and sense of deliverance overwhelmed him. He knelt down on the ice, trembling in ev.»ry limb, and the rest came thronging around. The discomfited enemy were retiring with savage cries, leaving two of their num'ber dead behind them. ' What is it all ?' began Mr Vance. ' I—l cannot imagine ' ' Do not try,' interrupted George Ardley; • it is the strangest thing that ever happened ; can you walk home ? I'll see to Rose.' And he picked her up as though she had been a baby. They went home slowly; Mr Vance's strength was all but exhausted. Angry mutterings followed them from afar ; but there was no real danger now. Rose, reviving to consciousness, struggled away from her cousin's protection. • Let me walk —I am quite well now,' she said with a touch of her old imperiousness. And she got to Mr Vance's side. 1 Oh, Charles ! I have been so selfish and cruel! Will you ever forgive me ?' Charles' answer was to take her arm within his and press it to his side. She broke doAvn with a sob. ' Hush, my darling! God interposed to save me. But still I do not understand how or why you should all have come.' • Oh, Charles, it is the strangest tale. You will hardly believe it—you, you have laughed at ' ' Don't spoil the story, Rose,' said George Ardley from behind ; ' we'll have it all out when we get home.' Was Dr Caltran surprised when he heard of the strange escape and saw the rescued man ? He made no sign. Miss Caltran, the clairvoyant e, was herself then, save for an intense, dull headache. ' They had gained on me so fast, that it seems as if I could not have held out a minute longer,' said Mr Vance to the doctor ; ' beside the short distance on the river, there was the dark walk up to the house, and my courage was utterly giving way.' Rose burst into tears. Charles, as long as I live I will never be capricious again,' she whispered ; • no, not even when lam your wife; I will try to be a blessing to you instead of a trouble.' And he kissed the sweet lips for their fond confession. So it all ended well. But the wonderful escape of Charles Vance from the peril of the wolves is talked of in Canada to this day.