A RUN FOR LIFE.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1045, 11 February 1873, Page 4

A RUN FOR LIFE.

[from tue akgosy.] It -was a race for life. Following liard upon the. fleet skater were a troop of wolves as fleet. Charles Yauce heard their breathing, the short impatient sniffs, tho regular patter of sharp feet upon the ice like a click. The scene lay in Canada. The moon sailed through drifting clouds, «o\v partially obscured, then bur-ting forth in ilood of silvery light. At one side was the dense pine forest, broken by clumps of leafless oak and hickory, and winding in and out as it followed the course of tho river; on the other the wide snow-covered plain. A mile jet before the Louse could be reached ami in that time Brave as ho was, Mr Yance shuddered. At twenty-eight there was so much life before him. ITo had reached

.-. a point where fortune began to smile ! upon him ; and for tlie past six months j his leisure hours had been bright with j glowing air-castles, which all had riose i ArdleY, for their.day-dream. For her ■ aake it was that he had undertaken ! -his perilous journey. Faster! faster! This turn showed : him the fierce gloaming eyes, that re- - peafed themselves until there seemed to be hundreds. Rays of lurid light flashed out; lolling scarlet tongues, ■ that thirsted for a draught of blood, and a dainty morsel of flesh. A misstep, a half hidden hillock of ice to j trip the unwary traveller, a moment lost, and he would be in the power of these 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 bean a gay party ; girls in their skating costumes; but 3weetest of all was Bose, her golden curls blown about by the wind, her purple eyes dilating with .enjoyment. Bright and coquet ish was she, fond of teasing him until his patience was 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 ho 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 hi:n to go up this Thursday i evening ; ho did not see his way clear to do it conveniently. " Thursday is pay-day/" ho had said, alluding to his works and workmen. "I never can get away on Thursday night until daik. 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. "In the day-time, and with company. That makes a diflerer.ee." " Oh, \erj 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." "Eose, ifc is not that, I can come on Friday, and stay until Monday." " But Thursday night is Eleanor's birth-night. I thought of the pleasure to her, to have you among our guests. Don't put yourself out, however." " £'ll come if 1 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 tl c road, never qaee glancin<» back. Perverse Eose Ardley was privately peeping niter him, rather . enjoying than uot the semi-quarrel. '•I'll not go ; she shall not get me 'here on Thursday evening." he : answered to hi aiscl fin his annoyance. But ere Thursday evening came his resolve was broksri, after the manner of lovers, and he meant to go. "I must skate up-," ho said. " The night's clear and frosty." "Hopo 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 morning. You'd better take a pistol." "I'll irust to luck and mj good skates," auswercd Mr Vance, laughingly, rather ridiculing the notion°of " wolves." He started. The night, as ho 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? Ab, what!—what but the wolves ? Nearer came tho cry, and nearer ; as if tho dreadful animals scented their victim. He glided over the ice like lightning, 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 bo 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 ho had never seen a wolf during his sojourn in these Canadian wilds. Faster! faster! Turns that frightfully leugthened his journey, but gave him a moment's respite, for his pursuers were by this means thrown off £J»eir track, and were some time iu '

recovering speed. The moon shone out brightly. Every tree seemed outlined agaiust the sky with painful distinctness; here a gnarled old oak, that had been riven with some fierce bolt; there a clump of gleaming overgreens, that mocked him in their security. And now the river widened. Hardly a week before, he and Hose 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 the red tongues seemed to touch him. One of thein seemed to hurt himself in some way, tor there came a sharp howl of pain, tho 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 ho could hear the rapid, expectant breath. So near safety, and yet . A despairing cry broke from his lips. Eose, Hose! Farewell to her lo happiness, to ail. Rose Ardley, the centre of a gay group of cousins and friends, was this self-same evening doing her utmost to bo attractive. She was fascinating at all tines and seasons; but when she used a little effort could make herself doubly so. She had forgiven Charles Vance a dozen times since that last angry morning. He would be sure to come early, she complacently told herself, and be duly patient. After all Charles Vane was a brave, noble fellow. She thought she would not flirt one bit that night with anybody else. The guests all arrived—ail but Mr Vance, Rose wondered. Had he been really vexed, and was he stayiug away to punish her ? Well, let him stay. - s ke should not mope or wear the willow. Lovelorn girls were always absurd.

So Rose Ardley was the gavest of the gay. They had a quadri'le ; some of the elder ones sat down to cards, while a number of the younger ones went outside, and immediately were startled by a yelling sound from the river, Thev could not make it out at flrst.

" Ob, by heaven, what fools we are !" suddenly exclaimed George Ardley, a light breaking on him, " I see it all. Vance has skated up on the river and been followed by a pack of wolves ! One was killed a day or ago, and several have been seen, prowling rnund. Kun for your lives, friends. Get something and come to his assistance." George thrust on his cap and coat, and slung his rifle over his shoulder. Two or three followed suit, and the rooms were in a whirl of confusion. " Let me go, too," itose almost shrieked. " My child, there may be some mistake," 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, merciful heavens, forgive me!" She was in a perfect agony of despair. The horrible vision of 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. Jn the confusion and crowd, she passed quietly up stairs, got her shawl and hood, and stole out unseen. Along she sped like a 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.

\es, 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 glared back to those fierce balls, and there was a deathly pause. Tho suddenness amazed the unreasoning brutes, but the foremost crouched to spring. A bail went whizzing by, so closely that Mr Vance felt the hot air upon his cheek. Then a yell ensued, ending in a howl of maddeniug pain. Another report, another footsteps, voices—yet he did not stir. " Oh, Charles ! Charles !" and tho next instant Eose lay senseless at his feet.

At first he could not speak ; tbo utter surprise and sense of deliverance overwhelmed him. He knelt down on the ice, trembling in every limb, and the rest came thronging around. The discomfited enemy were retiring with savage cries, leaving two of their number dead behind them. 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. Kose, reviving to consciousness, struggled away from her cousin's protection. "Let me work—l am quite well now/' she said, with a touch of her old imperiousness. And she got to Mr Vance's side. " 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 down with a sob. " Hush, my darling! God has interposed to save me." Hose burst into tears. " Charles, as long as I live I will never be capri- i cious 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.