(Copyright Story.) LOVE AND WOLVES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 15, 18 January 1905, Page 10

(Copyright Story.) LOVE AND WOLVES.

By F. WHISHAW. (Author of "Mazeppa," etc.)

"It has been simply delightful." said Nora Rousakof, jumping out of the dedge at her own door, "sledging by moonlight and through the forest: would be lovely in any case, but hearing the wolves howl was a new experience—you are quite positive they were wolves?" she paused; both the brothers laughed. "Noel and 1 know most things about forest life." said Cyril, who stood with her at, the door, having assisted her from the sledge; and Noel who held the reins added, "I wish I had an acre of land for every wolf I have heard howl—weren't you "a bit frightened, Nora?" "Not a serap —what, with two huntsmen of renown like you and Cyril? You must take mc again one night." "Would you dare come v.ith us if we drove about after wolves?—you might see one or two — " Nora clapped her hands. "Oh yes—yes!" she eried —"To-morrow if you will, or any evening; send mc word beforehand and I'll be ready — 1 good-night." She ,T avc Cyril's hand a distinct squeeze." "Good-night, Noel." she added, "I hope you weren't dull up there on , the box?" ; "Somebody must hold the reins." lie murmured. He would have liked to add, "God knows 1 would prefer to sit quite] close to you and hear your dear voice at mv very car, but that's Cyril's privilege." The brothers were silent for a few minutes as they drove homewards, sitting side by side'now. both very thoughtful. "I am almost certain it's you, brother," said Noel presently: "she searccly spoke a word to mc, and how merrily and happily she chattered with you!" Cyril did not reply. '"Don't you think so yourself?" continued Noel, somewhat brokenly. "1 am afraid it is as you say. dear brother," Cyril replied softly; "God knows I am truly sorry for you." -And God knows that since it may not be 1. I am glad with all my soul tbat you should be the blessed one; 1 am not so mean as to grudge you happiness, brother!" Noel's words were brave, a<id his voice too. until the last sentence, when it trembled a little. Cyril said nothing, but he took his brother's hand and pressed it. lie did not speak, because he dared not tell Noel the truth, which was this: Convinced as he was that Nora preferred him, the circumstance —instead of delighting him as Noel imagined that it must—weighed heavily upon his spirits. Until last autumn he had believed himself to be as much Nora's slave as Noel himself; both had known her and loved her from boyhood, tbc-y had played together as children, the Kousakofs being their nearest neighbours in the country; and devotion to Nora had been a kind of tradition between the brothers for the past dozen years; but this last autumn Cyril had made the acquaintance of an English damsel in St. Petersburg and — well, Nora's predilection for him had sinceweighed like a burden upon his conscience, for he knew not how best to act in the interest of all parties. "How perverse are the ways of love." he retleeted bitterly; "here is poor Noel dying for Nora, and can't have her because of mc; and 1 am dying for Miss Dorothy Osborne, and can't tell her so because of Nora!" "I'll tell you what we'll do, brother." ho said presently. "The day after to- . morrow we'll take her after wolves; I'll j hold the reins, and you shall sit by her and tell her straight out that you 10,0 her; we shall see what she will say. But Noel shook bis head. "That wouid only make her wretched, because she would have to refuse mc," he sighed; "better that you sit by her and tell her of your love: I have lost her anyway, you see, so that it will make no difference to mc, and —and she will be spared a painful conversation." "Very well, be it so," said Cyril after a moment, and the drive continued in silence. Put though Cyril had seemed to enter into Noel's "suggestion, he. did not intemT to carry it out. He would have a last struiiirle for freedom and Dorothy Osborne, and at the same time do his utmost, for old Noel. He would plead for Noel: Nora should at least know that Noel's splendid heart was hers to take or leave. "I shall say nothing about myself this time." Cyril reflected. "Tt will he easy to see if she really loves mc! God grant that T maybe mistaken, for if it be as I fear, T almost think T would rather be in Noel's shoes than my own. Thank the Lord I have, said nothing to Dorothy as yet!" A deputation came up tn the Manor House that evening, half a dozen peasants from the village of Kamarof; there were wolves about, and hungry ones; the frost was severe, and the brutes were bold. Koslof had lost a sheep, Trubof a dog: Kuzma had bad an old horse pnlli ed down —all this happened last night; there must have been a dozen wolves about the village. "Save us, bairn." said the Elder or Starost, "they will cat us out of house and home!" The peasant bowed low, and crossed himself in the direction of the ikon in the corner of the room. "Good." said Cyril. "We will do our best for you, Starost, my brother and 1 ; meanwhile see that your live stock is properly safeguarded at night. Is any part of Kuznia's horse left uneaten?" "But little, barm " "Well, place what is left at, the edge of the foresi, close to a convenient tree; to-morrow night. 1 will sit in the tree and watch for the brutes; to-night we will scour the forest roads for them with a squealing pig." This method of driving hither and thither in the woods when wolves are known to be in Hie neighbourhood is a recognised way of getting a shot or two at the animals. A small brazen-lunged pig is placed in the well of the sledge, i confined in a sack or a hamper, and it is the protests of the noisy luile pu-or.er that form the attraction for the wolves, which soon begin lo assemble, and to follow- or accompany the sledge, at a respectful distance, in hopes of a meal. During tbe day Cyril bade his younger brother ride over to the Rousakof mansion in order to ask Nora whether she would care to accompany them in their nocturnal wolf-hunt. "Make all the. running you can with her," said Cyril, 'for remember I am to have my innings tonight." "It won't be any good," Noel sighed: "besides, I'm always such a fool, when she's there, and can't string two sensible words together!" "Don't come if you feel at all frightened about it," he told Nora presently; "of course, there's an element of danger when there are many wolves about, as there seem to be now." "I'm not in the least afraid," said Nora;, "still, if you would rattier be with-

out the responsibility of having a lady with you " "Oh, no, do come," Noel interrupted hastily. "I'm —I'm sure Cyril would be dreadfully disappointed if you didn't." An expression of impatience —almost a frown —passed quickly over Nora's face, but Noel did not observe it. "Well, I'll come," she said. "I shall be ready at nine to-night." Punctually at that hour the brothers called for Nora. Noel sat on the box seat, holding the reins, the girl took her place beside Cyril. There was no need to ask whether they had brought a pig with them, for the little brute was in full voice, having recommenced his yells with redoubled energy when the sledge stopped at Nora's door, doubtless in the hope of inducing someone to let him out of his basket and take him back to his mother and brethren. Nora laughed. "We shall not hear one another speak!" she said, but Cyril replied thai the pig would nut maintain his present level of noise production; he would quieten down presently, and would perhaps even have to be shaken up, later on, iv order that his invitation to the wolves might be sufficiently pressing, "if he falls asleep we shall get no wolves." Cyril laughed. Then the long drive began through splendid pine forests lit up by a full moon, a sight to be seen once and never forgotten. The bush of night was almost unbroken, excepting when tbe pig —his basket shaken by Cyril's foot or by a jolt on the road —gave out piercing lamentations which murdered tbe beauty of the silence. From time to time some great bird, asleep in the branches of a pine tree at the edge of the road, would wake in alarm and suddenly hurtle with much crackling of twigs and Happing of huge wings through the tops of the highest trees, deep into the sanctuary of midforest. Cyrii was somewhat silent, considering how he should commence the difficult enterprise he had determined lo undertake. n.uiK ly, to plead for Noel, lt was diliictiii, because, supposing that Nora preferred himself, there was the danger of wounding' her by .seeming- to desire that she should listen to Noel's suit. Nevertheless, the task must somehow be begun, and finished to-night. Nora, too, was silent, drinking in the beauty of the solemn, moonlit forest that lay on every side of her. Her soul was elated with the majesty of the. srnne. her hearl softened; there could scarcely be a more favourable moment to speak to her of love. She was readyto respond to any soft emotion, she was in au ecstacy of contentment aud delight. As for Noel, on the box. he was silent too; as a matter of fact he had no one to talk to: but if he had he would have, preferred to sit still and listen, for bis heart was beating excitedly, waiting to hear the result of the proposal which he believed Cyril was about to make. "Heaven knows what 1 ought to feel about it!" be thought. "1 would not have dear Cyril's heart wounded, and yet—how shall i survive it if she accepts, him, how shall 1 live, where shall 1 go from my sorrow? My God, how 1 love the girl'!" Presently- he heard the silence broken in the sledge behind him. Nora and Cyril had commenced a conversation, speaking softly, so that he could scarcely hear each word, though he listened with all ears. There was nothing dishonourable about this, for he had told Cyril that he meant to do so. Listen as intently as be would, however, Noe! could not catch more than a half of what his brother said; Cyril did not intend that he should. "... So 1 have ventured to ask you. . . . " he caught these words, "whether it is merely friendship on your side, or .. . may hope that a sweeter word ... iv short, Nora, can you and . . . love . . ." Nora's answer tame to Noel's ears clearly and distinctly. She spoke in tones* of exaltation, of concentrated, deep, certain feeling; there was no doubt and no hesitation; she spoke aloud and from the very depths of her being, so it seemed to Noel: — "Oh, yes —yes," she said, "call it love, Cyril; with all my heart and soul 1 l ove " _ jolt, just at the last word, set the pig squeaking, so that Noel lost that one word, the most important of all, had he known it. for him! Poor Noel, he. listened no more, though the two behind him continued to talk. A dull booming and thudding had commented within his head and heart; he sat silent, stricken. "At any rate, dear old Cyril will be happy—and so will she!" This was the saving -thought that kept him from - despair. Sudatnly Cyril's voice broke upon his , miserable reflections. "Noel —look!" be cried—-"on the right —or e--two —four wolves '' | Noel roused himself with a start and looked to right and left. "And on the; lef; three.'' be said—"no, four, five —j and some follow behind." j Nora clapped her hands with delight and excitement, lt was indeed a weird sight. Lank, grey, rakish-looking creatures were to be seen wherever the eyes were turned—running belly to earth, or travelling at a band canter, dark forms against the white of the snow, threading their way between trees or frankly pursuing tbe sledge, yet, all. as yet. at a respectful distance, and out of range of the breech-loader shol guns ready for them inside the vehicle. Occasionally the moonlight, would catch the eye of one of them for tin instant, as he turned his bead toward the sledge, illuminating it with a ghastly sparkle that lit and vanished in a moment. Noel was wide awake now. so was bis brother; lioth young men were well aware that wolves, mere harmless cowards when met with singly or in couples, become extremely dangerous when packed; just as disaffected individuals among human creatures are comparatively innocuous, while an angry mob is as dangerous to deal with as a corps of madmen. Noel whipped up bis ponies; they had seen and scented tho wolves, and were already somewhat anxious, their ear- working backwards and forwards, and their eyes showed white as they glanced to this side and that. "Shoot when you can, Cyril," said Noel. "It is live miles to Gorka—l will see to the ponies.'' A moment later Cyril fired a shot. A wounded wolf uttered a piteous howl, quickly stifled by its companions, which fell upon the poor beast and pulled him down. The taste of blood excited them: they came nearer, baying, yelping, howling as they ran. Cyril fired again and brought down his wolf, but. fully a score, seemed to follow on, though many stopped to fight over the carcase. "It is serious, Nora, but do not be afraid; with Noel to keep the ponies to their -work we shall pull through; we wanted wolves, but there can be too many of them!" "Keep on shooting, Cyril," cried Noel . from the box.

Cyril fired shot after shot, but the jolting disturbed his aim, and he missed several times; worse than this, on one occasion the ponies shied so suddenly from a daring wolf tbat made a dash at the head of the off horse that the sledge collided against a tree trunk. Cyril clutched at the girl by his side' and held on to her as the sledf) righted itself; but the gun was thrown out with the concussion, together with the pig in its hamper: and Noel's gun, which lay in the straw at the bottom of the sledge, went also. "Holy saints, you were nearly gone, Nora," exclaimed Cyril, white, and trembling : "Noel, both the guns are lost " Noel made no reply. One of the ponies limped and was tiring; the situation was becoming somewhat dangerous. He whipped up bis beasts and called cheerily to them; they responded pluckily. •'Three miles, my jewels!" he cried. "A hundred jumps and you're at home— woo-hoop, boys! gallop!" But the wolves grew more and more, insistent; they crowded close in upon the sledge and one, from time to lime. more rash than his fellows, sprang forward, as though to seize one of its occupants, though as yet his courage did not quite suffice, and his attacks proved but half-hearted. Several times, too, the horses were menaced, but Noel succeeded in keeping the brutes off by dint of vigorous lashing with his whip. Terrified, panting, limping, the bravo little ponies galloped on. One fell lame. Without an instant's pause Noel handed the reins to bis brother: "Vainka is lame," he said, "I must cut him adrift !" He climbed along the shaft and performed the operation deftly and successfully: poor Vainka. finding himself free, darted off into The forest pursued by half of the wolves. They found bis skeleton two miles away a few days later. Petka. the surviving pony, was the gamest of little animals, but the. weight of the sledge with its three occupants, combined with the pace, soon began to tell upon him. Noel had taken the reins again. There was still a mile and a half to go. "He will not quite do it." Noel thought. Nevertheless Polka struggled bravely on for half a mile in response to his encouraging cries. Then he slowed off seriously, and panted ominously. Noel sat and brooded upon his box seat. "If I can do it," he reflected, "Petka may drag the lightened sledge iv; if not, he won't, that's certain." And again—"what does it matter, so long as Nora is safe and Cyril survives to a-siit'e her happiness. Besides, if T made noise enough, 1 might—" A moment later he. spoke: "Take the reins again, Cyril," he said, suddenly and speaking very rapidly. "Petka tires, the load i- too heavy for him. ] heard your conversation a little while ago. My dear brother will make you very happy, Nora—God bless you both and good-bye in case I—" "Brother, what, are you saying, what are you doing." shouted Cyril, "it is you that Nora loves, man, she—" But Cyril spoke too late, or at any rate he was so far too (ate that Xoel had already taken the fatal leap from the sledge into the snow, but his words reached his brother's ears and that made an immense difference as matters

turned out. Meanwhile the pony, Petka, sprang forward, for Noel's twelve stone six suddenly deducted from his load, made his task considerably easier for him. Cyril woukl have pulled up. however, but that at the same moment Nora shrieked and fainted, nearly toppling over the side of the sledge, so tbat he was obliged to give Petka a free mouth, and see that his precious charge did not fall out among the wolves. Three minutes later the good pony had dragged them clear of the forest, and the few wolves which had followed them f-H) far. the rest having remained to settle matters with Noel, tailed off and returned howling whence they came. Cyril thundered at a peasant's door; it was the hut of Spiridon, one of the gamekeepers on the e-tare. He handed Nora over to the care of Spiridon's astonished wife — "Three men and horses, quickly. Spiridon. and the guns, my brother is among ihe wolves, a mile away:" "Saint Nicholas!" exclaimed Spiridon. crossing himself as he ran lo obey the barm. Within twenty minutes Cyril and his .men were back at tho scene of the tragedy, or quasi tragedy: but by that time they had heard Noel's voice shouting uproariously from half a mile away, and they knew that all was well. Noel, il appeared, was up in a tree, addressing boisterous abuse to a company of a dozen wolves that sat and licked their lips beneath him: a volley soon scattered them, and down came Noel. "How in the world did you do it, dear old chap?" asked Cyril, shaking his hand so long and so vigorously that Noel drew it away with a wince and a laugh. "My good man. your words did it, not I; if you hadn't sung out that she loved mc. by all the saints I should have let the devils have mc; as things are. a thousand of the infernal mangy brutes .shouldn't have got mc: you should have heard mc yell at them as I stood at the foot of the tree: I give you my solemn word. Cyril, they couldn't stand it: they fell back a minute, and gave mc lime to climb, though 1 think they have regretted it even since, and have been trying to tell mc so! Do you know, dear old I Cyril, since you shouted 1 hose words to 1 mc. 1 am positively drunk with happi- | ness —bill, what a brute I am! — forgive mc, brother, f quite forgot: of course—my happiness means your sorrow—l —'' Cyril laughed gaily: "Oh no, if doesn't--I'm in love, Noel, but not, with Nora." and Cyril proceeded to explain ma tiers, to the wondrous [delight of his brother, who bad had no suspicion of the state of affairs. Nora bad recovered consciousness, though her condition of anxiety was deplorable until Cyril entered to tell her the joyful news of Noel's safety. lie came out again presently. "She i wants you in there," he grinned. . "Cyril—for heaven's sake tell mc, ■ what am I to say!" murmured poor shy i Noel—"l'd rather it was a dozen I wolve " ! "Well, don't tell her so. you old fool." I replied Cyril laughing and pushing his brother through the doorway; "you ; may thank your stars I did your pro- | posing for you; go in and do the kissI ing for yourself, that's all she needs i just now!"