so startlingly.

Why he sought the place he did not know. It was no more promising than
other immediate locations, and besides, he had visited it a day or two
before, although from another direction.

Slowly he approached and surveyed it, comparing it with his diagram. At
length he saw a point that seemed to resemble the one he sought, and
after studying it a moment, started to see if he could find the
succeeding one.

Coming close to a dark opening, he was startled by fierce growls, and
the next instant half a dozen fierce wolves sprang from it, and set upon
him savagely.

CHAPTER XIV.

A VICTORY DEARLY BOUGHT.

It was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and the attack was so
sudden and unexpected that Barnwell was completely off his guard at the
moment.

One of the fiercest wolves, hungry, huge and gaunt, sprang at his throat
and bore him to the earth.

Seizing the brute by the throat with both hands, he with almost
superhuman strength dashed him away long enough to rise to his knees and
to pull his revolver, the other wolves having by this time joined
savagely in the attack.

Unable to get upon his feet, he poked the muzzle of his pistol straight
into the mouth of the now risen wolf, as he again came towards him, and
fired.

It was a fatal shot, and the wolf fell dead.

Still he was pinioned by others, and for a long time he was so placed
that he could reach only one of them with his weapon, but this one he
sent to the shades quickly.

Then one after another he dispatched them, although, unlike the
generality of wolves, they fought until the last one was dead, being
undoubtedly nearly starved.

Meantime his clothing and flesh had been dreadfully torn, and the blood
was flowing from at least a dozen ragged wounds, and he was so overcome
with exhaustion that he could scarcely rise to his feet.

But the first thing he did was to refill the chambers of his trusty
revolver, in case he might be attacked again.

His next thought was to attend to his wounds, but finding these required
a surgeon, he made his way sorely back to the tavern, and dispatched his
servant for one.

After relating the story of his adventure to the landlord while waiting
the surgeon's coming, that individual said:

"I should have told you about it, sir, but you men of the world do not
believe in such things."

"What things--wolves?" asked Barnwell, between his groans of agony.

"Well, sir, not that exactly. In fact, I ha