face,
and now the broad forehead now the chin was uppermost as she rolled. I
gazed aghast.

Across the ravines came the howling of wolves. An ugly fear began to
invade the hollow places of my heart; my confidence was on the wane! The
horse maintained his headlong swiftness, with ears pricked forward, and
thirsty nostrils exulting in the wind his career created. But there was
the moon jolting like an old chariot-wheel down the hill of heaven, with
awful boding! She rolled at last over the horizon-edge and disappeared,
carrying all her light with her.

The mighty steed was in the act of clearing a wide shallow channel when
we were caught in the net of the darkness. His head dropped; its impetus
carried his helpless bulk across, but he fell in a heap on the margin,
and where he fell he lay. I got up, kneeled beside him, and felt him all
over. Not a bone could I find broken, but he was a horse no more. I sat
down on the body, and buried my face in my hands.

CHAPTER XXXII. THE LOVERS AND THE BAGS

Bitterly cold grew the night. The body froze under me. The cry of the
wolves came nearer; I heard their feet soft-padding on the rocky ground;
their quick panting filled the air. Through the darkness I saw the many
glowing eyes; their half-circle contracted around me. My time was come!
I sprang to my feet.--Alas, I had not even a stick!

They came in a rush, their eyes flashing with fury of greed, their black
throats agape to devour me. I stood hopelessly waiting them. One moment
they halted over the horse--then came at me.

With a sound of swiftness all but silence, a cloud of green eyes came
down on their flank. The heads that bore them flew at the wolves with a
cry feebler yet fiercer than their howling snarl, and by the cry I knew
them: they were cats, led by a huge gray one. I could see nothing of
him but his eyes, yet I knew him--and so knew his colour and bigness. A
terrific battle followed, whose tale alone came to me through the night.
I would have fled, for surely it was but a fight which should have
me!--only where was the use? my first step would be a fall! and my foes
of either kind could both see and scent me in the dark!

All at once I missed the howling, and the caterwauling grew wilder. Then
came the soft padding, and I knew it meant flight: the cats had defeated
the wolves! In a moment the sharpest of sharp teeth were in my legs;
a moment more and the cats were all over me in a live cataract,
bitin