reen his body. He thought the buck would pass close by him and he
determined to shoot at the most favorable moment.

The buck, however, showed no intention of passing by; in his abject
terror he saw in the man and the dog foes less terrible than those
which were yelping on his trail. He came on in a lame uneven trot,
making straight for the tree. When he reached the tree he crouched,
or rather fell, on the ground within a yard of Jonathan and his dog.
He quivered and twitched; his nostrils flared; at every pant drops
of blood flecked the snow; his great dark eyes had a strained and
awful look, almost human in its agony.

Another yelp from the thicket and Jonathan looked up in time to see
five timber wolves, gaunt, hungry looking beasts, burst from the
bushes. With their noses close to the snow they followed the trail.
When they came to the spot where the deer had fallen a chorus of
angry, thirsty howls filled the air.

"Well, if this doesn't beat me! I thought I knew a little about
deer," said Jonathan. "Tige, we will save this buck from those gray
devils if it costs a leg. Steady now, old fellow, wait."

When the wolves were within fifty yards of the tree and coming
swiftly Jonathan threw his rifle forward and yelled with all the
power of his strong lungs:

"Hi! Hi! Hi! Take 'em, Tige!"

In trying to stop quickly on the slippery snowcrust the wolves fell
all over themselves. One dropped dead and another fell wounded at
the report of Jonathan's rifle. The others turned tail and loped
swiftly off into the thicket. Tige made short work of the wounded
one.

"Old White Tail, if you were the last buck in the valley, I would
not harm you," said Jonathan, looking at the panting deer. "You need
have no farther fear of that pack of cowards."

So saying Jonathan called to Tige and wended his way down the hill
toward the settlement.

An hour afterward he was sitting in Col. Zane's comfortable cabin,
where all was warmth and cheerfulness. Blazing hickory logs roared
and crackled in the stone fireplace.

"Hello, Jack, where did you come from?" said Col. Zane, who had just
come in. "Haven't seen you since we were snowed up. Come over to see
about the horses? If I were you I would not undertake that trip to
Fort Pitt until the weather breaks. You could go in the sled, of
course, but if you care anything for my advice you will stay home.
This weather will hold on for some time. Let Lord Dunmore wait."

"I guess we are in