ake either sound or motion. Nearer came the red glow, over
the white pall which stretched into the darkness around me. Then all
at once from beyond the trees there came at a trot a troop of horsemen
bearing torches. The wolf rose from my breast and made for the
cemetery. I saw one of the horsemen (soldiers by their caps and their
long military cloaks) raise his carbine and take aim. A companion
knocked up his arm, and I heard the ball whizz over my head. He had
evidently taken my body for that of the wolf. Another sighted the
animal as it slunk away, and a shot followed. Then, at a gallop, the
troop rode forward--some towards me, others following the wolf as it
disappeared amongst the snow-clad cypresses.

As they drew nearer I tried to move, but was powerless, although I
could see and hear all that went on around me. Two or three of the
soldiers jumped from their horses and knelt beside me. One of them
raised my head, and placed his hand over my heart.

'Good news, comrades!' he cried. 'His heart still beats!'

Then some brandy was poured down my throat; it put vigour into me, and
I was able to open my eyes fully and look around. Lights and shadows
were moving among the trees, and I heard men call to one another. They
drew together, uttering frightened exclamations; and the lights
flashed as the others came pouring out of the cemetery pell-mell, like
men possessed. When the further ones came close to us, those who were
around me asked them eagerly:

'Well, have you found him?'

The reply rang out hurriedly:

'No! no! Come away quick--quick! This is no place to stay, and on this
of all nights!'

'What was it?' was the question, asked in all manner of keys. The
answer came variously and all indefinitely as though the men were
moved by some common impulse to speak, yet were restrained by some
common fear from giving their thoughts.

'It--it--indeed!' gibbered one, whose wits had plainly given out for
the moment.

'A wolf--and yet not a wolf!' another put in shudderingly.

'No use trying for him without the sacred bullet,' a third remarked in
a more ordinary manner.

'Serve us right for coming out on this night! Truly we have earned
our thousand marks!' were the ejaculations of a fourth.

'There was blood on the broken marble,' another said after a
pause--'the lightning never brought that there. And for him--is he
safe? Look at his throat! See, comrades, the wolf has been lying on
him and keeping his blood