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sight of one I wont cold up and down
my back for fear.
He had a great yellow tooth that came
out of a ragged face of hair and seemed
to come out of his whole great body. I
needed not to be told that it was the
Wulf. Too many awful tales had been
told by the old women around the fire for
me not to know him. The third man
said nothing and stood back a little, but
my master and the Wulf talked at each
other and though both seemed angry,
they did not talk loud enough for me to
understand what they said.
My master's face was white as it always
gots when he is stirred by anger, but of
the other's I could see nothing for the
hair which stood bristling.
Now and then at something which my
master said, I would hear him laugh and
his yellow tooth shone horribly. I had
listened but a short time, although it
seemed long to me, when suddenly mas
ter said something which appeared to
madden the Wulf, for the latter dashed
his hand upon his sword and I heard the
blade rasp as it came out of its scabbard.
,The other drew his also.
My master had no other weapon than
his short dagger, and yet he did not run
from the spot, but drew it and stood his
ground bravely. The two attack him
and though he struck off their sword
points for awhile, they dashed him across
the cheek and I saw his was a fool hardy
game.
I saw too, that ho was merely the
mouse awaiting the death stroke of the
paw. Something in the sight made me
grip my wood ax tighter and creep silently
around the bush up behind my master's
enemies. The interchanged looks, the
bracing of their bodies, the stiffening
grip around the sword hilts all told me
that if I were to act I must act quickly.
The third man must have seen some
thing of the surprise in my master's eyes
for he swerved about with a cry of warn
ing to his comrade.
But no warning of the Wulf 's compan
ion could save him. I can not tell what
mixture of fury, rage, horror, thirst for
blood filled my veins, but I knew that
the hot breath rushing through my throat
seemed to scorch my tongue and mouth,
and when the ax circled over ray head,
no tree had ever felt the mad strength
which threw into that blow. So swift,
so hard, so deep, I struck that the broad
blade cracked wide the iron of his armor
and sunk down into his shoulder. I
could hear the bones crunch beneath the
steel.
And then I felt a red hot iron soar
through my arm and tingle the flesh of
my side; and everything grew dark in
the wood.
They told me afterward that the third
man had ran his sword through my arm,
but upon seeing my father who had but
that moment run up and joined my mas
ter, the fellow had turned his back and
fled.
Regarding all that which had taken
place, I was surprised; fori seemed to
have been in a tiream in which I had
been rather more of a man than a boy,
but I was pleased nevertheless with the
part which I had acted.
But the thing which pleased me most
was when my master in the great hall
where all his people were gathered, said
to the smith, "strike off the collars of
Uhard and his father Lorie."
The words made the tears start to my -eyes
for joy and I sprang to my feet and
shouted "Free, free!" then I bowed my
head and wept.
Perhaps this was wrong. I was young,
only fourteen.
George C. Shedd.
The Tri Deltas initiated Misses Ada
Butler and Mabel Huzlett into their fra
ternity last Saturday evening.
