The Tragical in Nature 79 



speed, and knowing that wolves were in pursuit, 

 held my rifle for a quick shot, and awaited the 

 event. Of the deer's safety I had no doubt. In a 

 moment she would take a flying leap into deep 

 water, disappear, and rise in safety some rods away 

 from shore. But from a little brushy cape two 

 wolves, which were lying in wait, rushed out, and 

 the deer briefly but fatally hesitated. Had she 

 kept on she would have easily leaped over and 

 cleared them. Instantly three more closed in from 

 behind, and she then tried, but too late, to make 

 her flying bound, though she dragged one of them 

 clear of the ground in her effort. I was astonished 

 and startled by the sudden and wholly unexpected 

 denouement. Such an infernal din of screams and 

 growls I never heard before, and the deer cried out 

 piteously. But I quickly recovered from agitation 

 sufificiently to hold my arm steady, and more than 

 once changed it to make sure of one of the tum- 

 bling pack — fired, after which the firing must be 

 rapid and less surely aimed. The wolves now made 

 the mistake which the deer had first made, of hesi- 

 tating. I got in two more telling shots and a flying 

 one. Of the five I had killed two and wounded one. 

 I was highly elated over my part of the tragedy. 



What was particularly noticeable was the quick- 

 ness with which the wolves had torn and killed the 

 deer. In another moment their powerful jaws and 

 muscular necks would have made fragments of the 

 carcass. The deer had been reduced to uncon- 



