th and suddenly a deer,
frightened and panting, flew across the road, turned for a moment an
almost human, despairing look toward him, plunged into the tangled
under-growth on the left and was gone from sight. John drew his reins
instantly, bringing his horse to a dead stand, loosened his rifle from
his shoulder and after examining it closely, remained quiet. His
patience was not taxed by long waiting. Within the space of two
minutes, there was another sharp crunching and crackling of dry
boughs, when a wolf, large, gray, and fierce, sprang into the path
from the same opening, following on the trail of the deer. He had
nearly crossed the narrow road in hot pursuit and was about springing
into the thicket beyond, when an accidental turn of his head brought
our hero suddenly to his attention. He stopped, as if struck by a
spell of enchantment.

Whiz! the ball flew. The very instant it struck, the bloodthirsty
monster fell dead. When John reached the spot, there was scarcely the
quiver of a limb, so well had the work of death been accomplished. Yet
the wolfish face grinned still a savage, horrible defiance.

"Here, Caesar", he exclaimed, in a boastful tone, "do you know that
this old fellow lying here, won't get the drink out of the veins of
that dainty creature he was so thirsty for? No! nor ever cheat any
sweet little Red Riding Hood into thinking him her grandmother? This
is the last of him. Didn't I do the neat thing, Caesar?"

Caesar threw his head on one side, with an air of admiration and gave a
low whinny, that betokened a state of intense satisfaction at the
whole transaction.

It may appear frivolous to those who have read with unwavering
credulity the olden tales of the prowess and achievements of knights
errant in the days of chivalry, that one should stop to relate such a
commonplace incident as the shooting of a wolf, and above all, that
the hero of this narrative, should betray, even to his horse, such a
decided emotion of self admiration for having performed the feat. Such
a trifle would not indeed be worth mentioning in company with the
marvellous deeds and mysterious sorceries of the old romaunt, but this
being a true story, the hero young, and this the first game of the
kind he has yet brought down, it must be excused.

After a critical examination of his victim, our traveller mounted his
horse and proceeded on his journey, much gratified at his afternoon's
work, and inwardly resolving how he would