As the wolf raised his head to look at the newcomer, the same idea that had occurred to Annette had flashed across bonpapa—that Yvon had discovered thenr following him, that not content with his skins, he had taken a wolf’s form, and having given him the slip, had gone back to kill his wife ; and the horror of the scene so unnerved the old man that he scarcely could hold his gun steady ; but the Bisclaveret stood still frothing his bloody jaws over his victim ; and at last the silver bullet sped. With a howl the wolf sprang into the air, struggled a moment on the grounfl, and then shambled slowly off. Ah, what a sad ending to their expe dition ! What a poor revenge on the Bisclaveret ! He must die—the silver bullet must do its work ; but how dearly had that revenge been bought ! And bitter tears dimmed the old man’s eyes as he lfted into his lap the little head hacked and gashed by those cutting teeth. Who was to blame for it but himself. He should have followed the Bisclaveret alone ! There was no question about Yvon’s identity now. He had suddenly disap peared only a feiv paces before him among the wolves, almost at the top of the ledge. The thicket, the plateau, had been searched, but he was not to be seen. Too suddenly and mysteriously had he disap peared for man. Bisclaveret he must be ! Devil he was, to come back and kill his poor defenceless wife ! But it was the prophecy ; the omen of the fountain had come true !

He v iped away the blood from the face as well as he could, and after one long kiss, sat stupefied. The wild “hoot ! hoot! ” of a screech owl aroused him ; but now that the excite ment had died off, how weak and helpless he felt. On rising his limbs were numbed and trembling that after carrying the body a few paces he was obliged to rest. It would be impossible for him to get it home alone, so he stuck a branch with a handkerchief on it over the body to keep away the wolves, and started sadly home to rouse the country side. (to BE CONTINUED.)

THE ASHBURTON HERALD, THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1880.
