“Icanhardlyrealizehowlongthispursuitafteranunseenpreylasted；IcanonlyrememberthatIwasgettingratherfaintwithfatigue，andignominiouslyheldontomypommel，whenallofasuddentheblackoutlineofasleighmergedintosightinfrontofus。
“Irubbedmysmartingeyeswithmybenumbedhand；weweregaininguponitsecondbysecond；twoofthosehellhoundsofthebaron’swerealreadywithinafewleapsofit。
“SoonIwasabletomakeouttwofigures，onestandingupandurgingthehorsesonwithwhipandvoice，theotherclingingtothebackseatandlookingtowardusinanattitudeofterror。Agreatfearcreptintomyhalf-frozenbrain——werewenotbringingdeadlydangerinsteadofhelptothesetravelers？GreatGod！didthebaronmeantousethemasabaitforhisnewmethodofwolfhunting？
“IwouldhaveturneduponKossowskiwithacryofexpostulationorwarning，buthe，urgingonhishoundsashegallopedontheirflank，howlingandgesticulatinglikeaveritableHun，passedmebylikeaflash——andallatonceIknew。“
Marshfieldpausedforamomentandsenthispalesmilerounduponhislisteners，whonowshowednosignsofsleepiness；heknockedtheashfromhiscigar，twistedthelatterroundinhismouth，andaddeddryly: