Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-02
No; perhaps she could

should hear It'll No; perhaps she could
outrun it, whatever IL might be.
Then came another thought that fairly
made her heart stand still. Suppose that
the men had been mistaken, after all,
and her father was not coming that
night. Halle had never tainted in hei
lite, but for a second everything reeled
before her. Still she pressed on.
Was not that a rafting OF pebbles2
She drew up Phister TO be sure There
was descent of the opposite side where
the broncho's hoofs might loosen the peb
bles and send them down. But all wal
still. Then there was another crash, and
the moon, which shone right into the
depths, showed long dark body on a
swaying limb overhanging the canyon
road some twenty feet below. Phister
saw it. too, aud trembled. A low, painting,
purring sound came from the beast teet-
ering there at length, its eyes fixed on the
road beneath.
There was rattling; she was sure of it.
There was murmur Of voices, and the
wagon train emerged from the opposite
trail. If the beast had followed her, it
was evident that its attention had been
suddenly drawn to the new corners, and
it lay with angry, quivering body and
lashlng tail, ready for leap into their
midst
Like a flash Halle saw 1t all. Her
father or mother might be killed in that
unlooked-for spring, or, II this did not
happen, what terrible shock it would
be to her aunt's nerves! Her own seemed
to become steel at the thought. She
slapped Phister smartly. The broncho
stepped tremblingly forward. The lion
turned its head at the sound. AS Phister
stopped short again, Halle raised her
revolver, took deliberate aim and fire d.
There was a snarl, convulsive bound,
then the beast sprang out, clutching at
the limbs, aud rolled down the canyons
side.
With the report, Phister gave terri
| fed snort, dashed frantically forward,
fairly leaping over the stones, whirled
| around the turn in the path and bore hcI
straight into the midst of an astonished
group.
1T is our Halliel"
With Mrs. Burt's exclamation, every
thing was confusion for few moments,
and It was some minutes before Halle
herself could recover self-possessior
enough to tell of her ride and its cause
my brave grill" was all that hel
mother could say, as they looked at the
lion stretched dead across the road.
But her father held her firmly by the
hand as he decided upon the course t
pursue in regard to the Mexicans. L
Halle could ride down the old trail, they
could ride up it; so the women, will
Mr.. Burt and another man, took the
bronchos and slowly rode back, Aun
Catherine rising equal to the occasion
declaring that her comfort was not to b
thought of longer.
1t was daylight when the ranch wa
reached. They found old Garcia in
state of terror. Hall and Phil had re
turned late that night and, taking Manue
with them, had Immediately set of O
the upper road after the Mexicans. BE
fore noon they returned with jade
horses, but with the men as captives, hav
ing surprised them in their waiting.
Manuel solemnly affirmed that he kne'
nothing of their design; but whether b
did or not, Mr.. Burt thought it best I
, rid himself of him soon after.
"Well, Halle, you can never agai
complain that nothing has ever happene
to YOU, am sure" said Phil, when a
had heard of that ride with that cry r.
sounding in her ears.
, And think l am cured Of ever agar
I wishing anything to happen, she replieC
: with shudder.
|. But her happenings had begun
Aunt Catherine learned how Halle Ia
, given up the trip to Pueblo for her SAX
and the next announcement made wi
i that her niece was to go back to the Ia
with her. And when they went Ha
: lie carried the mountain lion skin vii
q her.
"She has earned it all, too" sa
: Phil, proudly. "Not many girls won
n have done what she did. And thir
) of that shot right in that animal
G templcw
But Halle has always persisted tn
q that was the most extraordinary happe
t ing of all.--[The Independent.