St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-04-22
= No; perhaps she could

should hear it, No; perhaps she could
outrun it whatever it 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 her
life, but for a second everything reeled
before her. Still she pressed on.
Was not that rafting of pebbles:
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 was
still. Then there WAS another crash, and
the moon. which shone right into the
depths, showed a long dark body on a
swaying limb ovcrhanging the canyon
road some twenty feet below. Phlster
saw it, too, and trembled. A low, painting,
purring sound came from the beast tect-
cring there at length, its eyes fixed On the
road beneath.
There was rafting; 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
lashtng tail, ready for leap into their
midst.
Like a flash Halle saw it all. Her
father or mother might be killed in that
unlooked-for spring, or, if this did not
happen, what a 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 snarl, a convulsive bound,
then the beast sprang out, clutchlng at
the limbs, and 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 her
straight into the midst of an astonished
group.
at is our Hallie.'
With Mrs. Burt's exclamation, every
thing was confusion for few moments,
and it was some minutes before Halle
herself could recover self-possession
enough to tell of her ride and its cause.
MY brave girlH' was all that her
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 to
pursue in regard to the Mexicans. If
Halle could ride down the old trail, they
could ride up it; so the women, with
Mr.. Burt and another man, took the
bronchos and slowly rode back, Aunt
Catherine rising equal to the occasion,
declaring that her comfort was not to be
thought of longer.
1t was daylight when the ranch was
reached. They found old Garcia in a
state of terror. Hall and Phil had re-
turned late that night and, taking Manuel
with them, had Immediately set off on
the upper road after the Mexicans. Be
fore noon they returned with jaded
horses. but with the men as captives, hay
ing surprised them in their waiting.
Manuel solemnly affirmed that he knew
nothing of their design; but whether he
did or not. Mr. Burt thought it best to
rid himself of him soon after.
well, Halle. you can never again
complain that nothing has ever happened
to you, I am sure said Phil, when all
had heard of that ride with that cry re-
sounding in her ears.
And | think | am cured of ever again
wishing anything to happen, she replied,
with a shudder.
But her "happenings' had begun:
Aunt Catherine learned how Halle had
given up the trip to Pueblo for her sake,
and the next announcement made was
that her niece was to go back to the East
with her And when they went Hal
lie carried the mountain lion skin with
her.
"She has earned it ALL too" said
Phil, proudly. "Not many girls would
have done what she did. And think
of that shot right in that animals
temple"
But Halle has always persisted that
that was the most extraordinary happe l.
ing of all.--[The Independent.