The San Francisco call., 1898-02-06

up the steep place. Then he climbed up himself and leaned over a depth that made Katy dizzy to look over, while he secured his goods. Katy never cried out nor showed any fear all of the trip. Her father saw clearly that she was a brave girl and much like himself in self-control-
 Katy had been in the camp three weeks when she noticed the bees that flew about her. They all went in one direction after they had fed upon flow CTS that grew in the bed of a creek. She made up her mind that they were going to a tree where they had stored up their honey and she determined, without saying anything to her father, that she would find the tree and give her father a surprise with honey for lunch some day.
 Katy will never forget what hap pened by reason of her plan and her attempt to carry it out. She left the camp and recollecting what she had read about the babes in the wood she scattered a string of beans by the path as she walked, that she might safely return. She found the bee tree and marked it with a knife that she might point it out to one of the men In the camp later
 She then started on the back track for the camp.
  what she saw. Directly in front of her, in the narrowest part of the path, and where the surrounding bushes pre- vented her from departing in any other direction was the largest rattleSnake that she had ever seen. It had crawled from the bushes to enjoy the warm sun in the path. It's eyes were fixed upon Katy and it's rattles gave her warning not to approach it's deadly fangs any nearer.
 Katy's first thought was to find a stone to throw at the snake, but there was a look in the eyes of the snake that forbade her to move. She had heard that snakes charm birds, upon whom they intend to feast, and she had heard that even little children have been charmed by reptiles. Was she being charmed? The longer she looked at the snake. the more she was afraid to move. She was much relieved af- ter a time to see the snake close it's eyes. but it was not asleep. The least motion made by her caused those ma licious eyes to open, and the deadly gleam was always in them. She was a prisoner, and possibly for all day. The hours passed and she grew very tired of standing in one position. Again and again she made a movement to reach a stone that lay behinG her. but every time the snake moved as if to dart at her. So she waited and waited until the snake should crawl away or some one from the camp should come to her rescue.
 The sun was far in the west when Katy heard steps coming through the bushes
 Hello, hello," shouted a man. Katy knew that the voice was her fathers, but she dared not answer, for the snake showed every sign of anger at being disturbed.
 She heard with agony, the footsteps grow fainter and fainter as her father went away, and her heart sank within her. She could stand the strain no longer She grew dizzy, reeled and fell in the bushes. Through her brain went the idea that at last the snake had attacked her. She felt it's deadly bite and then she became numb. She was, to all appearances, dead when just at dusk, her father, still search ing for her, found her lying in the path. He started back with horror for the rattlesnake wav ,,urled up close to the body of his daughter to keer warm.
 The father took his pistol and stepped forward. A twig cracked and the snake awole and in an instan; was coiled. But the fathers sure aim struck the head of the reptile in an in- stant.
 Katy 1eaped to her feet startled into consciousness by the sound of the pis- tol
 Her first thought was of the snake It had not harmed hex. nor had 1t bit ten her. She saw her father who leaped toward her and caught her in his arms.