The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-06-01

r1ver.i tnOuBnt SuSys anu sne stOOu still
ard listened. She could hear it's mur-
muir. but she could not see 1t. "I'll 60
In the direction that 1t sounds" she
said to herself. "Then can follow It
right down to where papa is at work."
Once more she listened, hoping to
hear the strokes of her fathers AK But
she had wandered further out Of her
course than she imagined, and, more
over. Mr.. Black was not cutting down
trees that afternoon; he was just walk
ing on the bank of the river and mark
ing a number more, which were des-
tined sooner or later to fall beneath
the ak.
So our little Susy set of to find the
river, with strange, bewildered sort
Of feeling. Under her feet the dead
leaves rustled softly, and here and there
a slender-stemmed wild flower lifted up
its head in the shelter of rock or a
stump; all around her the tall trunks
of the trees lowered skyward, like so
many grim, silent sentinels. and the
murmur of the spring wind in the dry
boughs sounded like whisper in her
ears.
Still, S,sy was not frightened. She
thought it was an excellent joke, and
was quite certain that she should easily
find her way back to the river.
And she went on and on. until her lit
tie feet began to grow sadly weary, and
the shadows stretched out long and
level, and still she was no nearer the
river than ever.
II can't be lost" said Susy to herself.
And just then something sounded
"pat. Pat, pat" On the distant slope of
the wooded hillside, and lark figure
stole gliding out from a thickeo of
scubby evergreens. coming steadily,
steadily towards her.
Its dog" thought Susy.
But it was not dog. It was the sly
old wolf which Jim Doltz had seen, sew.
eral days before lurking around the
rocky Businesses of the hillsides; and
the whole truth flashed on Susy, as the
fierce creature came nearer and nearer
and with its rocking, measured trot, &c
different from the leaps and bounds OF
honest Tray.
Susy looked around in q wild panic
of terror. She was but little, unpro'
tected girl; she knew the wolf could
run faster than she, and there was nc
aid at hand, let her cry for help as loud
as she might. For a second, darkness
seemed to swim before her eyes, q
great terror thrilled through her heart
and then the instinct of self-preserva.
ton came bravely to the rescue.
She flung her dinner basket as far a
she could fling it, and began climbing
| the tree beneath which she had beer
crouching, with terrified haste,
susy was young and agile; she wa,
as used to tree-climbing as cat, and
in an incredibly short space Of time
she had mounted well up into the
branches, caring little for scrutched
face, or torn clothes, and never paus
ing until she was safe, clinging to the
tall, tapering top of the tree, and look
ing down with frightened eyes at the
savage beast. smelling and paving al
the ground where she had been but
five minutes ago.
She could see it's fiery eyes; iti
coarse, red-brown head, it's tail waving
to and fro as it ran around and around
uttering low, barking sound, in its
baffied rage.
And Susy, even in her safe refuge Al
the tree top, felt her heart grow colo
within her breast when the snarline
creature crouched itself down among
the dead leaves at the base of the tree
as if determined to wait there until colo