The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-09-06
By H. B. Mackenzie

|
him." cried Bluebell. She hardly
knew afterwards what wrung the cry
from her. whether it was real horror
at the accident that had happened to
her prosecutor or the sudden wild con-
viction that the chance had come to
her.
In moment Chipanga had plunged
into the river He was holding the
reins of Bluebell's horse, and endeav-
orlng to draw him after him; but the
animal resisted, lifting up his forelegs,
and Bluebell breathed an agonized
''Thank God."
The next instant she had slipped
from the horses back and was run
ming with incredible speed up the
bank.
The grass was so long that it stood
above her head, but once she got ont
OF 1T she was i'll short, stubbly I'M
dergrowth of grass. Without looking
back, hardly breathing, she flew on.
1t was so dark that she felt sure in
a few seconds she would be beyond the
sight of her enemies.
On, on, on! stumbling over tufts of
grass, plunging into bushes, tearing
herself out again, not knowing with
er she was going, hardly caring, only
determined to put distance between
herself and the hateful fate that had
seemed so near. Bluebell was hardly
able to draw breath. 1t came in sob
bling gasps from her dry and parched
lips.
Her ears were strained to catch the
sound of her pursuer's horses hoofs,
or at least shout. No sound came,
and presently she yentured to slacken
her speed. What had happened?
Could the man have been drowned?
But she had to think of herself.
She must find some hiding place for
the night at least. Though she was
warm, painting and perspiring with her
breathless run. she knew that present
ly it would be intensely cold She had
loosened the heavy cloak which COW
cred her almost to the heels as she
ran, and carried it on her arm. She
dared not drop it, though it impeded
her flight, for that would give her pur-
suers clue
She was on the sandy plain at last,
where walking was at least less un.
even than on the dry grass. Suddenly
she saw before her a little hillock; ii
might have been an ant hill from its
size and appearance. Bluebell was soon
at it. 1t was not an ant hill, but the
deserted hole of an ant bear. as she
discovered. She crawled into it. It
was dry and warm.
"They will not find me here" she
thought "F en- if they followed on
my tracks y could not see the bear
hole in the dark
- - threw herself on the ground
she G; I'D hardly sit upright, SO small
faced her position. She had 90 ii,
and no means of procuring any. She
was lost on a painless veldt not know
ing where the nearest wagon track
was. Wholly ignorant Of her wherea-
bouts as she was, what was to become
of her? If she could not find her way
to any human habitation she must in
evitahly die of starvation
The girl bent her face on her clasped
hands, and surely as earnest a prayer
as ever rose to the ears of the AL
mighty Father assembled from that
strange hiding place.
"Oh. merciful Father. Thou who art
able to save Thy children when they
cry to Thee, grant me Thy help now!
commit myself to Thee. There is
none other to whom ], can go. Help
me, help me, for Thy Sons sale!"
Strange to say, sleep came to her
presently: and in that deserted bear
hole, in the midst of lonely and des-
olate veldt, alone in the world, as it
seemed, Bluebell Leslie slept soundly.
She awakened suddenly 1t was ter
rible sound like that of distant thun-
der that broke her slumber. Bluebell
sat up, shivering with an uncontrolla-
BILE terror, for she had heard that
sound once before. and knew what it
was.
1t was the distant roar of lion.
She crouched down in her hiding
| place, shaking from head to foot.
What if the terrible king of beasts
should discover her "spoor" and trace
her to her shelter? The thought of
the horrible death that would then be
inevitable made Bluebells flesh Greer
and her blood turn cold.
There was no more sleep for her
that night. She lay, with shaking
limbs and loudly-beating heart, on her
bed of stubble grass, her ears strained
to catch the sudden, blood-curdling
roar of the lion before the grassy en-
trance to her shelter. But it did not
come. The distant rumbling died
away, and when morning came Blue
bell fell on her knees and thanked the
protecting Arm that had shielded her
from the terrors of the night
She crawled out of her hiding place
and looked around her. A great fiat
plain stretched on every side; one or
two small kopjes, covered with tawny
bushes. broke the monotony; but no
river or hill could she see anywhere.
| There was nothing to guide her as to
the direction in which she was to go.
She was absolutely lost on the terri
BILE veldt!