Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-04-18

esS" ate Aes uIuks auu, Turn
ing their heads like fash, saw an
immense rattiesnske slowly ap
preaching, head and tail slightly
raised above the ground, With the
tip Of the former oscillating 90
rapidly that il looked like q Mat.
The plainsman gives little heed
to the crotalus, for no reptile is
killed 90 easily. Then. too. it 10
cowardly, and rarely or never at
tacks q man, unless frss attacked, /,
but some strange instinct may have
told this particular reptile that
these tso scouts sere helpless. or
be may have been angered because
his home was invaded. Be that az
It may, there could be no doubt he
meant to attack the intruders.
When Stillvell raised his head
and looked at the rattler, he plainly
saw through the grass the Indian
party. less than o hundred yards
beyond. IL their attention should
be directed towards, this patch Of
verdure they must see both the
men. The clubbing of bis gun 10
crush the reptile, or, indeed, the
slightest movement to repel the
hideous thing. would bring the
warriors to the spot.
The rattler, having reached the
right striking distance, threw itself
into coil, the tail still bnzzing.
while the neck curved upward, aud
the fiat, triangular head made
ready to dart forward with the
quickness Of lightning aud drive
its fangs into the bronzed cheek of
Stillwell, who vas nearer to it than
his companion.
That veteran of the plains, to
bis horrified amszement, felt some.
thing of that strange. subtle spell
when the crotalus 10 believed ca
psble Of exerting over its prey, but
at no time did he become helpless
or lose command of himself. He
looked iutently ct the beady eyes,
cleaning and glinting like points
of black Gre /; he saw the jaws cape,
showing the crimson interior and
the tongue darting here and there
like q splinter of flame, the tiny
teeth, and the fsngs, curved over
aud sharp ss q needle point, hol-
loved and acting as the duct for
the sacks at their roots that were
bursting with venom.
The horrible head swayed from
side to side, with q slow, w~vy,
gaceful motion, ss il the reptile
were fixing upon the precise point
in which to bury its fangs. The
target it had chosen was beyond
question the cheek of Stillwell,
who. shaking of the frightful in
cubus, whispered:
"i'll take the Injins, Tru-"
Before, however. he could swing
his clubbed Winchester, bis COM
panion gripped his arm as q signal
for him not to stir. Then there
was q faint wbizz in the silent air,
a. il made bv the fitting Of q bird's
wing. q thin, yellow spear darted
in front Of his eyes, and the rattler,
frantically uncoiling. disappeared
in Q twinkling on the prairie be-
yond. Trudeau's jaws had bee n
working vigorously for Q few nom.
ents over his tobacco, and the
stream which he shot from be-
tween his lips struck the open
mouth and eyes of the rattler as
unerringly as Q rife shot. Panied
aud scared, be uncoiled and fed.
The Indian horsemen, following
their new course, galloped away.
and soon disappeared. Trudeau
and Stillwell remained hidden nm
til night, when they hurried toward
Fort Wallace, which was reached
without further adventure and q
force was sent in time to rescue
the little band at bay on the island
in the river.-LOs angeles teal. J
Sunday Times.