The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-21
The Globes Daily Short story

ing his head
Then Clifford, exasperated by previous
failures, and sick with grief STAYED I'm
his saddle until he dropped senseless from
sheer exhaustion.
The winter passed; early spring came.
Late IN April and the night before Eas-
ter, Clifford. terribly haggard and worn
wandered out into the open air. All
gay Ine lnHuence had been strong iu
him that the end Of something was at
mand. The moon stood high in -he sky.
The air was warm and sweet as it had
Deen that evening just year ago when
ne ana Jeanne, newly married, stood side
by side
A great lump choked the mans throat
FROM up stairs In the room where she
Jay came the cries forced from her I'm
tnne ravlng Of dellrium. Jean was pacing
face lined and old. All at once the bav-
ing Of dog rolled across from the
woods In a tremendous wave of some
1t was followed instantly BY q shrUI
scream from up stairs
Clifford shuddered All his jaded senses
Sprang into fierce activity. "GOd in
heaven" ne cried aloud, give me one
chance. Give me one sight OF that hell
Lound. Let me meet it in fair fight for
JGanhes sake. For Jeanne's sake"
me moon rose above the shadow OF
the forest trees. AS the light grew
clear Jean uttered a stifed sound of nor
TOR. clifford, turning his head towards
the boy, felt his blood chill His ewes
We're on line with something: some
thing crouched motionless and Mack on
the crest OF the lawn.
Inc man wheeled about sharply AT
the same minute cry burst from the
creature outlined against the green bank.
lt was the damnable cry that for months
mad driven yt7I /, them desperate. The sound
reused CnHOrd to fury. Anything was
PETER than this. All fear fed from
MN: With bound the beast instinct
70 hgnt was rampant in his veins Whip
ping out his revolver, ne dashed straight
ahead, stopping at nothing peering
through the moonlight to keep sight OF
that inhuman shape. 1t was hand to
nand now, with something he could see
a tangible thing, at least-thank God.
IL seemed to Clifford that his first step
forward was the animals signal for bat
IIe with a rush the creature came gal
Ioplng forward Man and beast met fn a
clash that lOOSened CliffOrd's grip on the
revolver and sent it spinning across tina
ground, where It lay out Of reach. On
daunted, he doubled his fist to the hard
ness of mallet.
The animals hot. nauseating breath
poured into his face, the long fangs cut
blow the sharp claws knived his hands
For all that Clifford struggled madlT,
blindly, terrifcally; fighting not for him
self, but for Jeanne. His Jeannel
Everything grew black before the man.
The moon sank into obscurity; the stars
covered their light. Still some unseen
power was squirting him, hitting him on
and on. His strength was going fast;
his blows were aimleSs; the muscles Of
his hands relaxed. The fangs sank
deep into the soft skin Of his neck; ~
gave a half-cry. Was this the end Of 1T
all?
A long time afterward Clifford opened
his eyes. Dawn was breaking. The pink
hues were creeping into his den, where he
lay in the great couch, Jean bending over
him. The expression in the boys eyes
fascinated Geoffery.
Jeanne" he exclaimed, and dared ask
nothing more.
"She IS all right. 1t is a little girl.
Both-both Of them are alive ana well,
GOef Alive and we'll"
And that--that creature" Godfrey s
voice quiVered
But Jean looked at him curiously, not
answering.
IN stairs Clifford bent over the tiny
form of his daughter. Jeanne was smll-
ing at him, her face radiant, her eyes IuIl
Of cOntentment.
ut has been a dreary winter, dear but
we will make 1t all up to you-she and !.
Do YOU know, Godfrey, l had a terrible
time all my sickness with dog" She
looked into his eyes anXiously, putting
question she would not ask.
"Imagination, sweetheart. Jeanne, L
wonder if the moon will be set in the
Easter cross tonight" He avoided the
mute appeal in her gaze. And he never
answered one question that she sometimes
asked him. nor did he ever allow her 70
see last above his shoulder, the two blue.
black marks that SCARED the SKIN;
Marks that looked like the lnoentatloh Oh
wild creatures 1aheS.