Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-10-09

anu Gfept on with greater caution.
MIR. Lindsay and the Dennisons' man
had passed that way some time be.
fore, carrying a deer between them.
AT the stream they had stopped to rest,
and, in the fo~re-shortcncd perspective
with which poor, blind humanity
sketches It's own destiny. decided to
separate, Andy. with part of the game.
taking shorter. though rougher road to
camp. He would be in time for his
evening duties. and Mr.. Lindsay would
follow the rugged trail from the stream
to the Caldwell ranch, looking for small
game OF the way.
The young hunter felt the keencst
pleasure in the witchery of the place,
and wished that Florence were beside
him that hey might watch the chang
Ing hues till the day decpencd into
that most enchanting hour between
daylight aud nightfall. She could not
but lose her fears in learning to lie
close to natures heart. He would put
her hand on the face of the great
rocks and show her how to follow the
running game.
He trudgcd comfortably onward. fol-
lowing a hare or two, but too wholly
at peace with the world to take life
again that day. lie was glad that the
dogs had zone with Andy, and pushing
back his hat and re~adiusting the game
that he carried, enjoyed to the full
cOntcntment of the successful hunter.
On through the brush he went. feel
ing the trail with a woodlands in
stinct. till a whippoorwill gave warm
ing that night was not far away.
On through the brush kept the
cougar also, reaching at last the rest
ing place at the stream where the two
men had separated. There was a sur
felt OF blood in the air. He had dis
tanced the first feint scent and 10Y
stopped to drink where the shallow
water was shaded by ovcrhanging
boughs. 1t was a good place to cross,
ever for a cat, and on the other side
the scent grew frcsher. Here to the
left was the trail of the dogs again.
A step or two back was a later leading,
and this he followed warily, lying close
to the ground and listening. bu, follow
ing unerringiy in Mark Lindsay's foot
steps.
, While making what speed she might
toward the gate that was her first goal,
Florence suddenly drew rein, a sure
l foreboding overcoming fNr the moment
) her own terror. Mark was in danger
how, she could not know, but some
: how ahead and not far. With her in
: ner vision taught to penetrate the myS-
terics that had so long disturbed her,
y she rode on with a loo of one set
! apart for supreme test.
I Up the mountain side n man was
slowly climbing toward the road. The
! trail that he followed led directly tn
the gate. 1t was Mark. and there.
but Il pitilossly short space behind
him, was the lion. With "A throb of eX-
u~ltation came the thought that she
could save her husband, and turning
D her horse from the road she forced
the obedicnt creature down the noun
@ tain side.
STEADY, Jess, and never fear. We
u can ride between them
''Florence,' shouted Mark, turning
in ama2cment, as he suddenly became
aware of her presence n saw her
y running away from the road.
lUIl uulCk anu Slout, NldIh, DIN
@ shrilly called, the hunter instinct wax
ing within as she kept her eyes on the
t game that crouched back against q
e bowldcr, startled, yet defian
Back Jess, to the left them
Marks resonant voice thrilled with the
9 cry Of the conqueror.
g AS the beautiful mare crept back
ward almost on her launches, two
y rifle shots rang out in quick success
@ sion. A long. terrible cry rose into the
y dusky air. and the body of the lion
d leapcd and fell backward. clawing AM
& tearing its undirected way through
" the dry brush, until it lodged againsi
J. a tangle of wood growth and lay 81
G lent, a dark shape of death.
THAT was we'll done, my brave
& wife," Marks eyes and voice were
y eloquent as he put out his strong arms
to lift her from the saddle. With the
Joy Of conquest lighting her face, Flor
ence walked beside her husband til
h they came TO the Caldwell gate.
n Let me open It," She sprang for
d ward and swung the gate wide I'll
s. they passed through, Jess following
70 unled, her closed it with a clang tina
q rang triumph through the whispering
forests.-N. Y. Commercial Advertiser
70 stole "a ship.