The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-21

son, the naturalist, recently. and so
knew of the existence of such men. 10
her they seemed rather romantic.
OH cried she on catching sight of
the chained animals. Are they tame
Are they tame enough to pet2"
The old man smiled little at her
7 enthusiasm. He had been looking her
over with pleasure, but without sur
prise. Michail Lafond, his new friend,
had mentioned his daughter" but
, never, Durand now thought, in fitting
terms. This girl was really beautiful.
The little interview became an audi
ence to which Durand brought mis- eA-
quisite court manners.
Jacques, the little raccoon, certainly
is" he replied to Molly's question, but
| the others-I do not know-they are
tame enough for me-but a stranger.
We can try, cautiously
Molly had run forward and fallen
| on her knees before the coon. She
was delighted with his grizzled, round
body, with his bright eyes, his sharp
little nose, the stripes across his back,
| his bare, black hands, almost human.
and, above all, with the clean, fresh
woods-smell that is characteristic of
such an animal when not too closely
confined. Finding him quite gentle,
she took him in her arms. Jacques pro-
| ceeded at once to investigate busily
the recesses and folds of her dress.
He seeks for sweetmeats," explain
ed the old man. who was looking on.
| From Jacques they proceeded to Isa-
beau. the lynx. Isabeau spat a little
| and looked askance, but under reproof
permitted a dainty pat on the tips of
his tasselled ears. Patalon, the great
clown bear, was good-natured but
! rough. He desired to be rubbed here
and there, he wished affectionately to
return this young lady's attentions with
a mighty hug. He smelt rank of the
wild beast. Molly returned soon to lit
tie Jacques.
How did you get them?" she asked,
| tapping the end of Jacques nose to
see him wrinkle his face.
TT is not difficult. One captures
them young. when they are mere cubs
and so, although they never will lose
their wild instincts, they become as
you see them"
But the mothers -"
"Ah. that is the pity" replied the
old man. simply. Sometimes it be-
comes necessary that they die"
Molly looked on him with new Won
der this slayer of bears and wild cats,
who nevertheless appeared so gentle,
whose eye was so mild. 1t was indeed
a marvellous world. She forgot the
Kid and the hunting party, and gave
herself up to the pleasure of the mo-
| ment.
From the pets they wandered to the
flowers. These interested Molly exceed
| ingly, for she herself was struggling
with the boxes of geraniums. 1t was
| fully half an hour later when Molly
finally said farewell to her host and
continued on down the gulch in the di-
| rection taken by her little companion.
The Kid was waiting with all the
heart-rending impatiehce Of youth. The
precious time before breakfast was
slipping away in futility. He had made
a sacrifice in taking this girl. Never
would he do it again! never! never.
And then he saw her coming. and for
! got everything except his relief.
Took you long enough to break
away" was his only complaint as he
rose to conduct the party.
Have we got time to hunt now?'
| Amt it most breakfast timer inquir-
we'd better let it go for this morn
ing?"
Lord, no! Come on! For heavens
sake, don't let's waste any more time"
cried the Kid with a gusty Impotence
that surprised his companion. She did
not realize the Inundated disappoint-
ment that had this last hour seethed
in the little breast. Il s'pose we might
s well get up on the ridge suggested
the Kid, still grumbing.
They turned sharp to the left, through
the thicket, where the birds were all
ready hushing their songs and the early
dew was quite dried away. The Kid
pushed ahead with almost feverish "a
padity. Here and there in the brush
Peter scurried, head down, hind legs
| we'll drawn together beneath his TANKS.
He snuffied eagerly into the holes and
forms, doing his dramatic best to ere
| ate some game, If necessary. Every
| once in a while his bristly head, all
| alert, peered, cock-eared, over a bush,
searching the hunters face for direc-
tions, and then plunging away suddenly
as his own judgment advised. IT was
| most SciencelesS and unsportSmanlike.
The Kid peered eagerly to right and
left, holding the muzzle of the little
rifle conscientiously at an angle of IS
| degrees, as he had been taught, and
vainly striving to avoid dry twigs, al
| though Peter was making enough noise
for a circus parade. The girl followed
a step or so in the rear. 1t was breath
| taking, this excitement. Every stir of
the bushes needed examination every
tlutter of wings was a possibility. every
| plunge of Peter might send a coVey
whirring into the pine tops. or rouse
a squirrel to angry eXpostulation. As
they went on up the side hills. still
without result but, therefore, with ex-
/ pSCldllOH the IIlOIe SndTpe1Su, ana DIS
Molly's cheeks became redder and red
der under her brown skin and her eyes
brighter and brighter, and as she bit
her under lip more and more, and rs
the straight level line of her brows
grew straighter and straighter with
the concentration of her thoughts, il
is to be doubted If the most enthusi-
astic lover of scenery could have torn
his eyes from the pretty picture ever
for the sake of the magnificent sweer
of country below. So at least thought
Cheyenne Harry. on his way across the
ridge to his claim.
He surveyed the eager three with
some slight amusement.
"Hullo!" he called suddenly.
The boy and girl started
"Hullo" answered Molly, after a mo-
ment. when her intent hunting ex,
preston had quite fed before her cheer.
full look of recognition. That you?"
The Kid. too. paused, but evidently
under protest. and with the idea Of
moving on again at the earliest polit,
moment.
"How's hunting?" inquired Harry. ia
cetiously. KILLED all the game dowr
below there?"
"All we've seen" replied Molly
promptly; "and the huntings yer,
J good" She put ever so slight a stres,