Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-10-08

billy again toward the terrace where
the camp stood.
A late streak of pale sunlight
cleaned through a narrow gap on tie
other side of the canyon, and Florence,
forcing herself to look down the wood
ed slope at her left and search the
stream, saw a movement through the
brush on the opposite mountain slope.
While she watched, her senses keenly
alert, there lightly leaped across the
narrow path of light a long, tawny
body. The shadows beyond received
it, but not before Florence, clutching
Jess name with her rein hand, knew
her danger. A mountain lion was fol-
lowing them, falling back, rounding
a bowlder, gliding through the trees,
but never he~sitating, never turning
away. For one moment a numb agony
held her stricken, but she was pres
emily surprised to find herself grow
ing resentful.
Why should a woman be so much
more helpless in the face of danger
than a man? Why, for instance, had
she not been taught to measure dis
tances? How could she know if the
lion might take the space down the
stream and up on her side of the can
yon in three leaps or five? Now she
knew how a maniac felt when he
laughed. Was there no escape? With
new dismay she recalled the stain on
her skirt, feeling that this had led the
great cat in pursuit.
She looked up into the bending sky,
sc soon to be star-jewelled, and with
a woman's prayer for help rode on to-
ward the Caldwell gate. Its white
parallels, family cleaning far ahead,
might lead to refuge, or-but she
fought back the hateful thought.
Lion, puma or cougar-it mattered
little what name it bore-the body of
grace and vigor, of flexible muscles
and power without pity, followed the
scent in the air. In and out it sped
onward among the bushes, startling to
terror the furry little people of the for
est; but the tawny cat had nobler
game in sight. Once he stopped and
held one forefoot back. There had
been killing near; there we're blood
stains, the blood of deer, and then,
too, dogs had crossed his path. He
snarled defiance at the last discovery
and crept on with greater caution.
Mr.. 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 fore-shortened perspective
with which poor, blind humanity
sketches its W 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 on the way.
The young hunter felt the keenest
pleasure in the witchery of the place,
and wished that Florence were beside
him that they might watch the chang
ing hues till the day deepened into
that most enchanting hour between
daylight and 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 trudged comfortably onward, fbl-
lowing a hare or two, but too wholly
at peace with the world to take life
again that day. He was glad that the
dogs had gone with Andy, and pushing
back his hat and readjusting the game
that he carried, enjoyed to the full
contentment of the successful hunter.
On through the brush he went. feel
ing the trail with a woodman's in.
stinct, till a whippoorwill gave warn
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 now
stopped to drink where the shallow
water was shaded by o%verhanging
boughs. 1t was a good place to cross,
for a cat, and on the other side
the scent grew fresher. 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, but follow
ing unerringly in Mark L~indsay's foot
steps.
While making what speed she might
toward the gate that vas her first goal,
Florence suddenly drew rein, a sure
foreboding overcoming for 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-
teries that had so long disturbed her,
she rode on with a look of one set
apart for supreme test.
Up the mountain side a man was
climbing toward the road. The
trail that he followed led directly to
the gate. 1t was Mark, and there,
but a %pitilessly short space behind
him, was the lion. With a throb of ex-
ultation came the thought that she
could save her husband, and turning
her horse from the road she forced
the obedient creature down the noun
tain side.
STEADY, Jess, and never fear. We
can ride between them"
Florence" shouted Mark, turning
in amazement, as he suddenly became
aware Of her presence and saw her
away from the road.
Turn quick and shoot, Mark" she
called, the hunter instinct walk
ing within as she kept her eyes on the
game that crOuched back against a