Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-11-04

1t was Saladin's hour on the
nest. The great cock turned his
head slightly as they came up to
the fence, and the brilliant, un-
wiuking eyes glared with hostil-
ity. The Cherub had never appre-
ciated before how viperine was
the pose Of the long, nude neck
and the shallow, hattened head.
The bird was perfectly motionless,
except for a slow, unpleasant pull
sation of the throat.
Hello" exclaimed ScOville.
There's an egg out there"
1T wasn't there this morning.
said the Cherub. looking with per.
plexity at the dirty gray globe
lying forlornly some 30 feet from
the nest.
II reckon they found it was I'M
fertile aud kicked it out" said
ScOyille. I'D like to get that.
The tourists give Il dollar apiece
for EN- after they're blown and
polished. If it's left there one of
those wooden-legged freaks II
step on it sure as fate"
"Saladin might object, though
suggested the Cherub
"Oh, | don't think, replied the
oyerseer. He knows me pretty
well, and, besides, he amt anxious
To leave the rest of the clutch now
he can hear the young ones stir
ring
He leaned over the fence, chew
ing Il straw thoughtfully, while
the Cherub passed on to the next
inclOsure. The unfertile eggs
were ScOyiIle's perquisite, and the
longer he gazed at this one the
more IFS aspect assumed that of
huge silver dollar.
I'll risk it, he muttered, and
slipped under the rail.
He walked gingerly at first, but
rs the cock made no sign of re
sentiment at the intrusion, he adj
Nanccd with more confidence.
As he stopped to lift the great
shell, his watching eve detected
an almost imperceptible tremor
run mp the rigid neck, and hiss
like the sharp escape of steam.
burst from the beak. 4 man of
Scoyille's experience should have
accepted the warning and de-
camped at once. but. thick headed
~ enough. he paused. STOPPING
over the egg, until his chance was
lost.
Saladin rose as if on springs.
and then Scoyillc turned and ran,
stripping of his loose coat rs he
went. With IA few ground.deyOur-
ing strides. the cock caught up
with his victim. Sc0ville wheeled
and flung his coat al the waving
head. but it missed It's mark,
The Chcrub heard something
like the sickening sound Of Il box
rr'S fist landing ON the bare flesh
Of an adversary and turned in
time 10 see the Oyerseer rolling in
the sand like il shot rabbit.
The double rail of The fence
struck the Cherub just then as II
glaringly insufficient barrier. In
stinctiveIy he started 10 run. But
in spite of his tlaxen hair and gen
cral immaturity Of expression, the
hoy possessed courage. When the
first shock had passed he stopped
and began to retrace his steps, his
heart humping strangely
lie carried one Of those long
forked sticks with which all the
were supplied. TO his
inexperienced hand il seemed Il
weapon TO use against
800 pounds Of kicking bone and
but he knew, theoretical
ly that an ostrich could be sub
dued if the fork were applied to
the long, tender neck with sufii
1soat fnrco 4 ~ oh Olyn II
The overseer lay as he had
fallen, face down and with one
arm flung forward. Sa-
Iadin was performing crazy
dance about the PROSTATE figure;
but as the Cherub stopped under
the rail, the great ostrich paused
and greeted him with three boom
ing notes, lion-like in their yibrat
ing bass.