The progress., 1904-12-03

snakes. They were coiled into one un-
distinguishable mass OF yellow and
black. Not an inspiring sight lcould
only see one head and neck. It was
small and fiat. not swollen to the huge
size depleted in natural history books.
We returned to our seats by the f,re.
the genial heat dispeileo tie chill OF the
room and In a few minutes It became
uncomfortably warm.
"I'd open a window" said Fletcher, as
we moved our chairs slightly farther
away from the blaze, "but the ther-
mometer outside ie two below zero, and
the room might cool OF with unpleasant
suddenness. But II you like l."
A Startling Surprise.
He never finished the sentence.
Glancing at him saw his eyes were
glaring wildly, his mouth open, his face
white. followed the direction OF his
gaze.
Across the polished floor toward the
fire a big snake was dragging its slow
length. Our eyes turned to the box.
When Fletcher had carelessly shut 1t
the lid had fallen on protruding
bunch Of blanket, leaving an open
space of perhaps two inches. Through
this space the second snake was even
now gliding forward.
We sprang to our feet. As we did so
the snakeson the floor halted, coiled
itself and raised Its little head about
IS inches above the ground. As it did
90. the folds Of its neck swelled and
broadened before our eyes, into the
horrible "hood" whereof everyone has
read.
At the same moment the second
snake slid to the floor. and. emulatins
It's companions pose. coiled, facing us.
We had both made an ins,inctive move
for the door. But the second SNAKE now
lay directly in our path. The first
reptile uncoiled and drew toward rs.
It TOOK us perhaps one-tenth Of a
second to Jump tosthe top Of Fletcher's
broad study table.
From this temporary. coign OF van
tage we watched the two reptiles
crawl nearer the nre, warm themselves
lazily, and, each minute grow more and
moro lively as the heat from the
blaze cfept through heir chilled bodies.
"Youve cot paper weights and q
heavy inhst4nd and pair OF shears on
this table, ~ said at last, moving about
4 little ON my Uncomfortable perch.
"Whw not lombard them, just IS we
nssd tok stone snakes when we were
"No, fo5Eeoodness' sake. don't do
that" cried Fletcher. THAT pair OF
snakes ts worth $3.50. I've better
idea"
"To bolt for the. door and shut
them in?"
mo; we'd have tQ pass closeto them
to get to the door, They're too lively
now for us to run such a risk. We
must wait up here till the fire dies
down. n may be an hour or more
before the rppm is cold again, but as
soon as 1t a they'll grow torpid. and
we'll be in16o danger from them"
"In the meantime, l suppose. we're
to perch. here like cat treed by
fox terrtsr." I suggested. "The idea
doesn't .sppUBf to me-"
ssIt doesn't make any especial hit
with me, either,1 rejoined Fletcher.
'bveI like it-better than being snake
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oi larry p.omlnent p Wv .tAsl
spending q ~'n.er morning on 'op On
'Ao'e
Treglc !uPaon'
But our Laughter ssoppec soruptly'
% through its peais pene'Fa.eo nisn-
pi{eneu oaoy s0ico ITO" 'ne 'oa'i"aS
outside.
a pat you iaussins AZ paps!.caiieo
me voice
It was. Fletcher's four-year-old boy;
his onaDcehild ana tne- CARING OF mn
heart.
Before either.of - could speak or
Iairiy take 10 this new complication.
The dOOrknOb ratified under the uncoy.