The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-04-04

gnashing his teeth with q loud chop
ping noise, Then Ellis heard a sudden
startled 'Whosh.' There was a bel
low cut short and rafting crash OF
locking antlers. The distant enemy
must have crept up silently. made a
circuit to approach his antagonist
down wind. and then charged
In spite OF straining his eyes, Ellis
could see nothing. but the noise was
enough. Trees and shrubs crashed
apart as the giant animals wrestled
and swayed through the woods with
stertorous snorts and gaspS for breath.
The huge prongs crashed together con-
tinually. Ellis thought that the fight.
ers We're equally matched, but sud
denly one of them broke away, ran
down TO the head cf the pond, and
splashed into the water.
The other followed, with a terrific
and triumphant blast, and the battle
was resumed ia the shallow water.
with sounds like the dying furry of
a whale. Ellis could resist it no long
er The idea of obtaining so UNIQUE
a photograph was too much for him.
and he sat up in the canoe and pushed
out.
The slight current of air toward him.
and the noise Of the fight covered his
movements. The distance was about
nifty yards, and the focus of his camera
was fixed for a hundred feet.
The canoe tossed violently on the
waves created by the battle, and when
he had glided a short distance, there
was a tremendous splash, a noise Of
houndering, and scream like that of
a wounded horse. One OF the bulls
had gone down.
Ellis gave two more strong paddle
strokes, shipped the paddle, and poised
his camera. The terrific tbreshing In
the water continued, and he sighted
Tor the spot as accurately as he could
waited moment. and then with trem-
bling fingers pulled the trigger of the
fash-gun.
In his excitement be did not hear
the report. The gun was heavily loaded
with fiash-pow1er for outdoor work.
and in the momentary, vivid white
glare he saw the dark forest, the dark
water, and giant black animal stand
ing with hcai turned suspiciously to-
ward him above something that was
hidden in q smother of spray.
Black darkness followed, and with
1t came an appalling below from the
bull, and Ellis heard the sound of a
plunge toward him. The brute had
sighted his new enemy in the fash.
and the killing fever was upon him.
Ellis caught up the paddle, spun the
canoe round, and shot away blindly
in the inky darkness. He could hear
the bull apparently about a dozen
yards behind, coming with great
bounds through the water. But in a
few strokes the canoe collided violently
with some thing solid. Ellis lost his
balance, pitched forward, and went
helpless overheard and under water.
| As his head bobbed up. he heard the
smash of tn moose putting forefoot
through the canoe. He dived, trying
to swim under water, aud rAn against
the Jagged surface of one of the beav-
er-houses, which was, in fact, the OBJ
stacle upon which lie had been
wrecked. The bull charged him with n
rush. and sharp hoof grazed his leg.
In the muddy bottom of the pond he
blundered into what seemed 4 sort of
trench. 1t led to the beaver lodge. and
as he brushed against the bristlng sur.
face OF knots and sticks, lie felt an
opening near the bottom. 1t was the
hole that had been cut 10 enlarge the
entrance Of the raided lodge, and with
a choking desire to take refuge any
where, he thrust himself inside.
His head burst through a light floor
ing foot above the water as he raised
it. 1t was pitch dark. Lifting his
hand, he felt the rough roof close
above him. The water came nearly
to his armpits as he sQuatted, and it
was very cold. The air was damp and
surcharged with animal odors.
He could hear the moose splashing
about outside, probably puzzled at its
victims disappearance. Occasionally
tnere was sharp dow upon the roof
Of the lodge, but it was thick and
solid, built Of mud and interviewer
branches.
As his fright passed off little,
Ellis felt about the interior of his
refuge with much curiosity. The walls
were rough and splintery, and a great
number of small sticks were floating
about. Above the light flooring that
he had broken through appeared to
have been the main living-room of the
family, for there was a quantity of
dry grass arranged as if for nest.
AS nearly as he could judge, the place
was about four feet in diameter.
He felt sure that the moose did not
know where Ae was, for the animal
was wading about from one lodge to
another, smiling loudly at each. Pres
emily he might return to finish his for
mer antagonist Ellis thought and