Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-05-08
Author Of "Gr.u.tarA"
Copyright. 1904. BY Dodd.
Mead snd Company

Il don't see any especial reason why
you should wear 1t after dark, do you
There is no sunlight, I'm sure"
Il am dazzled, nevertheless" he re-
torted
"Fiddlesticks" she said. This is a
cave, not drawing room"
"In other words, am lout and not
a courtier," he smiled. "Well a lout
may look at princess. We have no
court etiquette in the hills, am sorry
to say"
THAT was very unkind, even though
you said it most becomingly," she pro-
tested. you have called this pail a
throne. Let us also imagine that you
are courtier."
You punish me most gently, your
highness. l shall not forget my man.
ners again, believe me-" He seemed
thoroughly subdued.
"Then I shall expect you to remove
that horrid black thing. 1t is positive
ly villainous. You look much better
without It,"
us 1t an edict or compliment" he
asked, with such deep gravity that she
flushed.
ut is neither" she answered. "You
don't have to take it off unless you
want to-
"In either event it is off. You were
right. 1t serves as partial disguise.
have many enemies and the black
patch is very good friend"
"How perfectly lovely" cried Bev-
erly. "Tell me all about it. 1 adore
stories about feuds and all that"
"Your husband is an American. He
should be able to keep you well enter
tanned with blood-and- thunder stories"
said he.
MY hus- What do you Oh, yes"
gasped Beverly. 'To be sure. l didn't
hear you, l guess. That was rather a
severe clap Of thunder, wasn't it?"
| lis that also commando"
"What do you meanY
"There was no thunderclap, you
| know"
"Oh, wasn't there?" helplessly.
1.-The storm is quite past. There is
still dash Of rain in the air, and the
wind may be dying hard but aside
from that think the noise is quite sub
| dued."
Il believe you are right. How sud-
den 1t all was"
There are several hours between
this and dawn, your highness, and you
should try to get little more sleep.
Your cushions are dry and
every we'll, since you are so eager to
| get rid off, began Beverly, and then
stopped, for it did not sound partic-
ularly regal. II should have said, you
are very thoughtful. You will call me
IL sleep late2''
I'VE shall start early, with your per-
mission. 1t is forty miles to Ganlook,
and we must be half way there by
nightfall."
"Must we spend another night like
this?" cried Beverly dolefully.
"Alas, fear you must endure us an
other night. am afraid, however, we
shall not find quarters as comfortable
as those of the Hawk and Raven"
II didn't mean to be ungrateful and
-er-snippish," she said, wondering if
he knew the meaning of the word
"No?" he said politely, and she knew
be did not, whereupon she felt dis.
tinctly humbled.
"You know you speak such excellent
English" she said irrelevantly.
he bowed low. AS he Strengthened
his figure. to his amazement he be-
held an agonizing look of horror on
her face, her eyes riveted on the mouth
of the cavern. Then there came an an
grier sound, unlike any that had gone
before in that night Of turmoil.
"Look there! Quick!"
The cry Of terror from the girls
palsied lips as she pointed to some
thing behind him awoke the mountain
man to instant action. Instinctively
he snatched his long dagger from its
sheath and turned quickly. Not TWEEN.
ty feet from them huge catlike beast
stood half crouched on the edge of
the darkness, his long tail switching
angrily. The feeble light from the
depth Of the cave threw the long, wa.
ter soaked visitor into bold relief
against the black wall beyond. Appar
emily he was as much surprised as the
two who glared at him, as though
frozen to the spot A snarling whine
a fierce growt, indicated his fury al
finding his shelter, his lair, occupied
"My God! A mountain lion! Ra.
vone! Franz! To mew he cried hoarse
| w. and Spranp before her shoutino
loudly to the sleepers.
A score of men, half awake, grasp
| ed their weapons and struggled tt
| their feet In answer to his call. The
lions gaunt body shot through the air
In two bounds he was upon the goat
hunter. Baldos stood squarely anG
firmly to meet the rush of the mad
dened beast, his long dagger poised fol
the death dealing blow.
! "Run!" he shouted to her.
Beverly Calhoun had fighting blood
In her veins. Utterly unconscious Of
Ler action at the time. she quickly drew
the little silver handled revolver from
the pocket of her gown. AS man, beas
and knife came together, in her excite
ment she fired recklessly at the com
batants without any thought of tn,
imminent danger of killing her protect
or. There was wild scream of pail
from the wounded beast, more pisto
shots. fierce yells from the excited
hunters. the rush of feet, and then tn,
terrified and almost frantic girl stag
| gered and fell against the rocky wall