The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-11-28


'Your husband is an American. He
should be able to keep you we'll enter
tanned with blood-and-thunder stories"
said he.
'eMy hus- What dc you Oh, yes"
gasped Beverly "Tp be sure didn't
hear you, I guess. That was rather a
severe clap of thunder, wasn't it?'
'Is that also a commando"
'What do you mean%
'There was no thunderclap, you
know"
"Oh, wasn't there?" helplessly.
''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''
ct believe you are right. How sud-
den it all was"
There are several hours between
this and dawn, your highness, and yor1
should try to get little more sleep.
Your cushions are dry and
every well, since you are so eager to
get rid Of began Beverly, and then
stopped, for it did not sound partic-
| ularly regal. 81 should have said, you
are very thoughtful. You will call me
L sleep late?"
I'VE shall start early, with your per-
mission. 1t is forty miles to Ganlook,
and we must be half way there by
nightfall."
s.Must we spend another night like
this:'' cried Beverly dolefully.
ALAS, fear you must endure us an
other night I am afraid, however, we
shall not find quarters as comfortable
as those of the Hawk and Raven"
"I 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
he did not, whereupen she felt DIS
tinctly humblsd.
"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! Quickr'
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 it's
sheath and turned quickly. Not twen-
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 snar!ing whine,
fierce growl, indicated his fury at
finding his shelter, his lair, occupied
"My Cod! A mountain lion! Ra-
vone! Franz! To me!!' he cried hoarse-
", and sprang before her shouting
loudly to the sleepers.
A score Of men, half awake, grasp
ed their weapons and struggled to
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 and
firmly to meet the rush Of the mad
dened beast, his long dagger poised fox
the death dealing blow.
"Run!" he shouted to her.
Beverly Calhoun had fighting blood
in her veins. Utterly unconscious Of
her action at the time, she quickly drew
the little silver handled revolver from
the pocket Of her gown. AS man, beast
and knife came together, in her excite
ment she fired recklessly at the COM
batants without any thought Of the
imminent danger Of killing her protect
or. There was wild scream Of pain
from the wounded beast, more pistol
shots. fierce yells from the excited
hunters, the rush Of feet, and then the
terrified and almost frantic girl stag
gered and fell against the rocky wall.
Her wide gray eyes were fastened
upon the writhing lion, and the smok-
ing pistol was tightly clutched in her
hand.
It had all occurred In such an IN
credibly short space Of time that she
could not yet realize what had hap
pened.
Her heart and brain seemed para
lyzed, her limbs stiff and immovabIe.
Like the dizzy whirl Of kaleidoscope,
the picture before her resolved itself
into shape.
The beast was gasping his last upon
the rocky floor, the hilt Of the goat
hunters dagger protruding from his
side. Baldos, supported by two Of his
men, stood above the savage victim,
his legs covered with blood The cave
was full Of smoke and the smell Of
powder. Out Of the haze she began to
see the light Of understanding. Baldos