The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-06-16
| histled

CT stamps and beams and truc!, bv
candle-ll3ht? Why, l think it is moth
Ing less than genius which suggests
the scheme. The only thing that |
don't like is the idea of shooting him
when We get him cornered-or he gets
us cornered. as the case may be. |
think 1t would be more sDortsmanlitn
to take him by the tail and snap his
head off,
Oh, quit your nonsense" said
Jack. We can handle him all right
Now, Willie. hustle up to the honsa
and get a handful of candles ana NV
revolver See that every chamber is
loaded and fetch a box of cartridges
besides. Tell You ma that we've got
the hunt of our lives On hand. Skin
| now, som"
Away went Willie in great slee II
seems that he GOT the needful article
without attracting his mothers atten-
ton until it was too late for her 10
interfere; he had a well-grounded sus-
plclon that she would enter a protest.
tried to convince Jack that it
would be the part Of wisdom to wait
Tor daylight, but he refused to listen.
JACK was one of the beSt-hearted fell
lowers il the world but he pos essei
lack Of caution which was very ir
rltatlng to more intelligent people.
Willie returned only TOO soon with
the munitions Of war, and we began
our preparations.
Are you going to get that candle
lighted" asked Jack impatiently.
| felt like answering, Not if | can
help myself" but | withstood the
temptation, and said instead:
ITS the funniest candle ever saw.
l think it must be made of marble.
Match doesn't seem to have any effect
on it,"
That's cause your hand jiggles So"
remarked Willie
| bent a stern brow on the Young |
man. Willie" said l. lis it possible
that you can make sport Of the nervous |
agitation brought on by the knowledge
OF the danger through which you haze
just passed."
Beg your PARDON said Willie hum
bly,.
Then | heard a sound that cheered
my dropping soul. The mill door
which Willie had closed-save us.-so
that the lion could not get out, was
opened, and a feminine voice shriiled
through the echoins building with:
Jack Stevens, come right out Of
there, and Willie, and YOU, too. Henry,
l never heard Of such foolishness,
Come out, say"
LOCI. out Mollie, Shut the door,
quick There he comes," yelled Jack,
in well-simuated fright.
Siam. went the door. and a rapid
pattering Of feet showed that nv only
ally had deserted me. Then the hunt
began. .z.5
1t is strange fact by nature that
the man who is the least interested in
an occasion of this kind is always the
one who finds the quarry This time
vent by the rule-I discovered the
We had poked around for about a
quarter of an hour. with the candle
shadows fitting strangely and I'M
pleasantly about, and the foolish
lotion entered my brain that perhaps
he lion was only creation of the ..
hildren's imagination: therefore I re-
axed my vigilant guard OF the rear
md plunged carelessly ahead AS q.
tooped to pass under one of the big
traces of the mill. a yell as of forty
even demented Sioux Indians assault ,,
d my ear-drums, and | was knocked :,
n the fiat of my back in a twinkling.
There he goes!" yelled Jack. Are j,
ou hurt, Henry"
"Oh. no. l answered, cheerfuiiy. .,
Nothing but fractured skull and a D..
ew dislocated vertebrae. 1 hope the
ion hasn't crippled himself 'Twould
g too bad to spoil the fun right at the :
tart" +
Come on. Come on" howled Jack. :
Don't lie there talking" And with u
hat he and Willie tore after the flee =
lg beast. -
The chase led up the rickety steps
} the second floor of the mill. The y
on made it in two jumps and Jack II
l four | took it in a dignifed one Z
,ep at time, not being in so much 1
a hurry. The scene which presented II
self to my gaze as my head rose II
bove the floor was a lively one. II
The big cat, crazy with fright, bound g
/ round the place in great leaps. CT
fter him went Jack and Willie, wild II
excited and without any thought of Il
Dssible consequences. All-myself in u
uded, as | found to my establishment te
were screeching and yelling their
udest. CO
The dust rose in sitting clouds from m
sneath the hurrying feet The lion W
IA N hled LII one side of the mill and | &C