The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-24

The stars fiickered and died in the
heavens, the flames sank lower, lower,
and the great bla& night crept into
the camp, smothering the fading fire
with pale shadows. vague and strange
moving. swaying, until my eyes closed
and / slept.
Was il a second-was il an hour2 |
sat bolt upright staring at the dying
embers before me. A bit of charred log
fell in with a soft crash sending jet
of sparks into the air. where they faded
and went out. Went out? There were
two-two big green sparks that had not
faded with the others, and /, half
asleep, watched them. vaguely curious
All, they are moving now-no, they are
still again, close together.
The hair stirred on my head. my
heart ceased. thumped once, stopped-it
seemed hours-and leaDed into my
throat. almost sitting me with its
throbbing 1 was not dreaming. for l
felt the sweat trickling i'm my eyebrows,
and the roots of my hair were cold and
damp.
Ysonde moved in her slumber,
frowned and raised her hand.
A low snarl came from the shadows.
Slowly the power of thinking returned
TO me, but my eye never left those two
green sparks now blazing like lamps
there in the darkness.
When would the thing spring? Would
I have time to fling Ysonde behind me?
Would il spring if l called to Blylock ?
Blyloek had a rifle Would it spring if
moved, or If Y~onde moved again2
Gently. scarcely stirring, / tried TO free
my knees, and the creature snarled
twice
ITS against all precedent in these
woods" l thought. for any of the cat
tribe to dare attack a camp" A sud
den anger took possession of me. a fury
of impotence, and quick as the
thought. | sprang among the embers
and hurled a glowing branch straight
into the creatures eyes. What hap
pened after that I can scarcely tell; [
know d heavy soft mass struck me
senseless. but my ears at moments ring
yet with that horrid scream which
seemed TO split and tear the night
asunder. wavering. quavering, long af-
ter / was hurled on my back, and my
eyes seemed stark open in oceans of
blood.
When I came TO my senses it was
still dark-or so it seemed to me. At
ter a while l felt a hand shifting the
bandage which pressed heavily over
both eyes, and i'm a moment or two
somebody raised me by the shoulders,
somebody else by the knees. and l
heard BlylOck cock his rife, and say:
Give me that torch, Buck, and walk
faster"
"Blylock." I gasped, they're Juggling
me in as l lugged in sutherland
mauled by a panther" and 1 laughed
miserably.
"Hello." said BIylock, in a low voice.
Il thought you'd brace up; are you
bleeding much?'
Il don't know" I muttered; what.
in helPs the natter"
Matter" repeated Blylock, "the for
est has gone mad-it's preposterous, but
the woods are full of bobcats, troops
of 'em. and the skulking brutes have
actually got the nerve to follow US"
Cant / waIk?" I groaned. Where
is Ysonde ?"-for 1 was beginning 10 re-
member.
death-the ladies are here between me
and the guides who are toting you
''Ysonde," I murmured, pardon me
for my prOfanity-I am dazed-Where
are your
Here, Bobby" whispered Ysonde-
CLOSE beside you; don't talk, dear, you
are very much hurt"
Are you speaking to me, Ysonde?"
said, doubling my senses
ITO you, Bobby" she whispered close
to my ear, didn't you know that j
loved you? All. try TO live and you will
know"
My strength was ebbing fast, but I