Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-07

when Helen awoke to find that
Mcnamara had ridden In from the
4 creek and stopped for breakfast
with the Judge He had asked for her,
but on hearing the tale of the nights
adventure would not allow her to be
disturbed Later he and the Judge
had gone away together
Although her Judgment approved the
step she had contemplated the night
before. still the girl now felt strange
reluctance to meet Mcnamara. 1t Is
true that she knew no Ill Of him except
that implied in the accusations of GER.
tain embittered men. and she was
aware that every strong and aggressive
character makes enemies in direct pro
portion to the qualities which lend
him greatness Nevertheless she was
aware Of an inner conflict that she had
not forcseen. This man who so con.
fdently believed that she would marry
him did not dominate her conscious.
ness
She had ridden much of late. taking.
long solitary gallops beside the shin
mering sea that she loved SO we'll or
up the winding valleys into the foot
hills where echoed the roar of swift
waters or glinted the flash Of shovel
blades This morning her horse was
lame so she determined to walk. In
her early rambles she had looked tim
idly askance at the rough men she met
bn their OanVYjnn
spect and courtesy. The most un.
kempt among them were often college
bred. although for that matter the
toughest of the miners showed album
dant consideration for woman. So
she was glad to allow the men to talk
to her with the fine freedom inspired
by the new country and its wide
spaces The wilderness breeds chiy
airy all Its own
Thus there seemed to be no danger
abroad. though they had told the girl
Of mad dogs which roamed the city,
explaining that the hot weather affects
powerfully the thick coated, shaggy
''malamoots' This Is the land Of the
dog, and, whereas in winter his lot is
to labor and shiver and starve, in sum-
mer he lonfs. fights grows fat and
runs mad with the heat
Helen walked for and. returning,
chose an unfamiliar course through
the outskirts of the town to avoid
meeting any of the women she knew
because Of that vivid memory of the
{rhf hofn Ac kn vo1ln1 Cv1ff1v
along she thought that she heard faint
cries far behind her Looking up, she
noted that it was lonely. barren
quarter and that the only figure in
sight was a woman some distance
away. a few PAGES farther on the
shouts required more plainly this
time, and a gun shot sounded. Glanc-
ing back, she saw several men run
ming, one bearing smoking revolver,
and heard nearer still the snarling
hubbub of fighting dogs. In fash
the girls curiosity became horror, for
as she watched one Of the dogs made
sudden dash through the now sub
dued group Of animals and ran swiftly
along the planking on which she stood.
1t was handsome specimen of the
Eskimo malamoot-tall. gray and coat
ed like wolf. with the speed, strength
hung low and swung from side to side
as it trotted, the motion fecking foam
and SLAYER. The creature had scattered
the pack and now, swift, nenacing,
relentless, was coming toward Helen.
There was no shelter near, no fence.
no house, save the distant one toward
which the other woman was making
her way. The men. too far away to
protect her. shouted hoarse warnings.
Helen did not scream or hesitate
she turned and ran, terror stricken, to-
ward the distant cottage She was
blind with fright and felt an utter GER
tainty that the dog would attack her
before she could reach safety. Yes:
there was the quick patter Of his pads
close up behind her. Her knees weak
ened The sheltering door was yet
some yards away But horse tether
ed near the walk reared and snorted as
the flying pair drew near. The mad
creature swervcl. leaped at the horses
legs and snapped in fury. Badly fright
ened at this attack. the horse lunged at
his halter, broke it and salloped away,
but the delay had served for Helen,
weak and faint, to reach the door. She
wrenched at the knoE 1t was locked.
AS she turned hope;es.'.y away she
saw that the other woman was direct
ly behind her and was, in her turn,
awaiting the mad animals onslaught,
but calmly, "a tiny revolver in her
hand.
"Shoot!" screamed Helen "Why
don't you shoot?" The little gun
spoke. the dog spun around. snarltng
and yelping. The woman fired several
times more before it lay still and then
remarked calmly as she ''broke" the
weapon and elected the shells:
1.-THE calber is too small to be good
for much"
Helen sank down upon the steps.
"How we'll you shootw she gasped.
Her eyes were on the gray bundle
whose death agonies had thrust it al
most to her feet The men had run
up and were talking excitedly, but aft
er a word with them the woman turned
to Helen.
you must come in for a moment
and recover yourself" she said and led
her inside.
1t was a coy room IN which the girl
found herself more than that. luXuri-