The Detroit times., 1908-01-09
By.
Michael
Storm

was intensified by thin threads of blood
that trickled from the thorn-scratched,
scars. with eyes inhuman, devilish,
that seemed to blaze out OF purpled
orbits, with lips that mouthed and
mumbled dreadfully over inarticulate
words.
She stood as one paralyzed, unable
10 move, to call out, futtering and
swaying like deer before the gaping
Jaws of snake. She was conscious
that somewhere out OF the great muf-
| fed silence around her there came a
whisper as OF her name being called.
! She tried to answer, bat her tongue
Glove TO the roof of her mouth, and no
sound came. But the mailman. then
! In the bushes, had heard the whisper,
too, and suddenly sprang.
| She saw the thing coming at her,
| leaping high in the air. with broken
chains clanking at his ankles and at
his wrists: but, even as he jumped
one of the chains caught in strug:
Cling briar and he fell face downward
into the stream. She saw him writhe
with a dreadful catlike movement up
! the bank, and then. with one piercing
1 h.
panic and terror taking the longest
oath that led on her way home.
The thing behind, snarling in baflied
| frenzy. came after her. leaping from
point to point like monstrous ape.
/ But for all his agility and demoniacal
force. he was hampered by the chains
that clanked and coiled against his
legs, and little by little the girl drew
away from him. Up hill and down
dale, moss or olayey slopes. her eyes
turning again and again In numbed
anguish, TO right and left, in vain hope
1 that help might come out of those aw-
| full enclosing walls OF mist.
And little by little the tireless ma
niacal energy of the pursuer beg to
tell, now that the first mile OF the
three that lay between her and safety
was passed. Before her stretched the
long slope that climbed from the final
dip to the top. And the incline was
stubborn.othe turf sopping with the
mist, and her breath was coming in
fierce. torturing gasps.
She felt that her limbs were getting
each moment more heavy and her
heart was pumping In little fierce jerks
and jabs that seemed to take her by
the throat and shake her
She glanced over her shoulder, and
shrieked aloud as she saw that the
thing was gaining on her. running with
that dreadful, baboon-like leap that
made as light OF the hill as II IL had
been on the fat.
with her shrek the first access OF
terror lent her sudden force. and for
q hundred yards she drew away again,
sending up now shriil. painting cries.
Suddenly there came back TO her,
mournful and muffied. but inexpressi-
bly, cheering, long cry.
Courage. called someone. We're
comingr
She glanced back, and saw behind
the thing two shapes looming obscure
~ through the mist.
With a little sob she sped on. But
her force was spent. The mist seem
ed suddenly to be shattered into a
great spray Of dancing red points. She
felt herself swayfng and. iurching. Her
foot silpped, and with a moan OF utter
impotence. she lay prone.
Twice she tried TO rise. only TO fall
back helpless, watching In numbing
horror the gradual approach OF the ma
MAC. ,---..... ..........--.--...--.
Thirty yards, 20, 10. she calculated
the distance, her mind acting IN that
curiously remote and frozen way that