, 1909-03-25

beast!"
"Beast?" echoed Blake. grasping his
bow and arrows. where is he? May.
be only one of these African buffaloes.
How'd he look?-horns?"
II didn't see any. 1t was all
shaggy. and yellow like the grass,
and terrible eyes-Oh!"
The girls scream was met by a fe-
rocious, snarling roar, SO deep and
prolonged that the air quivered and
the very ground seemed to shake.
Coda lion!" cried Blake, the
hair on his bare head bristling like
a startled animals.
He turned %squarely about toward
the ridge, his bow half drawn. Had
the lion shown himself then Blake
would have shot on the instant. AS 1t
was, the beast remained behind the
screening border Of grass, where he
could watch his intended quarry with
out being seen in turn. The delay
gave Blake time for reflection. He
spoke sharply, as 1t were biting OF his
words: Hit out. I'll stop the buffer"
81 can't. Oh, I'm afraid"
Again the hidden beast gave voice
to his mighty rumbling challenge.
Still he did not appear, and Blake at
tempted a derisive jeer: Hey. there.
louder! We've not run yet! It's all
right. little woman. The skulking
sneak is trying to bluff us. 'Frald to
come out If we don't stampede. He'll
make off when he finds we don't scare.
Lions never tackle men in the day
inc Just keep cool a whils.
He'll"
"Look!-there to the right!-I saw
him again. He's creeping around!
See the grass novel"
That's only the wind. 1t eddies
down-God! he is stalking around.
Trying to take us from behind-cnrse
him! He may get me, but I'll get
him, too-the dirty sneak"
The blood had flowed back Into
Blake's face. and showed on each
cheek in a little red patch. His broad
chest rose and fell slowly to deep
respirations; his eyes glowed like
balls of white-hot steel. He drew his
bow a little tauter and wheeled SLOW
ly to keep the arrow pointed at the
slight wave in the grass which marked
the stealthy movements of the lion.
Miss Leslie, more terrified with every
added moment Of suspense, cringed
around. that she might keep him be-
tween her and the hidden beast.
Minute after minute dragged by.
Only a man Of Blake's obstinate, sui.
len temperament could have withstood
the strain and kept cool. Even he
oun the impulse to leap up and run
all but irresistible. Miss Leslie
crouched behind him, no more able
to run than a nous with which a cat
has been playing.
Once they caught a glimpse of the
sinuous tawny form gliding among the
leafess stems of a thorn clump. Blake
took quick aim; but the outlines OF
the beast were indistinct and the
range long. He hesitated, and the
opportunity was lost.
Yard by yard they watched the
slight swaying of the grass tops which
betrayed the cautious advance of the
grim stalker. The beast did not roar
again. Having failed to flush his
""s SeehilB 10 CdtCn tntm
ON their guard, or perhaps was warily
taking stock of the strange creatures,
whose like he had never seen.
Now and then there was q pause.
and the grass tops swayed only to
the down-puffs of the frightening gale.
Al such moments the two grew rigid,
watching and waiting in breathless
suspense. They could see, as distinct
ly as though there had been no screen.
ing grass, the baleful eyes OF the huge
cat n the shaggy forebody as the
Deast stood still and glared out at
them.
ihen the sinuous wave would start
on again around the grass border, and
blake would draw in a deep breath
anu hlutter a word of encouragement
10 the girl: Look, now-the dirty
sneak! Trying to give us the creeps,
Is ne? I'll creeps him! 'Fraid TO
SHOW his pretty mug!"
Not until the beast had circled half
around the glade did his purpose fash
upon Blake. With the wariness Of
an savage hunters, the animal had
marked out the spur of Jungle on the
north side where he could creep
closer TO his quarry before leaping
from cover.
The damned sneak" growled
blake You there. jenny"
que could not speak. but he heard