The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1910-07-09

tearing at the husk. 1t took him only
a few moments to strip the fiber from
the end and gouge open the germ hole.
He held out the nut and glanced up to
meet her smile Of acceptance.
She was staring past him, her eyes
wide with terror, and the color fast
receding from her face.
What in Another snake7" he
| demanded twisting warily about to
| glare at the ground behind him.
"There-over in the grass!" she
whispered. 1T looked out at me with
terrible savage eyes!"
Snake THAT far off?"
| mo, no!--a mouster--a huge, fierce
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?"
"I-I didn't see any. 1t was all
shaggy, and yellow like the grass,
and terrible eyes-Oh!"
The girls scream was met by 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
startled animals. e.. 49,. So
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 derisive jeer: Hey, there
louder! We've not run yet. It's all
right, little woman. The skulking
sneak is trying to blum us. 'Fraid to
come out If we don't stampede. Hell
make off when he finds we don't scare
Lions never tackle men in the day
time. Just keep cool while
He'll"
'Look!-there to the right!-I saw
him again. He's creeping around!
See the grass novel"
That's only the vino It eddie:
down-God! he is stalking around
Trying to take us from behind-curst
him! He may get me, but I'll ge
him. too-the dirty sneak"
The blood had flowed back into
Blake's face, and showed on each
cheek In little red patch. His broac
respirations: his eyes glowed lik,
balls of white-hot steel. He drew hi
bow little tauter and wheeled slow
ly to keep the arrow pointed at tn,
. slight wave In the grass which marked
the stealthy movements of the lion
Miss Leslie, more terrified with ever,
: added moment of suspense, cringet
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 nave withstoo,
the strain and kept cool. Even h,
found the impulse to leap up and rul
all but irresistible. Miss Lesli
crouched behind him, no more abb
r to run than mouse with which ca
a has been playing.
!. Once they caught glimpse of tn
s sinuous tawny form gliding among tn
:. leafess stems of thorn cump. Blak
|. took quick aim; out the outlines O
4 the beast were indistinct and tn,
[ range long. He hesitated, and tn
k opportunity was lost.
;. Yard by yard they watched tn
s slight swaying of the grass tops whic
betrayed the cautious advance of tn
s grim stalker The beast did not roa
d again Having failed to flush hi
|. game, he was seeking to catch theI
s off their guard, or perhaps was warl
v taking stock OF the strange creature.
e whose like he had never seen.
n Now and then there was q paus,
d and the grass tops swayed only
the down-puffs Of the heightening gal,
" AT such moments the two grew rigit
watching and waiting in breathles
suspense. They could see, as distinc
@ ly as though there had been no screeI
t. ing grass, the baleful eyes of the hug
cat and the shaggy forebody as tn
b beast stood still and glared out {
o them.
e Then the sinuous wave would stal
1t on again around the grass border, an
d Blake would draw in deep breat
g and mutter a word of encouragement
to the girl: Look, now-the dirt
e sneak! Trying to give us the creep