The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-09-06
CHAPTER xxIV.-Continued.

The lion stilled his roars and
crouched as it to spring, snarling and
grinning with rage and uncertainty.
His eyes, unaccustomed to the glare
of the midday sun, blinked incessant-
ly, though he followed the mans every
movement, his snarls deepening into
growls at the slightest change of at
titude
In his blind animal rage Blake had
forgotten that the purpose of his
lateral advance was to place as great
a distance as possible bet~ cen him
and the girl before the clash. Yet in
stinct kept him moving along his
spiral course, on the chance that he
might catch his foe off his guard.
Suddenly the lion half rose and
stretched forward, shifting There was
an uneasy whining note in his growls.
Blake let the club slip from beneath
his arm and drew his bow until the
arrowhead lay upon his thumb. His
outstretched arm was rigid as bar
| of steel. So tense and alert were all
his nerves that he knew he could
drive home both arrows and still have
time to swing his club before the
beast was upon him.
A puff of wind struck against his
back and swept on the nostrils of the
lion, laden with the odor of man. The
beast uttered a short, startled roar,
and. whirling about leaped away into
the Jungle so quickly that Blake's ar
row flashed past a full yard behind.
The second arrow was on the string
before the first had struck the ground
But the lion had vanished in the grass
With a yell, Blake dashed on across
to the nearest point of the jungle. AS
he ran he drew the burning glass from
his fob and tipped it open ready fol
use. If the lion had turned behind the
sheltering grass stems he was toe
,owardly to charge out again. Within
Of roaring flame.
The grass, long since dead. anc
oone-dry with the days of trOpica
sunshine since the cyclone, f1ared NJ
before the wind like gunpowder Ever
against the wind the fire ate its wa.
along the ground with fearful rapidity
railing behind it an upwhirling vor
Eek of smoke and flame. No Twin!
,reature could have burst through
hat belt of fire.
A wave of fierce heat sent Blak
staggering back, scorGhed and bills
.ered. There was no exultance in hi
bearing. For the moment all though
11OUod in a w
If his own work. He stared at tn
lell of leaping, roaring flames from be
heath his appraised arm. To the mort
sparks and lighted wisps of gras
. driven by the gale had already fire
he Jungle half way to the farthe
:idge.
, Step by step Blake drew back. Hi
: heel struck against something sof
he looked down and saw Miss Lesli
: wing on the sand, white and still
She had tainted, overcome by fear c
: " the uncomfortable heat. The hef
must have stupefied him as well. H
stared at her, dulleyed, wondering
the was dead. His brain cleared. h
,prang over to where the flask lay b.
tide the remnants OF the luncn.
He was dashing the last drops
he tepid water in her face when ST
ooaned and her eyelids began to flu
err. He flung down the flask and re
o chatting her wrist.
"Tom," she moaned.
Eyes, Miss Jenny, I'm here. It's
light he answered.
Have | had a sunstroke? Is TIL
Thy it seems So can hard
Breathe"
IT'S all right. l tell you. Only
title bonfire I touched off. Guess "
aust have tainted, but it's all rig
= low"
2 ut was silly of me to faint. B
u hen saw Tat dreadful thing leap