The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-10-19

hOol yOu Sudll III gOu uc-
sire" | returned heartily.
There appeared before us dim, lit
ue-used path leading in among the
trees, and following its erratic curves
We were soon before the cabin, which
grew even more uninviting as we
drew near AS paused a moment be-
fore the closed door, in order that
might listen for any possible sound
within, | could hear her quick breath
ing, as though the terror of the mo-
ment had driven all else from her
mind. The wooden latch yielded
readily enough to my pressure, and
pushing wide open the door, which
creaked slightly upon its rusty hinges,
stepped across the puncheon thres-
hold onto the hard esrthen floor. There
was no window visible, and the slight
reflection of moonlight which crept
In through the doorway scarcely re-
vealed the nature of that dark inter
ior. could dimly perceive what be.
neved to be a table directly in front OF
me, while certain other indistinct and
I'll defined shadows might be chairs
pushed back against the wall. At least
this room was without occupants; yet
II was with every sense alert that
entered, pressing slowly past the table
toward where | felt the fireplace
would naturally be, knowing that my
companion was yet with me, her hand
clutching my arm.
"Ohl" she cried sharply in terror,
what was that?"
1t was something certainly-a dead
ened, mufiled, shuffing sound directly
in our front, followed by strange
noise Of scraping, as If with a dull
knife on wood.
Wait here" said sternly. Prob
ably 1t Is nothing more dangerous
than a rat" -...
| felt my way carefully around the
table, revolver ready in my hand.
There was nothing to be found there
nothing, indeed in the room; for
from my new position | could look
backward and distinguish in the moon.
light the details of that simple,
squalid interior. ran my hands
along the rough logs of the further
wall. Ay! here was a break, doubt
less a door; and cropping along the
crack I found the latch.
There was no longer any noise
audible, and ! drew the door inward,
never dreaming OF danger Suddenly,
with fierce, wild spring out of the
dark, a huge body hurled itself di.
rectly at my throat, striking with such
headlong impetus that | went back.
ward as If snot, crashing against the
table, then to the. eoor dropping my
weapon as fell. There was no noise,
no sound, while for an instant, with
strength OF sheer desperation. | held
back the swapping Jaws that breathed
hot FIRE into my very face. With
bound backward of its great body the
beast jerked free from my grip, and
the next instant had sunk its dripping
fangs, deep and hard, into the flesh
of my shoulder AS the intense pain
shot through me, my right hand,
driven with all the force | could mus.
ter, caught the monster once, twice,
full In the throat, but tighter and
tighter those clinched jaws locked,
until It seemed as If every bone be-
tween them must be ground to pow. |
der. Even as l grasped the lower
jaw, seeking vainly to wrench 1t
loose, heard the girl scream in sud.
den alright. ..-----"-----
Quick" gasped desperately.
Get my revolver there on the floor,
and use it-but for Gods sake keep
down; don't let the brute see you"
She must have heard. but there was
no response. although her crying |
ceased. Yet my own struggle to rid |
myself OF that crushing weight and
those iron jaws drowned all other |
sounds, drove all other thoughts from |
me. Every muscle Of my body began |
TO weaken from the strain, my eyes
blurred. faintness swept over me, l |
felt my brain reeling, when there |
burst a vivid flash Of flame within |
foot OF my face, singeing my fore |
head; then followed a deafening re-
port, and the huge brute sprang back.
ward with a snarl Of pain, his teeth |
clicking together like cogs of steel. |
Then he stiffened and fell prone
across me, dead. inert weight, pin
ming me breathless to the floor.
For the moment could do no more
than lie there helpless, gasping for
breath, scarce conscious even of my
dsliverance. Their. as sufficient
strength returned for action, rolled
the body Of the dead brute off me,
and lifting myself by aid OF the wall
against which my head rested, looked
about. Two broken chairs overturned
upon the floor, and the shapeless,
huddled body Of my late assailant, !
alone spoke of the violence Of that |
deadly struggle: but the cabin was
yet full Of smoke. and could per-
ceive the figure OF the girl leaning
against the frame Of the open door,
the revolver still grasped In her hand. !
Her posture was that Of frightened
deer. az her terroy-fillsd eyes sought
the dark interior.
1T 10 safely over" said weakly,
for my breath yet came 70 mo In