The Lamar register., 1911-10-04


"Oh!" she cried sharply in terror,
what was that?"
1t was something certainly-a dead
ened. mufled, shuffiing sound directly
in our front, followed by a strange
noise of scraping, as If with dull
knife on wood.
Wait here" said sternly. Prob
ably it is nothing more dangerous
than a rat"
felt my way carefully around the
table. a revolver ready in my hand.
There was nothing to be found there
nothing. indeed. in the room; for
from my new position l 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 break, doubt
less door; and cropping along the
crack / found the latch
There was no longer any noise
audible. and l drew the door inward.
never dreaming of danger. Suddenly.
with a fierce. wild spring out of the
dark, huge body hurled itself d.
rectly at my throat, striking with such
headlong impetus that went back.
ward as II shot, crashing against the
table. then to the floor. dropping my
weapon as fell. There was no noise,
no sound, while for an instant, with
strength of sheer desperation. l held
back the swapping jaws that breathsd
hot fire into my very face. With a
bound backward of its great body the
beast 1erked 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 1t seemed as II every bone be-
tween them must be ground to pow.
der. Even as I grasped the lower
jaw. seeking vainly to wrench II
loose, heard the girl scream In sud.
den alright.
"Quickl" gasped desperately.
Oct 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,
felt my brain reeling. when there
burst a vivid flash of flame within
= foot Of my face. smuggling 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. a dead. inert weight. pin
ming me breathless to the floor.
For the momsE. I could do no more
than lie there helpless. gasping for
breath. scarce conscious even Of my
deiiverance. Then. as sufficient
strength returned for action. l 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 l 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 a frightened
deer. as her terror-filled eyes sought
the dark interior.
1T is safely over" said weakly.
for my breath yet came to me In
gcsps. THE brute is dead"
could scarcely mark her coming
across the narrow streak of moon
light. moving toward me as fright
ened bird might. startled at every
thing. and passing as far from the
lifeless mass on the floor as the small
space would allow. AS she bent
anxiously over me her face was SO in
shadow that I could distinguish moth
ing of its features.
What is 1t? Are you indeed severe
ly hurt"
Not seriously, think, yet I have
lost some blood. and am in great pain.
There is brandy IN the inner pocket
- H. 49, 1t