Oxford Democrat., 1912-06-11

| STltAIGHT AT IT WENT THE PANIC STkIoA'
EN- WOMAN.
thought It that she glanced hastily
about to see If It had really been she
that spoke.
Her chin was quivering like terri
fed child's. Almost into her face went
u nighthawk stretched along Il limb
| for its daytime nap. Mrs. Duncan
sprang down the trail. lighting ON
freq. The croak It gave rs she crush
ed 1t sickened her. She screamed wild
" and jumped to one side. That car
ried her into the swale, where the
grasses reached almost to her waist.
aud her horror Of snakes returning she
made u flying leap for IN old log lying
along the line. She lit Oh 1t squarely.
but II was so damp aud rotten that
she sank straight through 1t to her
knees. She caught at the wire as
she went down and. missing. raked her
wrist over barb until she laid II
open in bleeding cash. Her fingers
closed convulsively around the second
strand.
She was too frightened to scream
now. Her tongue stiffened. She clung
fraptically to the sagging wire ana
finally managed to grasp 1t with the
other hand. Then she could reach the
ton wire. and so she drew herself up
and found solll footing. She picked
up the club that she had dropped III
order TO extricate herself. Leanlng
heavily ON it. she got back to the
trail.
The wind rose higher. the changes
from light To darkness were more
nbrupt. and the thunder came nearer
and louder. In swnrms the blackbirds
rose from the swalc and came focking
10 the interior with clamoring cry,
"T'rhrk. t'check." Grackles mar
shaled to their tribal call. "Trall-a 'hee'
,rall.a.hee." Red winged blackbirds
swept low. calling to belated mates,
"rol.low me. fol-low-me." Huge jetty
crows gathered about her. crying. as
II warning her to fee before 1t was
everlastingly too late. A heron. hsh-
Ing the nearby pool for Freckles' lind
out" frog, fell into trouble with q
muskrat and let out rasping note'
Mrs. Duncan was too shaken to run
fur.
Several bees struck her and were an.
grily buzzing about before she noticeo
them. Then the humming swelled to
a roar on all sides. A great, convul'
sive sob shook her. and she ran into
the bushes. now into the swale, any
where to avoid the swarming bees
ducking, dodging. fighting for her very
life. Presently the humming seemed
TO grow a little fainter. She found the
trail again and ran with all her mlgh'
from few of her angry pursuers.
And as she ran. straining every mus
Gle. she suddenly became aware tha'
crossing the trail before her was
great. round. black body with brown
markings ON its back. like painted geo
meiriral patterns. She tried to stop
hui the louder buzzlng behind warned
her she dared not. Gathering bel
skirts still higher. with hair hyini
about her face and her eyes almos
bursting from their sockets. she raj
straight toward It. The sound OF bel
feet and the humming Of the bee
alarmed the rattler. and It stoppet
sauarely across the trail, lifting III
head above the grasses Of. the swal'
and rafting inquiringly-rattled unit
the bees we're Outdone.
straight ut 1t went the panic strickeI
woman. running wildly and uncontroi
lably. She took one great leap. clearing
!, its body on the path. and then new OF
j. with winged feet The snake colllni