Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-08-23
CHAPTER XII.
WIN his swAxr AsaEL.

WITH HIS bWhhF ArdEi.
@1ARAH DUNCAN had not 70
nj lowed the trail many rod
|. yI when her trouble began. Sb
IL was not Freckles. and not
bird OF the line was going to be fooIe'
into thinking she was They KEEP
vhlzzing from their nests and dartiui
from all sorts OF unexpected place
about her head and feet with quici
whirrs that kept her starting snt
jumping. Before Freckles wHs half
way to the town poor Mrs. Duncan
was hysterical aud the Limberlost had
neither sung nor performed for her.
~ wouldna stay in this place for .
million month" she bad said and
the sound OF her voice brought no com
fort. for II was 80 little like she had
thought IL that she glanced hastily
about to see IL II had really been she
that spoke.
Her chin was quivering like a terri
bed chiId's. Almost into her face went
Lighthawk stretched along limb
for its daytime nap. Mrs. duncan
sprang down the trail. lighting on 4
frog. The croak II gave as she crush
ed II sickened her. She screamed wild
ly and jumped TO one side. That ear
rled her Into the swaie where the
grasses reached almost to her waist.
aud her horror OF snakes returning she
made dying leap for an old log lying
along the line. She Iii on 1t squarely.
but It was so damp and rotten that
she sank straight through II to her
knees. She caught at the wire as
she went down and. missing. raked her
wrist over barb until she laid 1t
open In bleeding cash. Her fingers
closed convulsiveiy around the second
strand.
She was too frightened to scream
now. Her tongue stiffened She chung
frantically to the sagging wire and
finally managed to grasp II with the
other hand. Then she could reach the
top wire. and so she drew herself up
and found solid footing. She picked
up the club that she had dropped In
order to extricate herself Leaning
heavily on 1T. she got back to the
trail.
The wind rose higher, the changes /
rom light to darkness were more |
Ibrupt. and the thunder came nearer /
nd louder In swarms the blackbirds
ose from the swale and came docking
o The interior with a clamoring cry.
T'check. t'check" Grackles mar
hailed to their tribal call. "Trall-a nee.
Red winged blackblrds
wept low. calling TO belated mates.
Fol-low-me. fo.low-me." Huge jetty
rows gathered about her, crying. as
warning her to flee before 1t was
yerlastingly too hate. a heron. fish
~ the nearby pool for Freckles' find
ut" frog, fell Into trouble with
iuskrat and let out a rasping note.
irs. Duncan was too shaken to run
lF.
Several bees struck her and were an
rily buzzing about before she noticed
lem. Then the humming swelled to ,
roar ON all sides. A great convul.
We sob shook her. and she ran into
lie bushes. now iuto the swale. any
here to avoid the swarming bees.
icking, lodging. lighting for her very :
fe. Presently the drumming seemed {
grow little fainter. She found the
all again and ran With all her might .
om few of her angry pursuers. !
And AS she ran. straining every mus. ;
e. she suddenly became aware that :
ossing the trail before her was a
eat. round. black body with brown
arkings on its back. like painted geo.
etrical patterns. She tried to stop.
Il the louder buzzing behind warned
7 she dared not. Gathering her /,
irts still higher. with hair flying
out her face and her eyes almost :
rsting from their sockets. she ran :
'aight toward t. The sound of her
et aud the humming Of the bees !,
lrmed the RATHER. aud II stopped !,
uarely across the trail. lifting It's "
nd above the grasses Of the swale
d rafting inquiringly ratified until y
, bees were outdone
straight at it went the panic stricken -
nnn. running wildly and uncontrol-
lly She took one great leap. clearing =
body on the path. aud then few on :
III winged feet The snake. coiling =,
strike missed Mrs, Duncan and -
ded among the bees instead. They p
tied over and about II. and. realiz-
that Il had found trouble. II sank