The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-08-28
CHAPTER I.

Cf1AF Eh u
Under a canopied platform stood a
young girl, modelling in clay. The
glare of the California sunshine. a.
tering through the canvas became
mellowed. warm, and golden. Above
the girls head-yellow like the stalk
OF wheat-there hoyered kind OF
aureola, as If there had risen above It
a haze of impalpable gold dust.
A poet know might have cried out
that there ended his quest OF the
Golden Girl. Straight she stood at this
moment. lovely of face. rounded OF
form, with an indescribable suggestion
Of letant physical power or magnet
ism. On her temples there we're little
daubs of clay, caused doubtless by Inn
patient fingers sweeping back occa'
Bional wind-blown locks Of hair. There
was even a daub on the side OF her
handsome, sensitive nose.
Her hand, still filled with clay,
dropped to her side, and a tableau en-
dured for a minute or two, suggesting
u remote period, q Persian idyl may
har With a smile on her lips she
stared at the living model. The cha
toyant eyes of the leopard stared
back. a flicker of restlessness in their
brilliant yellow deeps. The tip of the
tail twitched.
you beautiful thing!" she said.
She began llneading the clay again,
and with .deft fingers added bits here
and there to the creature which had
grown up under her strong, supple
fingers.
"Kathlyn! oh, F,it!"
The sculptress paused, the pucker
left her brow, and she turned, her
face beaming, for her sister Winnie
was the apple Of her eye, and she
brooded over her like the mother
would have done had the mother lived.
For Winnie, dark as Kathlyn was
light, was as careless and aimless as
thistledown in the wind
A collie leaped upon the platform
and began paving KathlyB. and short
ly after the younger sister followed.
Neither of the girls noted the stilfen-
ing mustaches of the leopard. The ami
NAL rose and his nostrils palptated.
He hated the dog with a hatred not
unmixed with fear. Treachery is in
the marrow of all cats. To breed them
in captivity does not matter. Sooner
or later they will strike. Never be-
fore had the leopard been so close to
his enemy, free OF the leash.
Exit, it is just wonderful However
can you do it? Some day Wen make
dad take as to Paris, where you can
exhibit them"
A snarl from the leopard, answered
by a growl from the collie, brought
Kathlyn's head about. The cat leaped,
but toward Winnie, not the collie.
With a cry. of terror Winnie turned
and ran in the direction OF the bunga-
low. Kathlyn, selling the leash, fol-
lowed like the wind, hampered though
she was by the apron The cat loped
after the fleeing girl, gaining at each
bound. The yelping of the collie
brought forth from various points low
rumbling sounds, which presently de-
veloped into roars
Winnie turned sharply around the
corner of the bungalow toward the
empty animal cages, to attract her
father and at the same time rouse
some of the keepers. Seeing the door
of an empty cage open, and that it was
approached by a board runway, she
few to it, entered, and slammed the
hold Tho hot
with the lust to kill, threw himself
against the bars snarling and splitting
Kathlyn called out to him sharply,
and fearlessly approached him. She
began talking in monotone. His
ears went fiat against his head, but he
submitted to her touch because in
variably it soothed him, and because
he sensed some undefinable power
whenever his gaze met hers She
snapped the leash on his collar just as
her father came running up, pale and
disturbed. He ran to the door and
opened it.
Winnie, you poor little kitten" he
said, taking her in his arms, "how
many times have / told you never to
take that dog about when Kits leopard
is off the leash?"
Il didn't think" she sobbed.
mo. Kit here and l must always do
your thinking for you. Ahmed!"
"Yes. sahib," answered the head
keeper.
"See if you can stop that racket
over there Sadie may lose her litter
II 1t keeps up"
The lean, brown Mohammedan trot.
ted away in obedience to his orders.
He knew how to stop captive lions
from roaring. He knew how to send
terror to their hearts. AS he ran he
began to hiss softly.
Colonel Hare, with his arm about
Winnie, walked toward the bungalow.
Lock your pet up, Kit" he called
over his shoulder, 'and come into tea"
Kathlyn spoke soothingly to the
leopard, scratched his head behind the
ears, and shortly low, satisfied rum
BILE stirred his throat, and his tail no
longer slashed about She led him to
his own cage, never ceasing to talk,
locked the door, then turned and
walked thoughtfully toward the bunga-
low
She was wondering what this gift
was that put awe into the eyes Of the
native keepers on her fathers wild
animal farm and temporary peace in
the hearts of the savage beasts. She
realized that she possessed 1t, but 1t
was beyond analysis. Often some wild