Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-03-19
CHAPTER xii.-continued.

Cncanniness. 1t lurked about him
upon every side. In the uniformed
piles, the creeping shadows, the dead
air, the brooding silence. AS well
might he have been a newly created
being suddenly finding himself alone
upon a world which he knew to be in
habited only by one other human and
an evil spirit which he must meet in
deadly combat. The thought aroused
him. He must creep like a lynx around
the outer edge of the plateau. taking
advantage OF every rock which might
screen his form, narrowing his circle
with every step until he had found
them. In this systematic way he could
go cover the ground that there would
be no possibility of his overlooking
them, and II his caution was keen he
could take the dragon unawares, and
take him unawares he must else the
flying one would be of with her again
and once more the ~maddening chase
would have to be resumed. He drew
his pistol and stole off among the
rocks. his eyes fiicking them as close.
ty as a prowling animals. his ears pre-.
ternaturally acute, Behind the shelter
OF every pile he paused to peer and
listen, while across the bare places he
fitted as silently as a specter. One
complete circuit OF the plateau he
made amidst the utter desolation and
silence without results. then narrow.
ing his circuit by a hundred yards be-
gan again. He would close in upon
them like q contracting moose until at
last he had found them.
The sun sank behind the range and
dusk fell upon him still %crouching,
crawling and darting across the un.
screened places. In the uncertain
shadow of a rock pile his foot tripped
against a stone and he fell upon his
face, remaining as m%otionless as a
watching lizard as he listened for an
answering sound. None came and he
slowly raised himself. Clearly enough
Il would be folly for him to attempt TO
pursue his search for the night-eyed
dragon In the darkness. He might
miss them. overrun them. be ambushed
himself or eluded In the darkness.
There remained but a few moments OF
even semi-daylight. and taking advan-
tage Of il he cTept into a niche In one
of the rock piles and composed him.
self to watch and wait with the Gun.
ming OF the mad.
The darkness thickened. Fold by
fold It fell upon the peaks and settled
dense in the valleys, while minute BY
minute the glitter OF the stars grew
brighter, harder. more scintillant.
From his narrow retreat he watched
them blazing in their brilliance. New.
er had he seemed SO near to them as
now. when bruised, torn and unutter-
ably weary Of body but burning of
brain he stared up at them with throb,
bling eyes. The cold of night came
settling down from the nearby snow
clad peaks, and coatless and damp he
shivered beneath its touch. Fuel there
was none upon this rock Uttered
waste. nor would he have CHANGED a
Are had there been lest the one Dor
whom he sought might see or smell It.
A new thought flashed through his
mind Undoubtedly the flying one now
thought himself safe from his day-long
pursuers, and II he possessed the skill
OF making fire. al did OF the
earth no matter how low their order
Of intellect, then tonight OF all times
after his labors OF the day he would
beyond doubt seek to warm and cheer
himself beside a blaze. And to Greer
upon an enemy who sits beside a fire
at night t. the very A b C OF stalking
Shivering with the cold he crept forth
Across the eastern peaks the moon
arose and flooded the mountain tor
with its simmer, and keeping in tbs
shadows Of the piled masses and pur
suing his way with the stealth OF a
marsudering Apache he crept on
Twice he climbed 70 the top Of piles