The evening world., 1915-01-09

He caught his hat. which was drag
ging past in . downward eddy Of the
wind, and Weighted IL with . cocoa
nut. He wedged another nut between
his knees. bent over It, tearing at the
husk. 1t took him only q few mo-
ments to strip the fibre from the end
and gouge open the germ hole. He
Mold out the nut and glanced UP to
meet her smile Of acceptance.
She was staring past him. her eyes
Wide with terror. and tho color fast
reoeding from her face.
What tn Another snake7" he
demanded. twisting warily about to
glare at the ground behind him.
"Tk kere-over in the grass" she
whispered. 1T looked out at me with
terrible, savage eyes!"
"Snako7-that far Off"
mo. no'-a monster--a huge. fierce
beast!"
"Beastf" echoed Blake, grasplng
his bow and arrows. Where is he
Maybe only one OF these African buf-
faloes. How'd he look?-horns?
II didn't sec any. 1t was all
shaggy. and yellow like tho grass. and
eyes-Oh!"
Tho girls scream was met by a
prolonged that tho air qutvered and
the very ground seemed to shake.
Coda hon!" cried Blake. the
hair on his bare head bristling like a
startled animals.
He turned squarely about toward
tho ridge. his bow half drawn. Had
the hon shown himself then. Blake
would have shot on tho instant. An
II was. the beast remained behind the
screening border of grass, where he
could watch his intended quarry with
out being seen In turn. Tho delay
gave Blake time for reflection.
-, He 81 sposs sharply. a. 4 were bit;
stop the bldffer."
II can't Oh, I'm afraid!"
Again the hidden beast gave voice
TO his mighty rumblins challenge.
Still he did not appear. and Blake
attempted a derisive jeer: Hey.
there. louder! We've not run vet
It's all right. little woman. The
skulking sneak Is trying TO bluff us.
'Fraid to come out n wa don't STAN
pede. He'll make OFF when ne finds
we don't scare. Lions never tackle
men In tho daytime. Just keep cool
a while. HeIl''---
."Look!-there to the right!--I saw
a.,
Sec the grass novel"
That's only the wind. II eddies
down. God! He Is stalking around.
Trying to take us from behind
curse him! He may get me, but TIL
get him too-the dirty sreak!v
The blood had flowed back into
Blake's face. and showed on each
cheek in a little rcd patch. His
broad chest rose and fell slowly TO
deep respirations: his eyes glowed
like balls of white hot steel. He
drew his bow little tauter and
wheeled to keep tho arrow pointed
which marked the steafthy move
ments of tho lion.
Miss Leslie, more terr'"~1 with
every added moment OF suspense,
crtnged around. that she might keep
him between her and the hidden beast.
Minute after minute dragged by.
Only man of Blake's obstinate, sullen
temperament could have withstood the
strain and kept cool Even he found
the impulse TO leap up and run all but
Irresistible. Miss Leslie crouched be-
hind him, no more able TO run than
mouse with which q cat had been
playing.
Once they caught q glimpse of the
Mnuous, tawny form gliding among
the leafless stems OF q thorn clump.
Blake took quick aim; but the out
lines Of the beast were indistinct and
the range long. He hesitated. and the
opportunity was lost.
Yard by yard they watched the slight
swaying Of the grass tops which be-
trayed tho cautious advance of the
grim stalker. The beast did not roar
again. Having failed TO flush his game
he was seeking to catch them OF their
guard. or perhaps was warily takinR
stock Of the strange creatureG wtpsa