The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-09-03
Ing the lean. 1.-THE shadow that raced

AOh5Sat baS Aio oS0hb Wao uAo~
cernible, and though his first burst of
speed was greater than theirs, 1t could
not last. Red Fox. looking back, saw
the hounds two fields away, and the
horses leaping the hedges.
Red Fox had been hunted many
times, and had always gone free. But
now he began to be vaguely distressed.
His meal had been a hearty one, and
he knew that his earth was stopped.
He came upon brook, trotted down
it to throw off the scent, and emerged
on the same side, half doubling upon
his tracks. He halted in patch OF
furze to get his wind.
He showed his teeth again, but this
time in laugh. as he saw the hounds
vainly casting up and down the stream
for the scent. He trotted quietly along
the bank. He was rejoicing in the sue
cess Of his maneuver when with loud
scent again; and once more the whole
pack was after him.
Now the chase was on in earnest
Red Fox put forth all his speed. since
cunning was no longer serviceable. He
could still gain on the hounds, all ex-
cept few Of the older ones, hardened
by years of the chase. Hounds and
horses were strung out over the fields
behind him, but the old hound still
led the remnants of the pack, logged
ly and untiringly.
CHANGING back over his shoulder, Red
Fox saw that of all the horses, only
two were near him. One carried a
man In a red hunting coat, the other
woman. They were galloping side
by side. 1t seemed to Red Fox that
there was certain hostility between
them. Red Fox could scent friendship
and enmity in human beings, as well
as animals-that was of the essence Of
his life-and he noticed how, in spite
of their nearness to each other, the
woman kept her horses head turned
from the mans horse. Red Fox mag
ined, also, that there was 4 sort Of RI
valry between them for his capture.
He was frightened for almost the
first time in his life. He began to
dodge and double. Suddenly he re-
membered that the little stream which
he had passed earlier that morning
wound its course not half mile dis
tain, in some dense fir patches. II
he could make that he might throw the
hounds off the scent.
They were not fifty PAGES away
when he dashed into the frs. Before
him rolled the brook, wider here, and
afforded him the supreme opportunity
fhot he sv,ko hD
water and swan hard up stream, only
his whiskered face appearing above
the surface.
AS he swan between the overhang-
ing branches of the leafy hazel bushes
that fringed the stream he heard the
baying hounds burst into the frs. He
heard the leaders bay change into a
whine and knew that his pursuers
were at fault. Red Fox showed his
teeth once more, this time in another
| laugh. He had baffled them, as the
wise old fox had done so many times
before.
|, The ground sloped sharply toward
the brook. Red Fox, still swimming,
saw the two horses stop on the verge.
The man pulled back his animal, but
the girls horse, slipping on the wet
bank, fell over, pinning her beneath
its body.
Instantly the man leaped to the
ground and holding the reins round
his arm, bent over the other.
"Muriel! Are you hurt? Are you
hurt, dear?" he asked in anxious
tones.
But the girl did not answer him. The
horse had fallen upon her arm and
shoulder, bruising them badly. She
had tainted from the pain.
The man knelt at her side. He
sprang to his feet again, filled his hat
at the stream, and, returning, began
sprinkling water into her face. She
sighed, and at length opened her eyes.
"Muriel! Muriel, dear! have been
beast!' exclaimed the man. Can
you ever forgive me? loved you all
the while"
Her lips were quivering, but more
from mental than from physical pain.
"You told me was a hard, cruel
woman, Arthur" she sobbed.
II was mad. You are an angel, Mu-
riel. Forgive me! Say that you will
forgive mel"
do you love me, Arthur? Do you
really love me, after all?" Her voice
was piteous. Arthur, 1 couldn't live
unless you loved me-"
He had extricated her from under
the animal, which now scrambled to
its feet and stood looking down upon
them. He raised the girl and drew her
into his arms.
Il love you forever and ever, DEAR"
he said
She leaned her head upon his shout
der. Their lips met. The man took
something from his pocket and slipped
1t back into its accustomed place. It
encircled the girls finger, and the dia-
mond solitaire sparkled brightly.
Suddenly the girl pointed into the
brush.