Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-26
CHAPTER VI.
The Ancient Trail.

CHAPTER VI.
The Ancient Trail.
IN the bushes was q little pool Of
dried blood. and where the earth
near the roots was free from sod
there were several Impressions Of
bare foot
'He must have been wounded" ex.
planned Brown, "by Curdss' shot.
doubt II the Hon touched him. The
beast must have died instantly the
spear entered its heart But where can
40 have disappeared tor
Victoria Custer was examining the
grass a little distance beyond the
bushes. She saw what the others fail
ed to see-a drop of blood now and
then Leading away in the direction Of
the mountains to the south.
At the sight oft great compassion
welled In her heart for the lonely.
wounded man who had saved her life
and then staggered. bleeding. toward
the savage wilderness from which he
Mad come. It seemed to her that some
where out there he was calling to her
now and that.she must go.
She did not call the attention Of the
others to her discovery, and presently
they all returned to the veranda. where
Barney again took up the discussion Of
their plans for the morrow's depart
ure. The girl interposed no objections.
Barney was delighted to see that she
was apparently as anxious to return
home a. he was to have her; he had
feared nat refusal.
Barney had wanted to get buffalo
tull before he left, and when one Of
the Waxin warriors brought word that
morning that there was q splendid
herd few miles north Of the ranch
Victoria urged him to accompany the
other men upon the hunt.
"I1l attend to the balance Of the
packing" she said. There's not the
slightest reason In the world why you
shouldn't go"
And % he went, and Victoria busted
herself in the gathering together Of
the ODDS and ends of their personal
belongings.
All morning tie household was alive
with its numerous duties, but after
luncheon, while the heat of the day
vas greatest, the bungalow might have
been entirely deserted for any sign of
life that there was about it. Lady
Greystoke was taking her siesta, as
we're practically all Of the servants.
Victoria Custer had paused in her
work to gaze out Of her window toward
the distant hills far to the south. At
her side, nosing his muzzle into her
palm, stood one Of Lord Greystoke's
great wolf hounds, Terkoz. He had
taken great fancy to Victoria Custer
from the first and whenever permitted
to do SO remained close beside her.
The girls heart filed with q great
longing az she looked wistfully out TO-
ward the hills that she had 10 feared
before. She feared them still, yet some
thing there called to her.
She tried to fight against the mad
desire with every ounce Of her reason.
but she was fighting against an unrea-
soning instinct that was far stronger
than any argument she could bring to
bear against Il.
Presently the hounds cold music
brought forth an idea in her mind. and
with 1t she cast aside the last SEM
blance Of attempted restraint upon her
mad desire. SEEKING her rife and am
munition belt, she moved noiselessly
into the veranda.
There she found number Of leashes
hanging from peg. One Of these she
snapped to the hounds collar. Unseen
she crossed the garden to the little
patch Of bushes where the dried blood
was. Here she gathered up some of
the brown stained earth and held 1t
close to Terkoz's nose; then she put
her finger to the ground where the
trail Of blood led toward the south.
Here. Terkoz" she whispered.
The beast gave low growl as the
scent Of the new blood filed his nos
trils and, with nose close to the ground,
started of, tugging upon the leash, in
the direction Of the mountains upon
the opposite side Of the plain.
Beside him walked the girl. Across
her shoulder was slung modern big
game ride. and in her left hand swung
the stone tipped spear Of the savage
mate she sought.
What motive prompted her act she
did not even pause to consider. The |
results shs gave not the slightest
thoueht II seemed the most natnral