The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-11


longer, but his scent was plainly dis
cernible, and though his first burst Of
speed was greater than theirs, it 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 a brook, trotted down
It to throw OF the scent, and emerged
on the same side, half doubling upon
his tracks. He halted in a 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
hey the oldest hound took up the
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 a certain hostility between
them. Red Fox could scent friendship
and enmity in human beings, as we'll
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 imag.
ined. also, that there was sort of ri
valry between them for his capture.
He was frightened for almost the
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
that he required. He sprang into the
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 q
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, bu,
the girls horse, slipping ON the wei
bank, fell over, pinning her beneath
its body.
Instantly the man leaped to thu
ground and holding the reins rount
his arm, bent over the other.
"Muriel! Are you hurt? Are yor
hurt, dear?" he asked In anxious
tones.
But the girl did not answer him. Tht
horse had fallen upon her arm ant
shoulder. bruising them badly. Sh'
had tainted from the pain.
The man knelt at her side. HI
sprang to his feet again, filled his hal
at the stream, and, returning, begar
sprinkling water into her face. She
sighed, and at length opened her eyes
"Muriel! Muriel, dear! have beer
a beast!' exclaimed the man. Gar
you ever forgive me? loved you al
the while"
Her lips were quivering. but more
from mental than from physical pain
you told me l was a hard, crue
woman. Arthur" she sobbed.
Il was mad. You are an angel, Mu
riel. Forgive me! Say that you will
forgive mel"
DO you love me, Arthur? Do yor
really love me, after all?" Her voics
was piteous. Arthur, couldn't live
unless you loved me-"
He had extricated her from undel
the animal, which now scrambled t.
its feet and stood looking down upor
them. He raised the girl and drew heI
into his arms.
Il love yon forever and ever. dear,
he said.
She leaned her head upon his shoul
der. Their lips met The man took
something from his pocket and slipped
1t back into its accustomed place. II
oncircled the girls finger, and the dia
mond solitaire sparkled brightly.
! Suade,-!y tie girl pointed into the
brush.
Look! Look, Arthur" she ex
claimed.
THE little rascal! I haven't the
heart to call the hounds" answered the
man.
And Red Fox, still untaken, Hoped
horieward at an easy gait. Once more
he had saved that splendid fur and
brush, and with his pads he delicately
wiped the water from the mask which