The evening world., 1920-06-23

Sne COulO not locate their 01reCuOn
She strained her ears until her
| nerves we're on the point OF breaking:
but she could not tell whence
the sound came. And 1t meant so
much to her to know for the battf6
| lines were north of her and " she
could but locate the direction Of the
firing she would know which way to
go in the morning.
| In the morning! Would she live to
see another mOrning3 She squared
| her shoulders and shook herself to-
gether. Such thoughts must be ban
ished-they would never do. Bravely
she hummed an air as she arranged
her saddle near the fire and pulled
a quantity Of long grass to make
! comfortable seat, over which she
spread her saddle blanket. Then she
unstrapped u heavy military coat
from the camille OF her saddle and
donned It, for the air WIS already
chill.
Seating herself where she could lean
against the saddle, she prepared to
maintain a sleepless vigil throughout
the night. For an hour the silence
was broken only by the distant boom
ing of the guns and the low noises OF
the feeding horse and then, from pos
sibly mile away, came the rumbling
thunder of a lions roar. The girl
rifle at her side. A little shudder ran
through he slight frame and she could
feel the goosefiesh rise upon her body
Again and again was the awful
sound repeated and each time she
was certain that It came nearer. She
could locate the direction of this
sound although she could not that Of
the guns, for the origin of the former
was much closer, The lion was up
wind and 80 could not have caught
her scent as yet, though he might be
approaching TO investigate the light
| of the fire, which could doubtless be
seen for a considerable distance.
For another fear-filled hour the gtFr
sat straining her eyes and eIrs Gut
into the black beyond her little island
Of light. During all that time the
lion did not roar again; but there was
constantly the sensation that IL was
creeping upon her. Again and again
she would start and turn to peer
into the blackness beyond the trees
! behind her as her overWrought
nerves conjured the stealthy fall OF
padded feet. She held the rifle
across her knees at the ready now
and she was trembling from head to
foot.
Suddenly her horse raised his head
and snOrted, and with a little cry the
turned and trotted back toward her
until the picket rope brought him to
a stand, and then he wheeled about
and with ears up-pricked gased out
into the night; but the girl could
neither see nor hear aug-ht.
Still another hour Of terror passed
during which the horse often raised
his head to peer long and searchingly
into the dark. The girl repenished
the fire from time to time. She found.
herself becoming very sleepy. Her
heavy lids persisted in dropping; but
she dared not sleep. Fearful lest she
might be overcome by the drowiness
that was stealing through her, she
rose and walked briskly to and fro.
then she threw some more wood on
the fire, walked over and stroked
her horses muzzle and returned to
her seat.
Leaning against the saddle she
, tried to occupy her mind with plans
for the morrow, but she must have
dozed. With a start she awoke. It
was broad daylight The hldeous
! night with Its indescribable terrors
, was gone.
She could scarce believe the testi-
, mony of her senses. She had slept
for hours, the fire was out and yet
,, she and the horse were safe and alive,
nor was there sign of savage beast
shining, pointing the straight road
TO the east. Hastily she ate a few
mouthfuls OF her precious rations
which with a swallow OF water con-
stltuted her breakfast. Then she
saddled her horse and mounted. Al
: ready she felt that she was as good
I, as safe in Wilhelmstal.
Possibly, however, she might have
l revised her conclusions could she
haW IN tue H. -
watching her every move intently
from different points in the bush.
: Light-hearted and unsuspectinE
L the girl rode across the clearing
toward the bush while directly be-
: fore her two yellow-green eyes
' glared round and terrible, a tawny
tail twitched nervously and great.
:, padded paws gathered beneath a
y sleek barrel for mighty spring
. The horse was almost at the edge
y OF the bush when Numa, the lion,
% launched himself through the air. He
struck the animals right shoulder at
l. the instant that II reared, terrified,
j.; TO wheel in flight. The force OF the
y impact hurled the horse backward
y TO the ground and so quickly that
: = the girl had no opportunity to ex-
u tricate herself; but fell to the earth
. with her mount, her LEFT leg pinned
c beneath its body.
, Horror stricken, she saw the king
n Of beasts open his mighty jaws and
: seize the screaming creature by the
9 back OF its neck. The great Jaws
Z closed, there was an instaats
, struggle as Numa shook his prey
: She could hear the vertebrae crack
a as the mighty fangs cruncheg
n through them and then the muscles
o o. her faithful friend relaxed in
II death.
70 Numa crouched upon his kill. HI,
/, terrifying eyes Nvetted Themselves
e upon the GIRLS faCe--she could fec
10 his hot breath upon her cheek and the
l. odor Of The fetid vapor nauseateC
l. her For what seemed an eternit,
q TO the girl the two lay staring a
l. each other and then the lion uttered
a menacinE ErOwi.
d Never before had Bertha Klrchel
W been so terrified-never before ha,
q she had such cause for terror. At he
IA hin was "A pistol formidabl,
n weapon with which to face man,
n fbut a puny thing indeed with whic'
NJ to menace the great beast before her
n She knew that at best II could bu
n enrage him, and yet she meant to sci
" her life dearly. for she felt that sht
n11Iet dc No human gucror couif