New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-01-07

/ from his position. twenty feet behind
he could not see. He tried 10 proSs
the thlckets with his eyes.
Then Dan whispered. Ever so soft
n sound, but yet distinct In the ST.
lence. There's something living In
that %thlcket.'
Then LennoX heard II, too. As they
stood still, the sound became ever
clearer and more pronounced. Some
living creature was advancing toward
them; and twigs were cracking be-
meath its feet. The sounds were rath-
er subdued, and yet, as the animal APP
preached. both of them instinctiyefy
knew that they We're extremely loud
for the usual footsteps of any of the
Wild creatures.
"What is IT, Dan asked quietly.
Lennox was SO intrigued by the
sounds that he vas not even observ-
ant Of the peculiar, subdued quality
IN Dams voice. Otherwise, he would
have wondered at it. I'm free to
confess | don't know" he said. Its
booming right toward us, like most
animals don't care TO do. OF course
1t may be n human being. You must
watch out for that"
They waited. The sound ended.
They stood straining for a long mo
ment without speech.
Uhat was the dumdest thing"
LennoX went on. "Of course 1t might
have been a bear-yOu never know
what they're going to do. 1t might
have got sight of us and turned of.
But ! can't believe that it was just a
deer"
But then his words chopped square
ly off in his throat. The plodding adj
vance commenced again. And the
next instant a gray form revealed IT.
self at the edge of the thicket.
1t was Graycoat the coyote, half
blind with his madness, and des-
perate in his agony.
There was no more deadly thing In
all the hills than he. Even the bite
of n ra%ttleSnake would have been well
coined beside his. He stood a long
iiNiuill, uHI vi MS llSAlilNlo anu -
flexes that would have ordinarily
made him flee In abject terror Nfere
thwarted and twisted by the fever OF
his madness. He stared n moment at
the two figures, and his red eyes could
not interpret them. They were simply
foes. for 1t was frue that when this
racking agony was upon him, even
~lifeless trees seemed foes sometimes.
He seemed eerie ana unreal as he
gaZed at them out Of his burning eyes;
and the white foam gathered ut his
fangs. And then, wholly without
warning, he charged down at them.
He came with unbelievable speed,
The elder LennOx cried once in warn
ing and cursed himself for Nentur-
Ing forth on the ridge without a gun.
He was fully twenty feet distant from
Dan yet he saw In an instant his
only course. This vas no time 10
trust their lives to the craftsmanship
of m amateur. He sprang toward
Dan, intending to wrench the weapon
from his hand.
But he didnt achieve his purpose.
At the first step his foot caught in a
projecting root, and he was shot to
his face on the trail. But a long life
In the wilderness had developed Len
noX's reflcXes to an abnormal degree;
many crises had taught him muscle
ana nerve control and only for n
fraction of an instant, n period of
time that few instruments are fine
enough to measure, ala he lie supinely
upon the ground. lie rolled on, into
a position of defense. But he knew
now he could not reach the younger
before the mad coyote would he
upon them. The matter was out of
hands. Everything depended on
the aim aud self-control Ga the tender
foot.