Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-05-19

senses admit detect the fact TINT
there was a curious echo to the girls
footsteps. Dan Failing had slipped
down from bis terrified horse and was
running up the trail behind her. pray
Ing that isa cutllI bp 10 time.
gnowbira beard the pat. vat Of his
feet; but At nrst she ala not dare 10
hopn fhat mid had come to her. She
had Thought OF Dan as on the far
away marshes; and her father, the
only other living occupant Of this part
Of the Divide. might even. now be ~
ing dead in HIS house. In her terror.
she had lost all power Of interpreta-
ton Of events. The sound might be
the cougars mate, or even the wolf
pack, Jealous Of his game. Sobbine,
she hurried on into Whisperfoot's am
bush.
Then she heard a voice, and 1t seem
ed to be calling TO her. "Snowbird--
I'm coming. snowbird,' = a mans strong
voice was shouting. She whirled with
sob OF thankfulness
At that instant the cougar sprang.
Terrified though she was, Snow
birds reilexes had kept sure and true
Even as the great cat leaped, long,
1.-THE shadow out Of the shadow, her
finger pressed back against the trigger
Of her pistol. She had been carry
ing her gun in front OF her, and she
fred it, this last time, with no con-
scious effort II wns just last In
stinctive effort to defend herself.
One other element affected the is-
sue. She had whirled TO answer Dams
cry Just as the cougar left the ground.
But she had stiII been IN range. The
only effect was 10 lessen, IN some de-
gree. the accuracy OF the spring. The
bullet caught the beast in mfd-air;
but even n II had reached It's heart,
the momentum Of the attack was too
great TO be completely overcome.
Snowbird only knew that some vast,
rcslstiess power had struck her, and
that the darkness seemed TO roar and
explode about her.
Hurled 70 her face IN the trail. she
did cot sec the cougar sprawl on the
earth beside her. The fame IN the
lantefn almost clicked out as Il fell
from her hand. then flashed up and
down. from the deepest gloom TO q
vivid glare with something Of the ef-
feet Of lightning fiickering in the sky.
Nor did she hear the first frenzied
thrnshlng Of the wounded animal.
Kindly unconscionsncay had fallen, oh
securing this and also the sight o. the
great cat, IN the agony Of It's wound.
creeping with broken shoulder and
barred claws across the pine needles
toward her dcfenscicas body.
But the terrible fangs were never
10 know her white licsh. Some one
had come between. There was no
chance 10 shoot; whlgperfo0t and the
girl were too near together for that
but one course remained: and there
was not even time to count the cost,
In this most terrible moment Of Dan
Failing's life. there was not even an
insiant's hesitation he aid not know
that whIapcrfoot was wounded. He
sHw The henet crceping foysgnrd IN che
xelrd dancing light u the fallen Tan
tern. aad he only knew that his flesh.
not hers must resist its rcnding tai.
ons. Nothing else ma,tered. No 9th.
er consideration could como tetwean.
Il was theNtesi; and Dams Instincts
prompted cooIly and wen he ieaped
scffh al kfa sfRo.4e-sh frs.a .sssts4r :
bounded Into hia arms. not up0n the
prone body og the girl. And she open
GA her eyes 10 hear curious thrush.