American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-04-22

feet Of the girl.
Three times more he tried to stalk
before he finally gave 1t up altogether.
This game was like the porcuplne-
s,mnIy TO be chased down and taken.
And in the case of all animals that
hun their game by overtaking II.
there was no longer any occasion for
roirg silently. The thing TO do was to J
come close and spring FROM the trah
behind.
Though the fear was mostly gone.
the cougar retained enough of that
caution tina. most wild animals ex-
hibit when hunting a new game SO
that he didn't attempt to strike Snow
bird down at once. But as the chase
went on, his passion grew upon MIN.
Ever he crept neare And at last ne
sprang full into the thickets beside
her.
At that instant she had shot for'tne
first time. Because the light had left
his eyes before she could find aim,
both shots had beer clean misses. And
terrible as the reports, were, he was
too engrossed in the chase to ne
frightened away by mere sound. This
was the cry the man-pack always
made-these sudden, startling sounds
in the silence. But he felt no pain.
He crouched a moment. shivering.
Then he bounded on again.
The third shot was a miss too: In
fact, there had beer no chance for a
hit. A sound in the darkness Is as
unreliable a target as can possibly be
imagined. And 1t didn't brighten him
as much as the others. He waited,
crouching, and the girl started on.
She was making other sounds now-
queer, whimpering sounds not greatly
different from the bleat that the fawn
utters when 1t dies. 1t was a fear
! sound, and If there Is n emotion
4 with which the wild beasts are &C
A uuainted. In all It's phases, 1T is fear
She was afraid of him, then. and that
\ meant he need no longer be In the
| least afraid of her. His skin began te
twitch all over with that terrible mad
ness and passion of the fi~esh-hunters
This game was like the deer, ant
the thing to do was lie in wait. Ther'
was only one trail. He wasn't afrait
of losing her in the darkness. Sh'
was neither fleet like the deer no
courageous like Wool the bear. III
had only to wait and leap from tn
i darkness when she passed.
q
When Dan Failing, riding like ma
- - ...-4ag~F frofl hard FIN
a third shot from Snowbird's pistol, h
. felt that one of the debts he owed Ina
= come due at last. He seemed to know
. MS the darkness pressed around hin
. that he was to be tried in the fire. An
i the horse staggered beneath him
N he tried to hasten.
NJ He showed no mercy to his noun
u Horse-fesh isn't made for carrying
! heavy man over such a trail as I'M
and she was red-nostriled and lat
erred before half a mile had been co
ed erred. He made her leap up the rock
&c, and on fairly level stretches he loos'
lily rhe refns and dashed her into q gallo
Only a mountain horse could ma
ce, stood that test. He gave no thong
~ HIS ONh ohltAN- $3.50
he at the test, and no risk of his oV
ire life must interfere with his attem
Ter to save Snowbird from the dang
on that threatened her. He didn't knt
'ol- when the horse would fall with h
= and p~recipitate him down a precipi'
oc- and he was perfectly aware that
1t crash into a low-hanging limb of o
set of the great trees beside the tr
her would probably crush his skull. /
ess he took the chance. And before
ride was done he found himself plei
zee. ing with the horse. even as he iasf
nd her sides with his whip.
,po- The lesser forest creatures sprf
nd from his trail; and once the mi
ght leapad high 10 miss a dark shad
ellis that crossed in front. AS she eau
lust her stride. Dan heard a squeal ant
rattle of quilts that identified the CT
ber- ture as a %porcuplne.
ned By now lie had passed the first
ard the worst grades, coming out upol
he'd long. easy slope of open forest. AZ
ling ne urged his horse. leaving to
the keen senses alone the choosing OF
own path between the great tree trunks
Then ne heard Snowbird fire for
Ioul- fourth time: and he knew that he
God. utmost overtaken her. The rel
rom soerned 10 smash the air. And
Ems. laShed his horse into the fastest
the she knew--a wild. sobbing figure
had the darkness.
that SHES only got one shot more
the said. lie knew how many bullets
been pisto: carried and the danger-w
the ever II was-must be just at hand.
kill. derhrush cracked beneath him.
first, then the horse drew up with a
and that almost hurled him from the
still die.
He dashed at her in vain. She
not afraid I'm the darkness and
ague rocks OF the trail. bur some Terro
the the woods IN front had in an ins
wing broken his control over her.
2. reared, snorting; then danced in
. Inn impoteut circle. Meanwhile, preC