The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-01-21

calling to him, Weakening Instincts
long smothered in cities but sure and
true as ever II was the beginning
OF regeneration. Voices of the long
past were speaking to him, and the
FailIngs once more had begun to run
true to form. Inherited tendencies
were in a moment changing this weak,
diseased youth into a frontiersman
and wilderness lnhabitant such as MS
ancestors had been before him.
They were slipping along over the
pine needles, their eyes intent on the
trail ahead. And then Lennox saw
curious thing. He beheld Dan sud
denly stop in the trail and turn his
eyes toward heavy ,thicket that lay
perhaps one hundred yards to their
right. For an instant he looked al
most like n wild creature himself. His
head was lowered. as If he were lis
tenlng. His muscles were set ana
ready.
Lennox had prided himself that he
had retained all the powers of his fiye
senses, and that few men in the noun
tains had keener ears than he. Yet
II was truth that at first he only knew
the silence, and the stir and pulse OF
his own blood. He assumed then that
Dan was watching something that
from his position, twenty feet behind,
he could not see. He tried to probe
the thlckets with his eyes.
Then Dan whispered. Ever so SOFT
sound, but yet distinct In the 81
Ience. "There's something living IN
that thicket,"
Then Lenn0x 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 it's feet. The sounds were rath-
er subdued, and yet. as the animal APP
proached, both of them lnstinctiveiy
knew that they were 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 was not even observ-
ant of the peculiar, subdued quality
IN Dams voice. Otherwise, he would
have wondered at 1t. 'Tm free to
confess | don't know" he said. TITS
booming right toward us, like most
animals don't care to do. or course
II may be a human being. You must
watch out for that"
They waited. The sound ended
they stood straining for a long mo
ment without speech.
THAT was the dumdest thing'
Lennox went on. "Of course It NIGH
have been bear-yOu never Know
what they're going to do 1t mlgh
have got sight of us and turned OH
! But / can't believe that 1t was just
deer"
But then his words chopped square
ly off In his throat. The plodding ad
vance commenced again, And TN
next instant a gray form revealed u
self at the edge of the thicket.
Il 1t was Graycoat the coyote, hall
II blind with his madness, and DIES
N perate in his agony.
There was no more deadly thing i
\ oil the hills than he. Even the DIT
l of rattlesnake would have been WEI
4 coined beside his. He stood Ion
Il instant, and all his instincts and n
i Aexes that would have ordinaril
i made him fee in AFFECT terror wer
i thwarted and twisted by the fever
4 his madness He stared q moment Q
H the two figures. and his red eyes coul
II not interpret them. They were simpl
Il foes. for II was true that when III
II rackIng agony was upon him. eve
II lIfeless trees seemed foes sometime
n He seemed eerie and unreal MS !
II gazed at them out Of his burning eyes
II and the white foam gathered at n
j fangs. And then, wholly withe'
4 warning, he charged down at them.
II He came with unbelievable spec
II The elder Lennox cried once In war
II ing and cursed himself for yentu
II Ing forth on the ridge without gu
\ He was fully twenty feet distant fro
H Dan; yet he saw In an instant u
II only course. This was no time
II trust their lives to the marksmansh
of an amateur. He sprang towal
Dan, intending to wrench the weapt
n from his hand.
But he didn't achieve his purpos
AT the FIRST step his foot caught In
We projecting root, and he was shot
IS. his face on the trail. But a long II
he In the wilderness had developed lie
nox's refiexes TO an abnormal degre
ee many crises had taught him muse
IS and nerve control; and only for
nd fraction OF an instant. period
er, time that few instruments are D
M enough to measure, did he lie supine
as upon the ground. He rolled on. In
,ui position OF defense. But he kn'
now he could not reach the youna
M man before the mad coyote would
re upon them. The matter was out
his hands. Everything depended
ew the aim and self-contrel Of the tend