Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-04-07
cnAPTER b

Shortly after nine o'clock. Whisper
font encountered HIS flrst herd Of deer.
But they caught his scent and scar.
tered before 10 could ges 10 10 them
lie mel woof. granting through the
Hnderbfush. and DO punctlllouaiy, bnf
with wfcichod spirit LEFT the trnli. A
ilght With Wool The bear was one 81
The most unpleasant experiences Tint
could b. Imagined. he had 4 pair Of
strong arms of which ono enahrnca n
y copgaf's body nicans death II one
tong A.Elek -af-Esasss- fhey
-'NsssiiT hEht often They bad enHfig
opposite interests The hear 49, 4
hetry.cater and i honey. grnl.lleF. ant
ne cougar cared too much for hln own
life and beauty 10 tackle Moog In d
hunting wns.
A fuwn lemped from The thlckei III
front u him. startled BY HE sound IA
he Ticket. The truth wna. whisper.
foot had made wholly ua.3ustined
minstep on dry twIg. iusi az the
crucial moment. Perhaps II was me
fault Of Wool. whose presence had
driven Whlsperfoot from the trail.
and perhaps because Old age and atIff-
uean wna coming upon him. But
neither Of theHe facts nppeased his
anger. Ne could scarcely suppress Q
snarl of fury nnd disappointment.
He continued along the ridge. gsill
stealing. sfill alert, bns hts anger IN.
creasing with every moment. The fact
shnt he had 20 leave the trail again 70
permit stllI another animal 70 pass,
and q particularly insignificant one
Zoo. didn't make him feel any better.
This animal had number Of curious
stripes along hle back. and usually did
nothing moro desperate than steal
eggs and eat bird icdRllngs. Whisper
foot could have crushed BIN With one
bite, but this was one thing fhat the
great cat, ne long AZ ne lived, would
never try 70 do. lie got out Of the
why politely when stripe-bnck was
stiii quarter Of a mile away; which
was quito compliment 10 the little
animals ability 10 introduce himself.
strpeback was fnmlilarly known a.
a skunk.
Shortly after ten, tllc mountain lion
had q remarkably fine chance at q
buck The direction Of the wind, the
trees. the thlckefs and tho light were
al IN his favor. II was old BIaektnil.
wailowlng In the salt lick; and Whis-
perfcot's heart bounded when be de.
tected him. No human hunter could
have laid bis plans with greater care.
He bad to cut up the side Of tha ridge,
mindful OF the wind. Then there was
a long dense tIieket IN which he
might approach within nifty feet Of
the lick. sim With the wind n his
face. Just beside the Itch was another
deep thiclet, from which ne corid
make his leap.
HE body lowered. The tan dashed
back and forth. and now II had begun
TO have d slight vertical motion that
frontiersmen have learned to watch
for. He placed every paw With con-
summate grace, and few sets Of hui
man nerves have sufficient control
over leg muscles to move with such
ASTONISHING patience. lie scarcely
seemed to move at aIl.
But when scarcely ten feet re-
manned to stalk. sudden sound
priciked through the darkness. II came
from afaF, but II was no leas terrible.
II was really two sounds, 50 close to-
gether that they soupdedS as one.
Neither Blacktali nor Whisperfoot
had any delusIons about them. Tbey
recognized them at once IA strange
ways under the skin that no man may
describe. ais the far.oiE reports Of d
rife. Just today BIacklnil had seen
hIa doe faIl bleeding when this sl.sea
sound, only louder. spoke front L
covert from which Bert Cranstois bad
poached her md he left the li# IN
one bound.
Terrified though he WINS by % rllap
shot. stlII WbIspeffaot sprnn# But
the distance was too far. |s out.
stretched paw humnod dow foaF
feet behind BIacltall'A flank i'hen
forgetting everything but hIa Niger
and disappointment. llio great c1.saF
4 .lt4s ~