The state herald., 1921-01-11

They talked on. and their subject
was whether Dan should remain to
tnke care Of Lennox, or whether he
should attempt to Overtake SnOwbird
with the horse. OF course the girl
had ordered him to stay. Lennox. on
the other hand. said that Dan could
not help him In the least, and desired
him to follow the girl
am not often anxious about her"
he said slowly. "But II Is long walk
through the widest part Of the Dl.
vide. Some way-I can't bar accidents
tonight. don't like to think Of her
on those mountains alone"
And remembering what had lain be-
side the trail. Dan felt the same. He
had heard, long ago, that any animal
that once tasted human flesh loses Its
fear of men and Is never to be trusted
again. Some wild animal that still
hunted the ridges had, in the last
month, done just that thing. He left
the room and walked softly to the
door.
The night lay silent and mysterious
over the Divide. He stood listening
The girl had started only an hour be
fore, and II was unlikely that she
could have traversed more than two
miles OF the steep trail In that time
Although the horse ordinarily did not
climb hill more swiftly than n hu.
man being. he didn't doubt but that
he could overtnke her before she
went three miles farther. But where
lay his duty-with the Injured map
in the house or with the daughter on
her errand Of mercy in the darknessi
Then the matter was decided fol
him. So faint that 1t only whispered
at the dim. outer frontiers Of hearing,
sound came pricking through the
darkness. Only his months of listen.
ing to the faint sounds Of the forest,
and the Incredible silence Of the night
enabled him TO hear It at all. But he
knew what II was, the report Of o
pistol. Snowbird had met an enemy
In the darkness.
He called once to Lennox, snatched
the shotgun that still stood where he
had placed II In the corner Of the
room, and hastened to the corral. The
mare whickered plaintively when no
took her from her food.
When Snowbrd first heard the step
In the thickets beside her, she halted
bravely and held her lantern high. She
loci
Of the beams found n reflection In two
very curious circles Of greenish fire =:
a fire that was old upon the world be
fore man ever rubbed two sticks to
geiher to strike fame. OF course
the dim rays had simply been reflect
cd on the eyes Of some great 5eas, OF
prey.
She Identified II nj once. Only the
eyes OF the fellnPs. with verified ni-
pills, lave this Identical greenlsh glare.
The eyes OF the wolves glow IN The
darkness, hut the circles are usually
bright points. OF course 1t WAS cou.
gar
She didn't cry ont again. Realizing
al insf The reality OF her peril. her
long trimming In the mountains came
10 her mid. Tint did not mean she
was not truly and terribly afraid. The
beast was hunting her. She couldn't
doubt this fact. Curiosity might make
a l!un follow her. hut II would never
besei sGcl Wild Hight OF mndnesu In
bis eyes as this she had Just seen. She
simply ciamped down all her moral
strength on her rising hysterln and
inoked her situation In the face. Her
hand flew InstInciivcly To her side,
aud The pistol lcapcd In the lantern
Hight.
But the eyes had already blnked
ont before she could raise the weapon.