Evening star., 1923-04-29

for the keen. black eyes to lower to
tho sights. Only tho rustling OF
brush showed where the prey had
gone. Evidently his own heavy step
on the trail had alarmed the beast
almost the moment Of its arrival, for
as yet it had done nothing more than
pull carcass Of venison down from
the hook.
Wise cougars ordinarily avoid the
cabins Of men, particularly when
they have once been frightened
away. BY the rules Of the woods,
Pounce would not come again. But
rules are made to be broken, and
the law of the forest and the
natures of wild beasts have not
yet been wholly written down. Long
Tom had sudden knowledge. given
him, perhaps. because he was a born
woods creature. too, that before an
other sun had set Pounce would re-
turn, when his own hated presence
was far distant, to finish the feast.
Tom knew that traps would not do.
To lie in ambush was not better-be-
cause Pounce would come at night.
But now Tom was visited by bold
idea He went first to the door of the
cabin, swinging it open and shut. AL
though it was strongly and heavily
made. it moved easily on its hinges
and possessed a good latch.
Then he examined tho heavy walls
Of the hut. and particularly the sim
gle small window At one side. The
pane was hardly more than foot
square and the casing was reinforced
by the heavy logs of the wall itself.
Tom went speedily to work. The
door opened inwardly. after the man
ner of most cabin doors in snow
country. and with a rope and heavy
stone he weighted it so that it would
slam shut as soon as the hand was re-
moved from the knob. Then he laid
the venison on the table in the inside
of the cabin. attaching a cord to it,
which he led down to the floor.
through a staple and up to the knob
of the door, tying The door wide open.
The pull OF the weighted door was
not strong enough to draw the heavy
carcass from the table. but as soon as
the deer was dragged down to the
floor the cord would slack sufficiently
to let the door swing shut.
It was the simplest kind of device.
But Tom knew that by simplicity
alone could he outwit the great cou-
gar that he had been sent to slay.
This work done. Tom took q pack
of supplies, blankets and food, and
removed his unwanted presence. The
shadows were already deepening in
the thickets. 1t was almost Pounce's
time OF glory-the beginning Of his
hunting.
nOCNCE slept off his fear in the
I coverts and wakened desperately
hungry. Five days had passed since
he had last taken deer. The shortage
of game, that so irritated his rival
slayer. I4andy. was beginning to op-
press him, too. Many time of late
Pounce had watched all night by the
licks, and not even a fawn had come
to break his fast He remembered,
with surging eagerness. the tat car
cass he had shifted at that afternoon.
The memory strengthened as one
hour after another found him unfed.
And when the moon was up and its
glory upon him. he turned softly
down toward the cabin.
He slipped from shadow to shadow
like a serpent, and the twin moons of
his eyes were terrible to see. He
paused. watching and alert. at the
edge Of the thickets.
He crept slowly round the cabin,
pausing at the least little, sound of a
chipmunk in the weeds. None-of his
foes was hers. The Xenison lay wait
ing FOR his plsAspre.%
He trept softly toward the door
Only tho darkness lay within. Again
he waited and again he moved for
ward; he stood on theEthreshold.
His enemy had been here, but he
had gone away. There was no feel
ing of cold steel waiting in his path.
His flaming eyes made out the outline
of the venison but few feet farther.
in the almost impenetrable darkness
OF the room. :..s
He moved toward it, snining. Not
even pack rat scratched in the
walls. Ms white fangs closed and he
wrenched sharply. The carcass rolled
from the table on to the floor. 4
Pounce was expecting tho sound Of
tho failing venison. The thing he did
not expect, and which almost killed
him with terror, was the slam Of the
door swing shut behind him. The
moonlight that had been streaming
through thetdoorway. winked out as
the door closed, and left only an i'm
ponderable darkness, that pressed
upon him like DEATH,
Instincts born of terror seized him.
And she' made one reckless spring to-
ward the only source OF light that re-
naained-the little pale square OF the
window. There was no measuring the