Evening star., 1923-04-29

OF the closing door and the smashing
crash of his body against the pane of
glass came so swiftly upon each
other that they seemed as one great
sound. But the strong window casing
held. and Pounce dropped, half stun
ned, to the floor
He did not waste his strength in
leaping again. Inste ad, he played
tho cats game-drawing back into
corner 10 wait his fate. Every
nerve was keyed to the highest pitch;
every muscle was set.
LAndy Gibbs took considerable in
terest in the fact that Long Tom was
not sleeping at home tonight He
caught the Eleam of his campfire
across a half-mile OF canyon, and. as
might one OF the wild things that
he hunted, he started to make inves-
LEGATIONS. He knew how to stalk,
and the faint sounds that Toms keen
ears might have heard in that pro-
found stiffness were easily attributed
TO such little scurrying folk-gopher
and Chipmunks and their fellows-as
might be curious as to the nature Of
his blaze. Gibbs stood at last not
nifty feet distant in the shadows, his
presence absolutely unguessed, and
watched the Indian cook supper
The latter made a perfect target;
and Gibbs hands fumbled hungrily at
his rife. One little lifting OF the
weapon softly, one glance along the
sights, a little half-ounce OF pressure
at the trigger. and Toms next re-
port would be made to the buzzards
that gather from the sky. Nor was
It mercy that restrained Landy's
tngger-hnger, IL was fear-that Of
the law. from which he was now a
fugitive.
He decided at once that Tom wa.
hunting-perhaps the cougar. pos
sibly on Landy's own trial. He car
ried out4it for a two nights camp
The smell OF frying bacon was en-
ticing. Indeed. the mans pack
seemed crammed with "store" food
four and coffee and sugar and such
supplies as he likely kept in great
abundance at his main supply-cabin
farther up stream. And Long Tom
did not sleep at home tonight. The
greater share OF his stores. his rife
cartridges, unset traps and all the
equipment that made life possible in
the wilds were left unguarded.
7 ANDY Gibbs did not REQUIRE any
great length Of time to decide on
his course. Those stores meant in
dependence-supplie with which he
could fee back into the unsurveyed
where even the arm of the law could
not reach. He could leave Tom lying
in his ashes then, and not be afraid
Of pursuit. He could leave him thus
now II he knew for certain the real
extent OF the stores. Shivering with
hatred, he turned back to his own
camp.
He was never without his gun; now
he procured in addition his ak, a
gunhy-sack or two and an old
fashioned dark lantern, burning a
candle, that he used for camp-light..
Then, striding swiftly. he followed up
the stream and soon. made out the
cabin. ghostiy in. the moonlight. on
the hillside. No lamp burned in its
windows; there was no further need
for. caution. Likely the door was
not locked. If it was, he would
break it with his ak.
He walked boldly to the door, Tom
had attached crude device to make
II stay closed; but there was no lock
q .
was no need whatever for stealth.
Except for Tom himself, he was the
only human being in thousand
square miles Of forest. He tried the
knob.
The door opened easily, he thought
He stepped into the gloom. only
slightly startled when the door slam
med loudly shut behind him. The
deep quality Of the darkness however.
was somewhat oppressive. Likely the
place was filthy with pack-rats; he
thought he heard faint rustic. He
fumbled with his dark lantern.
His fingers did not at once encoun-
ter the catch that slipped back the
protecting steel. In working with
the light. he became bewildered as
to the exact location of the door
Suddenly he found the catch, slid
back the steel shade and the wan
light streamed out.
He turned it slowly in his hand
seeking the door. The feeble rays
swept round the little room. The
place was teening with stores. and
81
and go. The rays suddenly found an
answering light-two curious pale
blue circles glowing in a corner.
Just an instants glance. in the
midst Of scream, showed Landy the
truth. Wilderness vengeance, in
f1nitely patient. had tracked him
down and seized him at last
The light showed the long tawny
body Of Pounce. the great cougar
desperate with rage and terror, poised
and ready to spring. The man groped
for the door. and succeeded in open
ing it halfway. Then something that
was like a resistless storm beat down
upon him.
The little woods creatures that had
seen him go in waited long time
for him to reappear again. They
heard the sound of great battle. a
fight to the death, in which an old
Ifeud was being settled. Man was
given in the beginning a fighters
build as perfect construction for
physical activity as nature ever hit
upon-and It can be said for Landy
that he made the most of it. He was
tough as forged iron, and. besides.
he managed to whip his knife from
his belt as he went down. The cou-
gar found need for all his mighty
strength before this hated prey would