Show Jr With a WIc Wildcat cat at 7 y i av s Edna Nell and little Ned lived with I their parents away up the side of n I great g mountain belonging to the Rock lock i ies les Their home hom was a rustic one beIn beIng being be be- In ing made of pine logs All about them themas cm was 18 as wild but beautiful Down in the valJe valley at their thell feet flowed flowell a pretty mountain stream bordered b by rocks and id mus massive I e boulders In this stream trout rout abounded ed and amI the childrens children's papa apa was vas fond Cond of or going oln there to fish whole hole days together On one of or these da days ays s 's when he had oneto Indulge o In inthis this his sport sport and and to bring some ome trout home ome for the childrens children's supper thero supper came ame news to tho the cabin that a poor neighbor woman was er very ill III farther up UI the mountain side The good mother mothel of E Edna na Nell NeU and little Ned Nell NellIt felt elt f that she should go and offer her herold aid old to the family of or the sick woman for Cor or the they were many many miles from I town own where a doctor and medicine could be procured Fill Filling I 11 a basket with some somo delicacies and aull medicines she set out over o the mountain trail which had hall been made malle by jy Indians a hundred d or more years before the foot of white while man had hat touched there But Dut before going she had given gl her hel consent for the three children to descend the mountain am amRO and ancl RO go o In quest of oC their father with whom whon they might spend the da day Kissing their mama good good-by b ant and promising to be V very ly careful In going down clown the mountain hide side for for the pat path was steep and slippery slipper In places places- places s nu na Nell and Ned started off singing and 1 lall laughing merrily The They also carried carried carrl car car- rl ried cl a basket In which was a n nice luncheon for Cor the noon day refreshment refresh refresh- refreshment ment And AmI at nt their heels frisked Blu Bluebeard Bluebeard Blue Blue- beard be-ard a little fox rox terrier the tho private property of or little Ned The way down the mountain was a alon al a lon long ong one and the trio Iilo often orten paused to rest test under the shade o of some tall heavy pine or on top of a great flat boulder from tom where the they could catch a glimpse of or the town so far awa away that the houses appeared like so n ml ninny many gleaming toys spread over the valle valley below They al also o wandered wan wan- dc dered red from Crom the path petit occasionally to pick mountain blossoms which only grew up near timber Umbel line Then rhen the they would sit down and weave a wreath of oC the the- pretty fragrant ant things for COl there was no hurr hurry about Joining their father fathel fath- fath ci er whom the they could coul see flee ee now and anda a again aln as he came camo nm and went wading In lu tho the brook and throwing his line The Tho children knew that h In was too loo bUs busy now to stop to visit with them Al Also o. o the they felt hungry r for Cor some fine trout and did dill not want to Interfere with their papas papa's work of or filling his basket haskeL About noon the they decided to remain In a shad shady nook beside the tho mountain stream which at al the thc place chos chosen m h by lh th them in m formed forms Into a n sparkling lIn waterfall wa we- and have their luncheon Edra Edna Ed Ed- ra na spread the napkin on the thu flat fiat surface surface surface sur sur- face of oC a n boulder and amI the three took their seats scats around it It talking as lCJ fast as aH ever cr the they could as aJ tho they munched buttered buttered but but- bread brend and figs Some cold bits of or meat were put In the basket for Cor Bluebeard and he was wa called from fromI I hl his frisking about to eat them Once of or twice during tho meal the tho children signaled to their papa a mile tulle below them he lie waving his arm gayly In response Then rhen after r th they had J h o L ri r f eaten all nil the tho basket hasl contained thc they decided to sit flit a a. while and rest resl before going to the end n of or their journey journe Littie Little Lit Lit- tie tle Bluebeard becoming drowsy rO 8 II his head on his paws and indulged c in a nap As full stomachs are always conducive to empty minds the children became quiet Edna gUna Ican- Ican Ing ng against a tree Nell ell lazily winding and ind unwinding the wreath while little Ned Ved lay Jay beside Bluebeard with his ee eyes ees half shut While thus enjo enjoying thi repose of or body ody hod and mind the deep silence around them was wag broken b by a rustle rustic in n the un underbrush just above their heads leads Edna Ellna turning quickly to ascertain as as- ascertain certain the cause of that suspicious i noise looked into two glittering eyes eyes as wild as an any she ha had ever over read of or As tho they gleamed from the cover of or severed several small thickly grown pine trees she could not make mako out tho the sort of animal they belon belonged ed to Her lIeI heart heartbeat heartbeat heartbeat beat wildly and she he tried to speak all th the while keeping her e eyes es on on those wild ones which looked from the theo brush Nell Nell Nell Ned Ned ed- ed she ha half whispered In a n. voice which startled those spoken to Look Look theres there's theres a wild animal But she did not complete te the sentence sentence sen sen- tence of ot warning Through the tho brush there leaped a n. lithe body bOlly like e a flash of lightning straight at Ednas Edna's head But Edna ElmIa seeing the danger to herself herself herself her her- self had grasped the luncheon basket anti and held it over her face In limo lime to prevent the sharp claws of oC tho the huge lunge for for such the tho owner of or those terrible wild eyes was was from from burying themselves in her flesh llesh The 1111 animal struck the basket then fell feU awa away preparing preparing pre pre- paring to leap again this time at tho the now wl wide awake awake e-awake little Ned who was sitting silting bolt boll upright but bul who was so I frightened fric that he could not get on huts his feet teet Nell ell to the contrary was up anI and bidding behind the bowlder callIng calling call call- call I Ing out at the tho top toll of her lungs lungs' Murder Mur ur Murder i der Help Fire Instantly Edna was on item her feet the basket held as a n ashield shield 1 and ancl was teas between her het brother and ind tho tte in Int tc il 1 antra ai which came again gain directly at al her head This Ibis time she fell feU to the ground for the blow was a a. hard one But Dul s still she kept kepl the basket between between between be be- tween herself and the time wildcat managing mating manag ing lug to prevent ent It from attacking Ned who had hall now got hot on his poor trembling trembling trem trem- bling bUng legs lebs and was trying to climb a tree The fight raked raged furious between Edna dna tend and tho the animal but only for fOl a afew afew afew few moments although it seemed like hours to the children for now Bluebeard Bluebeard Blue Blue- beard realizing what was going on was leaping at ut the wildcat and barkIng bark bark- Ing tug and ami snapping nt at Its Us ears Thus the wildcat had hall a now new antagonist more formidable than he thought At the samu time Nell ell had grabbed up a hu huge o stick nick Ick and was striking at nt the animal whenever she dared darell But nut in ht the face of all his enemies the wll wildcat found opportunity to give Edna one severe scratch across th the forearm from which the red reel blood spurted d. d Bluebeard seeming to understand that one line of his dear friends hud hind been hurt hurl renewed rene e 1 hi his energy with a fur fury hitherto unknown to him him and anti sprang on nn the wildcats wildcat's back sinking his sharp harp teeth in his antagonists antagonist's neck To Together they rolled over and over tho the wildcat powerless to tu loosen that terrible hold on his neck Edna seeing seeing see see- I ing her opportunity to help Bluebeard took th the hla heavy stick slick from N Nell ll and antI gave uve the tho wildcat several hard blows blows' over o the head with it Blood was wa pouring pouring- from tho the creatures creature's neck where Bluebeards Bluebeard's teeth were fas- fas toned and the time force of the blows 1 dealt by E Edna soon caused him to re relax relax re- re I lax himself and fall limp and stunned on the ground lOund But even though his foe lay Iny helpless and dying Bluebeard did not loosen Joosen his jaws till another blow on the head from flom Edna caused the wildcat to breathe bin hl In last trill t. t The rill Bluebeard let go o and ancI staggered to glUm Edna who had dropped exhausted on the ground wiping with the luncheon lunch lunch- luncheon lunCh lunCh-I eon cloth the blood from Fromm her het wrist Nell ell was beside her hI malting making anxious Inquiry while little Ned ell cautious cautiously tapped the dead animal with a long lont stick to make e quite sure the thing was done for fOI When i hen certain that the wildcat would attack never ne any anyone anyone anyone one again Ned tilt sat down beside his sisters sisters sis sis- sis sis- and with poor pom scratched bruised 1 and almost exhausted exhauster Bluebeard lying panting against his knee he said My Sty 1 gracious goodness 5 Wasn't I It t r Im I'm all but dead I am nl to Now that all danger was past Edna felt in the time humor humm to laugh at little Ned Ah Ah dearie she said what wha would have ha happened ned had we not had hai that noble little lighter fighter And E Edna pointed d toward Bluebeard who understanding un understanding understanding un- un something nice was salt said Id about him wagged his little JULIo tall appreciatively ap ap- Now o said Edna a n. apiece apiece piece of ot napkin about her arm atm i which was teas not scratched deeply and which she felt sure would soon heal up w we would bettor bolter continue our wa way ivay to the fishing place and mul papa about ohm ohr fight with a wll wildcat Why hy she said on rising ising t I rea really II feel as weak as ns a n kitten Im I'm trembling in ever every limb I dont don't feel as strong as I usually do cIo confessed Nell ell But Dut I cant can't sa say that lighting tired me for I stayed a n pretty safe distance from rom the scene of or activities Edna and Bluebeard are arc ri r- r i ll l l 1 i I hh I Lk V v Through line tho brush there leaped a litho lithe body like a Inch flash of li lightning r. r V 1 r i L i j 9 r J. J the two who carry off tho honors of ot th the fi fight ht v Anti And the HIo blood too said little ed feath U up the luncheon basket hasket which was pretty prell hadl badly bat- bat i BUt Ill I'll Jako tako caro care of f the W game which PM h he said B going to the tho wildcat had stiffened some Well AVell ell put nut him In the time basket and take him down to show to papa Tlapa My of wont won't papa be bo surprised 1 when he ho leat learn nt that had we a terrible conflict con- con with a catamount right up on tho side mountain within view of or the place where he lie Is IR fishing said Nell Yes les and even en though It Is all nil over o think he i and of mamma will wl he bb c frightened to what might have havo happened answered Edna Then putting the time dead animal Into ho tho basket a and 11 covering o him over o with the wreath Nell ell had woven of wild v Id blossoms tho the three children with Bluebeard beside them went down the side mountain-side to Join their fattier father When the they had told their excl exciting tory story and uncovered the wildcat In the tho he basket as proof of their dan dangerous danger dan erous er- er ous antagonist with whom the they had done clone battle you OU ma may be sire sare their father ather stood aghast at the recital and nd sight lent In Indeed ho declared he could fIsh no m more re that J du day and gath gathering up P his tackle and ancl basket which basket which held hold several oral fine broilers he broilers he accompanied his ils little ones one to their home There Ther he 10 left them safe are In iii the house where he l- l with Bluebeard as aM companion went ont off ort to fetch hIs hla wife for tor after time tho ho childrens children's s experience that da day tho the good man feared tho the mountain might might J i be full of or catamounts rei l ready to at attack attack at- at tack the unwary pedestrian And when the mother hearts heard the stor story of how ow her hel children on hind hal been heen attacked b by a wildcat she hurried home honce to toft befall them m. ft fearing fearing- them therm all sorts of ot things might during her absence The wildcat was taken to town to toMO a taxidermist and mounted MO very artistically ar ar- on a pI pine pino no branch and now he hangs over the lie doorway as a trophy troph of the heroism of Edna and Bluebeard though Edna declares Nell and little Ned shall hu share lh the honors honor ot of that a days das ays victory fr tor Nell did dill somo good work with a stick and Ned kept I himself out of oC the iho way v wm v I never was but alwa always s 's am ani to be be None ever er saw me me you ou will noer s see e Y me mime And yet I T hold th tIme tho d dearest t hopes of or all Who live Ie and breathe on this terrestrial terrestrial terres- terres trial ball Bali If fi Tomorrow N I 1 1 t. t |