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〃An' here's where that lion lit on the back of the deer。 It
was a big jump。 See the sharp hoof tracks of the deer。〃 Dale
pressed aside tall grass to show dark； rough； fresh tracks
of a deer； evidently made by violent action。
〃Come on；〃 called Dale； walking swiftly。 〃You're sure goin'
to see somethin' now。 。 。 。 Here's where the deer bounded；
carryin' the lion。〃
〃What！〃 exclaimed Bo； incredulously。
〃The deer was runnin' here with the lion on his back。 I'll
prove it to you。 Come on； now。 Pedro； you stay with me。
Girls； it's a fresh trail。〃 Dale walked along； leading his
horse； and occasionally he pointed down into the grass。
〃There！ See that！ That's hair。〃
Helen did see some tufts of grayish hair scattered on the
ground； and she believed she saw little； dark separations in
the grass； where an animal had recently passed。 All at once
Dale halted。 When Helen reached him Bo was already there and
they were gazing down at a wide； flattened space in the
grass。 Even Helen's inexperienced eyes could make out
evidences of a struggle。 Tufts of gray…white hair lay upon
the crushed grass。 Helen did not need to see any more； but
Dale silently pointed to a patch of blood。 Then he spoke：
〃The lion brought the deer down here an' killed him。
Probably broke his neck。 That deer ran a hundred yards with
the lion。 See； here's the trail left where the lion dragged
the deer off。〃
A well…defined path showed across the swale。
〃Girls； you'll see that deer pretty quick；〃 declared Dale；
starting forward。 〃This work has just been done。 Only a few
minutes ago。〃
〃How can you tell？〃 queried Bo。
〃Look！ See that grass。 It has been bent down by the deer
bein' dragged over it。 Now it's springin' up。〃
Dale's next stop was on the other side of the swale； under a
spruce with low； spreading branches。 The look of Pedro
quickened Helen's pulse。 He was wild to give chase。
Fearfully Helen looked where Dale pointed； expecting to see
the lion。 But she saw instead a deer lying prostrate with
tongue out and sightless eyes and bloody hair。
〃Girls； that lion heard us an' left。 He's not far；〃 said
Dale； as he stooped to lift the head of the deer。 〃Warm！
Neck broken。 See the lion's teeth an' claw marks。 。 。 。 It's
a doe。 Look here。 Don't be squeamish； girls。 This is only an
hourly incident of everyday life in the forest。 See where
the lion has rolled the skin down as neat as I could do it；
an' he'd just begun to bite in there when he heard us。〃
〃What murderous work； The sight sickens me！〃 exclaimed
Helen。
〃It is nature；〃 said Dale； simply。
〃Let's kill the lion；〃 added Bo。
For answer Dale took a quick turn at their saddle…girths；
and then； mounting； he called to the hound。 〃Hunt him up；
Pedro。〃
Like a shot the hound was off。
〃Ride in my tracks an' keep close to me；〃 called Dale； as he
wheeled his horse。
〃We're off！〃 squealed Bo； in wild delight； and she made her
mount plunge。
Helen urged her horse after them and they broke across a
comer of the swale to the woods。 Pedro was running straight；
with his nose high。 He let out one short bark。 He headed
into the woods； with Dale not far behind。 Helen was on one
of Dale's best horses； but that fact scarcely manifested
itself； because the others began to increase their lead。
They entered the woods。 It was open； and fairly good going。
Bo's horse ran as fast in the woods as he did in the open。
That frightened Helen and she yelled to Bo to hold him in。
She yelled to deaf ears。 That was Bo's great risk she did
not intend to be careful。 Suddenly the forest rang with
Dale's encouraging yell； meant to aid the girls in following
him。 Helen's horse caught the spirit of the chase。 He gained
somewhat on Bo； hurdling logs； sometimes two at once。
Helen's blood leaped with a strange excitement； utterly
unfamiliar and as utterly resistless。 Yet her natural fear；
and the intelligence that reckoned with the foolish risk of
this ride； shared alike in her sum of sensations。 She tried
to remember Dale's caution about dodging branches and snags；
and sliding her knees back to avoid knocks from trees。 She
barely missed some frightful reaching branches。 She received
a hard knock； then another； that unseated her； but
frantically she held on and slid back； and at the end of a
long run through comparatively open forest she got a
stinging blow in the face from a far…spreading branch of
pine。 Bo missed； by what seemed only an inch； a solid snag
that would have broken her in two。 Both Pedro and Dale got
out of Helen's sight。 Then Helen； as she began to lose Bo；
felt that she would rather run greater risks than be left
behind to get lost in the forest； and she urged her horse。
Dale's yell pealed back。 Then it seemed even more thrilling
to follow by sound than by sight。 Wind and brush tore at
her。 The air was heavily pungent with odor of pine。 Helen
heard a wild； full bay of the hound； ringing back； full of
savage eagerness； and she believed Pedro had roused out the
lion from some covert。 It lent more stir to her blood and it
surely urged her horse on faster。
Then the swift pace slackened。 A windfall of timber delayed
Helen。 She caught a glimpse of Dale far ahead； climbing a
slope。 The forest seemed full of his ringing yell。 Helen
strangely wished for level ground and the former swift
motion。 Next she saw Bo working down to the right； and
Dale's yell now came from that direction。 Helen followed；
got out of the timber； and made better time on a gradual
slope down to another park。
When she reached the open she saw Bo almost across this
narrow open ground。 Here Helen did not need to urge her
mount。 He snorted and plunged at the level and he got to
going so fast that Helen would have screamed aloud in
mingled fear and delight if she had not been breathless。
Her horse had the bad luck to cross soft ground。 He went to
his knees and Helen sailed out of the saddle over his head。
Soft willows and wet grass broke her fall。 She was surprised
to find herself unhurt。 Up she bounded and certainly did not
know this new Helen Rayner。 Her horse was coming； and he had
patience with her； but he wanted to hurry。 Helen made the
quickest mount of her experience and somehow felt a pride in
it。 She would tell Bo that。 But just then Bo flashed into
the woods out of sight。 Helen fairly charged into that green
foliage； breaking brush and branches。 She broke through into
open forest。 Bo was inside； riding down an aisle between
pines and spruces。 At that juncture Helen heard Dale's
melodious yell near at hand。 Coming into still more open
forest； with rocks here and there； she saw Dale dismounted
under a pine； and Pedro standing with fore paws upon the
tree…trunk； and then high up on a branch a huge tawny
colored lion； just like Tom。
Bo's horse slowed up and showed fear； but he kept on as far
as Dale's horse。 But Helen's refused to go any nearer。 She
had difficulty in halting him。 Presently she dismounted and；
throwing her bridle over a stump； she ran on； panting and
fearful； yet tingling all over； up to her sister and Dale。
〃Nell； you did pretty goo