no TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



eyes intently fixed upon the tracks I slowly plodded 

 on. 



Suddenly, without any perceptible sound, a huge 

 body rose beside me, scarcely two yards away, and 

 so quiet an'd silent was the movement that Agnes 

 had uttered a warning cry of, " Look to your left !" 

 ere I realized that the wounded animal was standing 

 almost within arm's-reach of me. 



Just for a moment I stood irresolute, since I have 

 proved to my own personal satisfaction that the old 

 adage, " quick as thought," is a misnomer when 

 applied to minute seconds in which we face a mortal 

 peril. And although both sight and sound warned 

 me now of this threatening danger, it took the torpid 

 mind a second before it bade my limbs bestir them- 

 selves to fend off a disaster. In one brief instant a 

 thousand schemes were crowded into one, the net 

 result of which was that I needs must shoot or run. 

 By many writers we have seen these moments spoken 

 of as if they lasted ages, yet for me the fleeting second 

 seemed too short a space in which to come to a 

 decision. 



And, horresco referens, just for a moment also I 

 forgot the imminent danger in which my companion 

 stood. 



But with her it was otherwise, for even now the 

 scene comes vividly back to me of seeing Agnes 

 raise her rifle, and ere yet my inert muscles could 

 obey the brain's command, a shot rang out, and reel- 

 ing like a drunken man the vast brute crashed for- 

 ward with a bullet through his skull ; so close indeed 



