44 



thumped. I said nothing. Flinging 

 himself to the ground, he pointed to 

 Undine's track. 



"He's here sacre! You can no' 

 keep!" He approached threatening, 

 his face evil as boiling pitch. The 

 deserted aspect of the place now 

 penetrated to his consciousness. His 

 darting black eyes searched about 

 cunningly, but he failed to see a 

 black nose and two shining beads, 

 noting his every movement. 



"Ah; mia bella!" 



I retreated. He advanced, one 

 hand outstretched. It was the sig- 

 nal for Undine to launch herself 

 upon him. 



"Santa Maria sacre" 



A torrent of "hog" Spanish fol- 

 lowed. The little dog snarled and 

 growled at the approaching man. 

 He kept her off by kicking as he 

 edged toward a big stick, murder 

 written on every line of him poor 

 little Undine! Running as fast as 

 the ground would allow, for it seemed 

 to jump up and down, I got to the 

 bed, some distance off, and grabbed 

 a gun. How it stuck in the scabbard! 

 At last the hateful thing was out. 



