g through the window panes. The impression that
some prowling wild animal was about was probably still strong upon me,
and, in any case, the shot was not without effect. My shriek and the
report of the rifle rang out almost at the same instant. Following
them came a cry, a smothered oath, and the sound of running footsteps.
Throwing down the yet smoking gun, I ran to the window, tore down the
obstructing shade with one sweep of my impatient hand, and leaned
forward, scanning the hillside. The flames reached toward me greedily
through the opening that my bullet had made, but, although their hot
breath half blinded me, I saw a man running swiftly for the shelter of
the hillside pines. I glanced toward the rifle--I was a good shot,
then. "Thou shalt not kill," I said aloud, but it had occurred to me
also, that the gun was not loaded. An instant more and I was throwing
water on the fire from the pailful beside the window ledge. After all,
as I soon found, the bullet had done more apparent harm than the fire,
for the heap of inflammable rubbish underneath the window was quickly
drenched and the fire extinguished. To make all doubly secure,
however, I reloaded the gun and with that faithful friend in hand
brought water and poured over the rubbish until it ceased even to
smoke. The heap was composed of pine needles, pine cones, and resinous
pitch pine, and once fairly started would have set the house on fire,
past all saving, in a very short time. When the blackened pile was so
thoroughly drenched that I could poke around in the ashes with my bare
hands I gave up pouring water on it, went back into the house, locked
the door, tacked a heavy blanket up over the dismantled window, and,
shivering with cold and excitement, again crept into bed. As I lay
with my finger on the trigger of the rifle, with its muzzle trained on
the window, I was surer of nothing than that there was no more sleep
for me that night. But, soothed by the sensation of returning warmth,
and by the feeling of security that the touch of the rifle gave, I
closed my eyes--not to sleep, but the better to think. Sleep! I could
not sleep. Nevertheless--

The sunlight was pouring into the adjoining room when I again opened
my eyes. Night with its terrors was a thing of the past. I heard the
imprisoned cows lowing for their milk-maid and realized with a pang of
self-reproach that I had slept later than I ought. Sitting up in bed
I looked around, blinking sleepily. Th