Inexperienced as

Michael was, she

knew that this was nothing less than
death itself approaching her. She sprang
her awkward legs spread wide apart,
up,
her whole weight straining on the tether,
her eyes, rolling white, fixed in horror on
From her throat
the dreadful object.
came a long, shrill bleat of appeal and
despair.

There was no mistaking that cry. It brought Miranda from her playhouse in an instant. In the next instant she took in the situation. "Mother! Mothe-e-er!" she screamed at the top of her voice, and flew to the defence of her beloved Michael.

by any means.

The lynx, at this unexpected interferMiranda did not ence, stopped short. look formidable, and he was not alarmed But she looked unusual, -and that bit of bright red at her throat might mean something which he did not understand, and there was something not quite natural, something to give him pause, in a youngster displaying this reckless courage.

For a second or two,

therefore, he sat straight up like a cat, considering; and his tufted ears the while, very erect, with the strange whiskers under his chin, gave him an air that was fiercely dignified. His hesitation, however, was but for a moment. Satisfied

that Miranda did not count, he came on again, more swiftly; and Miranda, seeing that she had failed to frighten him away, just flung her arms around Michael's

neck and screamed.

The scream should have reached Kirstie's ear across the whole breadth of the clearing; but a flaw of wind carried it away, and the cabin intervened to dull its edge. Other ears than Kirstie's, however, heard it; heard, too, and understood Michael's bleating. The black-and-white cow was far away, in another pasture. (Kirstie saw her running frantically up and down along the fence, and thought the flies were tormenting her.) But just behind the thicket lay the two steers, Bright and Star, contemplatively chewing their midday cud. Both had risen heavily to their feet at Michael's first

appeal. As Miranda's scream rang out, Bright's sorrel head appeared around the corner of the thicket, anxious to investigate. He stopped at sight of Ganner, held his muzzle high in air, snorted loudly, and shook his head with a great show of valour. Immediately after him came Star, the black-and-white brindle. But of a different temper was he. The moment his eyes fell upon Michael's foe and Miranda's, down went his long, straight horns, up went his brindled tail, and with a bellow of rage he charged.

The gaunt steer was an antagonist whom Ganner had no stomach to face. With an angry snarl, which showed Miranda a terrifying set of white teeth in a very red mouth, he turned his stump of a tail, laid flat his tufted ears, and made for the forest with long, splendid leaps, his exaggerated hind legs seeming to volley him forward like a ball. In about five seconds he was out of sight among the trees; and Star, snorting and switching his tail, stood pawing the turf haughtily in front of Miranda and Michael.