of bloodstained seeds it raised.
With something between a curse and a sob, the mule lunged at its crib as
if attempting to get bodily into it. But no: it was only trying to perch
on its edge! Now it had succeeded. The ungainly beast hung there a
second, two, three. From its uplifted throat issued that usually
innocuous phrase, a phrase now a thing of delirious horror:

"Pretty Polly!"

With a crash the tortured creature fell to the floor, to lie there
gasping and moaning.

Skip Handlon left that barn. Perry retained just enough wit to do what
he should have done the instant he first saw the animal. He whipped out
his automatic and fired one merciful shot. Then he too started for the
outside. He arrived in the yard perhaps ten seconds behind Handlon.

"Good Heavens, Perry," gibbered Handlon. "I'm not going to stay around
this place another minute. Just let me find where I left that suffering
camera, that's all I ask."

"Easy now." Perry laid a hand on his companion's shoulder. "I guess
we're up against something pretty fierce here, but we're going to see it
through, and you know it. So let's cut out the flight talk and go raise
the Professor."

Handlon tried earnestly to don a look of determination. If Perry was set
on staying here the least he could do was stay with him. However, could
Perry have foreseen the events which were to entangle them, he probably
would have led the race to the gate. As it was, he grasped a stick and
marched bravely up toward the front door.

* * * * *

A sudden commotion behind him caused him to wheel sharply around.
Simultaneously a yell burst from Handlon.

"Look out, Horace!"

What he saw almost froze the blood in his veins. From a tumbledown coach
house had issued an enormous wolf-hound which was now almost upon then,
eyes flaming, fangs gleaming horribly.

So unexpected was the attack that both men stood rooted in their tracks.
The next moment the charging brute was upon them, and had bowled
Handlon off his equilibrium as if he were a child. The unfortunate
photographer made a desperate attempt to prevent injury to his precious
camera, which he had but a moment earlier succeeded in retrieving, and
in doing so fell rather violently to the ground. Every moment he
expected to feel the powerful jaws crunch his throat, and he made no
effort to rise. For several seconds he remained thus, until he could
endure the suspense no longer. He glanced aroun