Richmond High School - Shield Yearbook (Richmond, CA)

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(No 1 is the Chorus Girl) YEARS AND YEARS AGO. Twenty-five |

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with a piece of meat and a slice of bread. The growls ceased and the being held out its hands. It took the bread in one hand and the meat in the other. Sitting down, it had soon eaten both. It then turned its eyes upon Edward with a pathetic look of thanks. Dr. Sanderson, always chickenhearted, felt a lump in his throat as he saw the expression in the being’s eyes. The creature seemed almost like a human shut in prison who knows his last chance of freedom is gone. “By George! Edwards, you've made a hit!” exclaimed Banks. Edwards did not answer; only went for water which was accepted with the same expression of wistful thanks. Banks rushed then to pack his things and the rest of the party followed his example. In an hour they were on their way back home. During the whole trip the captive was watched carefully. At times, it seemed wholly animal. At other times, human sanity seemed to gleam from its eyes, and it seemed strangely happy, as if it had a vague notion that at last, it was with its own kind. These times were infrequent, however, for it usually was sunk in a pathetic despair. It had conceived a malicious dislike for Williams, and growled fiercely when- ever he approached the cage. On early morning just as dawn was breaking, Banks awoke to the sound of a scuffle. The trip was nearly over. Three more days and nights would get them back to civilization. Their victim had been restless lately, clutching and shaking his bars, growling loudly, and eating next to nothing. As Banks opened his eyes, they rested on the cage. Then he shouted in amaze- ment! It was empty! The ropes had been chewed apart and the being was gone. A choked moan interrupted him. He turned, and then stood rooted to the ground in horror. They had camped that night on the edge of a cliff; below was a gorge of about a thousand feet depth. On the edge of this cliff, Williams was struggling for his life. The thing escaping, had clutched Williams by the throat and with almost superhuman strength, was attempting to push him over the cliff. Its face, malicious in a horrible glee, seemed the very spirit of revenge. Williams’ strength was nearly gone, but he was fighting gamely. Green had grabbed his revolver. He now shouted, “Swing him around!” Williams, with his last ounce of energy, turned his foe so that his back presented a target for Green’s gun, and in that in- stant Green shot! The thing relinquished its grasp on Williams, who fell ex- hausted on the grass. Then it turned toward the men, a face from which all the animal characteristics had disappeared, a face which held a human look of pathetic wistfulness and thanks, as if it was relieved at being released from its animal body. It poised a second on the cliff’s edge, then fell through the air, and was gone ! A faint swish was heard, a small puff of dry, pungent dust arose, and then silence settled over the gorge. —Gracze Parker, ’27. [| Twenty-four

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[Twenty-six