The Press., 1883-12-20
KING AGAINST KING.

y From this grove of cottonwoods shelter inc the spring across to that peninsula of thicket running out from the forest is 8; clear space of ten miles. Call 1t valley that it is almost as level as floor, and cover. d with rich green grass, and you ' will give the reader true picture.
 ! The grove contains not over dozen trees, and in the center Q spring bubblss up and throws off a stream which steals away through grass and weeds and IS final ly soaked mp by the parched soil. In the spring time the stream becomes riverlet and runs its course for 50 miles. In the hot summer the thirsty wolf must cool his tongue at the spring or cross to the forest and lap the creek.
 Skeletons Yes. Two = three five. Not of men, but of large animals. Three of them rest on the ground almost within the shade of the tree the other two a1e out in the sunshine, and the grass IS shoot ing up between the ble ching ribs and concealing the hideous skulls You look about expecting to see the rusti1g iron- work of an immigrants wagon, and there is a sudden fear that the grass may be hid ing the story of terrible butchery.
 Look out There is a gurgle-a growl "a warning of danger which sends the chills creeping over you, and from the
 
 ton furthest away head is lifted into view. | It is the head of the American ion-the puma of the plains Its glassy eyes are watching you-its yellow fangs work as If they were tearing your flesh. Is he c-ouching for a spring? Has he been waiting and watching for this last hour?
 Now there is whine of hunger and pain, and as you watch for that horrible head to be raised again tawny form creeps out of its hiding place and pulls it. self out upon the short grass and into the full glare of the sunshine. Soho! The king is a cripple! He IS dragging shoul- der and leg after him as he moves, and he is willing to vacate without fight.
 Now you have the mystery. The key is five miles up the valley, where you see that band of wild horses coming down at round trot Tue king has had fat thing of it. The grove was his palace. That big cottonwood with his claw marks show ing by the hundred was his throne. The wild horses came here to drink, and his aoyal highness has feasted as becomes a king. A fat horse on the grass-a spring at his heels-no one to moIest him at his meals or during his slumbers - who wouldn't be nabob? ......
 These skeletons are clean-picked That proves much. It was weeks ago that the last horse was borne to the ground ill a terrific struggle for life. He did not save himself, but he inflicted such damage that his royal highness has been a p ebian crip- pie ever since. Pam and hunger have made him whine and beg, and the coyotes have dared to invade hls realm and gnaw at the bones within hundred feet of his bed. In his strength they feared and re- spected him in his distress they mock him and exhibit contempt.
 The palace of his royal highness has been invaded, and he must go. He who has never shown mercy can expect none The forest will give him hiding place, ii not food and drink, aud he will drag him. self across that weary stretch of grass to secure cover. He moves slowly. Every foot of progress gives him pain, and at every ten feet he pauses and looks back and seems to wonder if 1t would not be more in keeping with his record to limp back and have 1t out with the invader.
 Let him alone and watch the horses. The whole band have halted. Every head is up, every nostril is snifing the air, and every eye is watching the crippled king as s he slowly increases his distance from shel- ter. He is growing and complaining, ard has eyes only for you. How he hobbies on three legs, u. u.terng short barks-now
 
 growls as if he had victim within reach of his fangs.
 Watch the horses They stand stock still, every head thrust out and every eye marking off the distance between the crip pied king and the grove. In quarter of au hour there is half mile of open ground between the first cottonwood and the spot where the fugitive had halt for look backward. He has turned his face toward the forest, when there is sudden move ment among the horses. The band di-' vides. A portion rush to the right to cut off retreat to the grove-the rest bear straight down upon the king. He hears the rush of feet-he raises his head for one swift glance, and then there is a roar of mingled defiance and despair.
 His royal highness is concerned h1s es- cape cut off. He makes dozen bounds. forward, forgetting for the instant his broken shoulder, and then he halts and faces the rush, whining, begging, growling "a coward in the face of danger? No weakened in the first moment of despair, but now his courage returns and he roars defiance. If he must die it shall be the death of king.
 Watch the horsesl They have formed a circle about him and are closing in-not with rush, but slowly and coquetishly- paving at the earth-Bnorting in alarm tossing their heads to distract attention. But for his hurt the king would ride away upon one of their backs He settles down in the grass s-his eyes glare-his tail moves nervously-his claws dig nervously into the sod-look out for him
 The circle is not fifty feet from him when the advance suddenly ceases, and stout, rangy stallion, whose muscles stand out in ridges, and whose eyes are brighter than stars, steps out alone. He is the king of the wild horse band. It is king against king He looks straight into the eyes of the crouching beast as he advances, and every nerve and muscle is playing with ex- citement. Step step! step Look out That growl means blood. The eyes of the crippled king take on greener glare the claws dig deeper-there he springs. l
 Pity him a little. He was game, but he was crippled. His bound brought shriek of pain to mingle with his roar for venge- {ance, and ere he could recover from the false spring there was whir-a flash, and the heels of the wild horse king sent him rolling over and over the grass. There was rush-wild neighs, howls of despair --and as the grand old king of the prairies galloLs away at the head of his band, the