The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-06-09
ran. on a sandy plain dotted with bushes

tAn. u1l SAuSy F3&tn 0okSSo "ktRl cas1S and scrub.
 Il had jus, laid the reins on Marengc's neck. when suddenly he gave a reinen- dous shy that pitched me clean of.
 The nex, minute. with horrible roar, hon sprAng right at his head.
 :" made sure he was on the top oi hun, and so he would have been, bai. IS Ma rengo wheeled short around like light ming on his hind legs. the streaming reins caught the brute's foTepaw. and. as It were. tIipped him, so that ne tel sideways on the road.
 The heavy jerk nearly brough, the horse down. but the ihroat-tash broke, the bridle was pulled over his ears. and. recovering himself. he carted away among a grove of trees that stood by the wayslde.
 "So intent was the hon on the horse that he paid no attention 10 me lying ce- fence,ess before him.
 "Cra~lin. swiftly along the ground, he pursued Marengo. whom gave up for iost-for his chance. against the little brute among the trees. seemed hopeless
 However. as luck would have It, there was an open space ahou, doren yards across. In the centre of this Marengo took his stand, with his ,..il toward the lion. and his head turned sharply back over his shoulder. watching him.
 He stood quite still. e>cep, for the siish, shifting of his hind ice, and hft- ing ot his quarters. which ] knew meant mischief.
 The lion probably thought so. too. for he kept dodsing to try and take hls opponent by flank movement. Blu, the old horse knew his game, and pivoiing on his fore legs s,lll brough, his stern guns to bear or the enemy
 Soon. with a roar. the lion made his spring. bu; Marcngo lashed GU, both heeis together with such eNcellen, )adg- meni of tune and distance that. catching h:ai .sll in the chest. he knocked him all of heap ,o the ground. where he lay mouenless. Then with neigh oi triumph and flourish of his heels. away he gailoped through the grove out on to the plain and was safe.
 The lion lay so still that thought hc was dead. or, ai any rate, quite ho,S .e consizf. and vas lust returning 10 psek ep the bridle and follow Marcngo. when he sat up on his launches. This made me stop.
 ".as he sa, there with his head loosely wagging from side to side. and mouth half open. he looked quite vacant and l ldiotie.
 SuGdenly his head stopped wagging, he pricked his ears. and. by the fash oi his eye and changed expression, l knew he had seen me.
 only one thing was 10 be done. and did 1t. The ou,ermost tree was large and low-branehcd. To |, ran. and Up Il scrambled. and had us, peirhed Tn a fosE abea. fifteen feet above tetta-iirma as the Ter arrived II ,he bottom.
 Looking ap A; me with two fcd-he' coals fer eyes, h!s long, nervous t.il flashing his sides, every hair or his bod, turned to wire. and his great claws pro- truded. he cha,,ercd al me as T cat chat ,evs al brd out of reach. His law. snapped like . steel trap, ard hls look was perfectly diabolioal. When he va. tired of eha,ter.ng he stood and grow led
 :" Catching sigh, of the bftdIc. he walked 10 t. sinelled il. pated il. and then came back and lay down and gllred al me
 My oarb:ne confound it.-was slune
  my hanger. was nocke,-pistol. double. batre.led. and wha, IT those days NC called a h.eeeh-loader ,ha; IS. the bar rcls urscrewed to load. and than screwed on agaln
 = II would have been handy weapon agains; man at close quarters. for I threw good ball but for Il lion I.e sides. the beas, was too far of.
 Then the thought flashed into m, mind. where was Cognac:
 Il supposed he had run away ant hidden somewhere. If the lion got sigh of him. l, would, knew, soon be ore with the poor little fellow.
 All al once there arose. close q; hand and awful and familiar yell. l. had strange muffied tone, but there was n, mis;aking Cognac's voice.
 Again Il came. resonant, long and sepulchra!. IL seemed to com, from inside the tree. Where the ducs WAS he:
 The lion appeared utterly as,onishec and turned his ears so far back to lister that they were almos, inside out. wher from some hole among the roots of tn, tree there popped small yellow heaC Wtli SAis-
 - Down. down. Gognac cried II my agony; so back, sir.
 A c,y of delight. cu, short by pi,eous whine. was his reply. as he spice me, and then dashing fully yard ,owarc the lion, he parked dchanily.
 With low growl and ruf.ing mane the beast charged at the little dog.
 :. Back went Cognae into his cave a, quick AS rabbit, and s,ormed on hir from inside.
 Ihrus,ing his grea, paw right dowr the hole, the lion tired to claw hlm GU, Oh. how l rembled for Cognac.
 ]" Ba, he kept up a ceaseless fire o snapping and snariing tha; 1t vas pIair he was either well round corner O, that the hoe was deep enough for hl. safety.
 ..All the same. 10 see grea, cowardl, beast digging away a, my poor lti.e 6og like tha, was more than 1 could stand ~t |.