The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-06-09

.sI made sure he was on the top oi
him, and SO he would have been, bat, a,
Marengo wheeled short round like
lightning on his hind legs, the streaming
reins caught the brute's forepaw, and. al
it were, tripped him, SO that he fell side
ways on the road.
The heavy jerk nearly brought the
horse down, but the throat-lash broke
the bride was pulled over his ears, and
recovering himself, he darted away
among grove of trees that stood by the
wayside.
$50 intent was the lion on the horse
that he paid no attention to me lying de-
fenseless before him.
Crawling swiftly along the ground
ne pursued Marengo, whom I gave uE
for lost-for his chance against the little
brute among the trees seemed hopeless.
However, as luck would have it.
there was an open space about q dozen
yards across. In the center of this Mar.
engo took his stand, with his tail toward
the lion and his head turned sharply
back over his shoulder, watching him.
He stood quite still, except for the
slight shifting of his hind feet and lifting
OF his quarters, which knew meant mis-.
chief.
"The lion probably thought so, too,
for he kept lodging to try and take his
opponent by a flank movement. But the
old horse knew his game, and pivoting
on his forelegs still brought his stern
guns to bear on the enemy.
Soon, with roar the lion made his
spring, utlMsrengo lashed out both heels
together which such excellent Judgment
OF time and distance that, catching him
full in the chest, he knocked him all of a
heap to the ground, where he lay mo-
tionless. Then with neigh of. triumph
and flourish of his heels. away he
galloped through the grove out on the
plain and was safe.
The lion lay SO still that I thought
he was dead, or at any rate quite hors de
combat. and was Just running to pick up
the bride and follow Marengo, when he
sat op on his launches. This made me
stop.
"As he sat there with his head loosely
wagging from side to side, and mouth
half open, he looked quite vacant and
idiotie
suddenly his head stopped wagging.
he prlcked his ears, and by the flash of
his eye and changed expression, knew
he had seen me.
''Only one thing was to be done, and I
did it. The on ermost tree was large
and low -branched. To it ran, and up
it | scrambled, and had Just perched in
fork about fifteen feet above terra
frma as the lion arrived at the bottom.
Looking up at me with two red hot
coa's for eyes, his long nervous tail
lashing hj sides. every hair on his body
turned to wire, and his great claws pro-
truded, he chartered at me as a cat chat
ters at bird out of reach. His jaws
snapped like steel trap, and his look
was perfectly diabolical. When he was
tired of chattering he stood and growled.
Catching sight of the bride, he
walked to it. smelled it, patted it, and
then came back and lay down and glared
at me.
My carbine-confound it! was slung
at my saddle. My only weapon. besides
my hanger, was pocket pistol, double
barreled, and what in those days we
called breech-loader, that is, the bar
rels unscrewed to load, and then screwed
on again.
''It would have been handy weapon
against a man at close quarters, for it
threw good ball; but for lion! Be-
sides, the beast was too far off.
''Then the thought flashed into my
mind, where was Cognac?
L supposed he had ran away and hid
deR somewhere. If the lion got sight of
him, it would, knew, be soon all over
with the poor little fellow.
Cali at once there arose, close at hand.
an awful and fearful yell. It had a
strange, mufled tone, but there was no
mistaking Cognac's voice.
Again it came, resonant, long drawn.
and sepulchral. It seemed to come from
inside the tree. Where the deuce was he?
THE lion appeared utterly astonished
and turned his ears SO far back to listen
that they were almost inside out, when
from some hole among the roots of the
trees there popped small yellow head
with long ears.
Down, down, Cognac!' I cried in my
agony, go back. sir!'
"a cry of delight, cut short by pite-
Gus whine, was his reply, as he spied me.
and then dashing fully yard toward the
lion, he barked deiantly.
with low growl and rufied name.
the beast charged at the little dog.
Back went Cognac into his cave as
luick as rabbit, and stormed at HIM
rom inside.
"Ihrusting his great paw right down
,he hole, the lion tried to claw him out.
Oh, how I trembled for Cognac!
But he kept up such ceaseless fire |
# swapping and snarling that it was
,lain he was either we'll round a corner
" that the hole was deep enough for his
afety.
"All the same to see the great cowardly |
,east digging away at my poor little dog
ike that was more than I could stand. |
locking NY pistol, I shouted, and as I |
ooked up fired at his. blood-shot eve.
lie shook his head, and 1 gave him the
ther barrel.
with scream of rage he bounded
ack.
"Cognac Immediately shot forth his
cad and insulted him with jeerinp
arks.
But he was not TO be drawn again.
nd after bit he lay down further off
nd pretended to go to sleep. Cognao
arked at him till he was tired, and then
etired into his castle.
''Rsloading, found had only three
ullets left, and concluded to hold them
1r crisis.
ut was now past noon. To beguile
1e time, smoked q pipe or two, sang o
ong, and cut my name, Cognac's. and
lareDgo's on the tree, leaving q space
'r the lions, which determined should
Q Wellington. I wished he would go
way. Having some milk in my bottle.
took drink, and should have liked TO {
i've some to Copnac The lion hooan ~ :