Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-11-15

when he was startled into the keenest
life and the utmost activity by scream.
Enthusiastically from afemale throat, and
pitched at keynote OF the utmost ter
ror. He turned toward the further side
OF the patch There he saw the bushes
in state OF violent agitation at two
points. slight figure in flight and big
black one in hot pursuit, while the
screams kept up, and mingled with
| them were funny, short, sharp little
yelps and queer sub-cellar bass ejacu-
lation that seemed half howl and hall
| roar.
1t was impossible for half minute
to tell what the mischief was up. and
the old man, who had instinctively
started toward the scene of the conmo-
ton at the first sound, kept his weather
eye wide open and his finger upon the
the trigger of his Winchester. Pre-
sently the figure of the screamer
emerged from the brier bushes, and
still under full Roadway, dashed over
the open ground, covered with messy
rocks, that led to the edge of the canyon
and Hank saw that it was Papita, the
fifteen-year-old daughter of old Half
breed jim, flying for dear life from a
big cinnamon bear that was fairly max
ing a swath through the brierS in pur-
suit, and was now not more than two
rods behind her. Both were going as
if the Old Harry was after them, and,
of course, it al happened almost in the
fash of an eye. From the reckless
way in which the girl ran toward the
edge Of the canyon old Hank was sure
she either didn't know it was there or
was so frightened that she had forgot
ten it. Instinctively he called out:
Look out thar, Peetr the name by
which the girl was known to him.
1t was too late. The girl did try to
check her speed or to turn to one side,
Hank could not be certain which. He
saw her cast a glance over her
shoulder, catch glimpse of the great,
angry beast behind her, whose blood
red eyes looked death at her, and
whose hot breath blew out threads of
thick spume that almost reached her.
She was then but step from the edge
of the precipice. With a gesture of
despair the girl threw up her arms as
she plunged forward, and -leaping
high into the air, she cleared the
brink and disappeared into the yawn-
ing depths of the dark canyon with a
wild shrek that fairly made the
hunters blood run thick with cold
horror. He was near enough to hear
her body strike and break the limbs OF
tree whose top was just visible from
where he stood, and then go, humping
and rolling down the rocky, almost
perpendicular side of the canyon.
The whole thing was begun and over
so quickly, and was so entirely un-
expected and out of the common, that
old Hank stood motionless for few
seconds, during which time the bear
had halted by bracing on his launches
and fairly scooting along on the moss
covered rock, stopping at the brink
and looking stupidity over at the abyss
that had cheated it out of its prey
Just behind the bear came two cubs
waddling along comically enough,
every now and then making the funny
little yelp that had at first been heard.
The sight of them recalled the old man
to himself. Up went his rifle, and he
was just pulling the trigger when he
remembered that if he shot the bear
the carcass must fall over into the
canyon and be lost. With a muttered
curse, for the sight of poor Papita's
death had made him bloodthirsty. he
lowered the gun, to await the moment
when the bear should turn around.
Just then occurred one of those I'M
expected things for which neither man
nor bear is ever prepared. A mountain
oak grew near where the bear stood
and a little back from the precipice. A
great limb stretched out toward the
canyon, and from it descended by a
tremendous spring long, dark animal,
1.-THE and sinewy, which lit full upon
the shoulders of the unconscious bear
with a thud. The shock was heavy
one, and the result must have been al
most as great a surprise to the big
mountain lion-for such the newcomer
was-as to the bear. The impetus car
ried both animals over the brink, and
at nearly the exact spot where the girl
had disappeared a few seconds before.
An instant later the sounds of a terri
BILE conflict rose from the depths into
which they had plunged, mingled with
the hoarse growls of the bear and the
wild, ear-piercing cries of the noun
tain lion.
Hank ran to the spot and peered
over. As he did so the cubs skunk
away into the bushes. and for once the
veteran hunter didn't so much as look
after pair of fine young bears. What
self: Il never seed such sight n my
born days, ner heerd SIGH a growlin',
ner KEN acrost SIGH clawin' an
scratchin'; Y see, tn varmints he'd
struck tn sidelin' trunk 4. tree what
growed a piece below, N it kinder
throwed 'em catawumpus like back
lords tn hill, Std O. down into the
canyon, n they'd lit in a sorter little
fat spot atween tn tree N the hill n
got wedged in thar, both fat on Their
sides n SO clost tergether they cudn't
git out noways-jess like packed in a
box.
Neither one had emmy advantage,