The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-01-28

soon could see only cloud of white. I was surprised. My trusty gun had never failed at such mark before. Had nursed it all summer to find it unreliable when the hunting season had come? In my haste to get to the open space I fell and rolled in the snow. Five yards from where he was when I fired the last shot he had snorted blood from his nose in large quantities. I had pierced his lungs. He would fall as surely as if shot through the heart. Yes, ten rods far ther on he was dead. He had crashed 5lindly against log and tumbled over in the snow.
 After I had slashed the trimly curved throat of my victim, and watched with a hunters exultation the gush of crimson that staineo the pure snow till the excitement sub sided, my thoughts turned to my un- initiated companion. l heard a strained voice as if some creature was in distress. I hastened in the di- rection whence came the wall. It was repeated at intervals of few seconds, so that my interest in the object of my desire did not allow my speed to slacken till I had run nearly half a mile through the deep snow, although l had tripped over fallen buried brush till was white as ghost from hair to heels. As 1 neared the open slope at the head of the canyon where we had seen the unsuspicious elk large buck was seen rearing up and striking both with hoofs and horns at scrubby fir bush, that, although thick at the butt, was not over ten feet high. l could see nothing but the dark green foliage, and wondered at the energy displayed by the beast. The voice that guided me seemed to come from the bush. 1drew my gun down to shoot. Just then the elk settled down behind and seemed to be dying.
 1 moved forward somewha cau- tiously. Some object moved in the clumpy little tree. A pair of legs straightened down near the nose of the elk. The frenzied beast aroused from his stupor and rushed at them. Again the scream rang out. The legs were drawn and the elk sank slowly back in the snow. As l came within ten yards his eyes were glassy and fixed, but every time my English friend stretched out his legs to find support the elk would charge as though it were red flag waved to challenge him. The eager hunter had brought down the king of the herd at the first shot. He rushed upon the fallen monarch knife in hand, to dis cover too late that he was still able to fight if not to flee. A pair of broad antlers above pair of fiery eyes, my friend remembers to have seen very near where the skirts of his coat would have been ifhis hunting jacket had not been short and tight fitting. Then he was assisted in an earnest effort to climb the only tree at hand. He could get his legs out of reach of the antlers. He chung to the highest limb that would bear his weight and drew up his knees. In that position the pointed horns would strike only to his knees or his shins when he kept his face to the foe by swinging around the tree. The cramped position could not be endured, as he had no support for his feet, and when the heart-sick elk would sink down the mans legs would slowly slide down before the elk's eyes. The moving objects always evoked a ferocious charge. A bullet from my rife brought the bulky com batant to his side upon the snow. My friend was soon lying almost AS help less on the same cold bed. He was wounded and completely exhausted. His arms were as useless as if broken, as an effect of the long strain upon the muscular system, and his legs were badly cut by the sharp horns as far up as the knees.
 It was very apparent that my com panion could not walk any more that day. The prospect of a night in the snow without bed was not pleasant although We had fresh meat and fuel cleared away the snow and seated the helpless hunter upon some brush. Then kindled fire, skinned the elk, spread the hide, hair up, for a carpet, and waited for supper time and an ap- petite sharp enough to relish meat straight without salt. I spent the afternoon and the night rubbing the knotted cords of the young mans arms, dressing his cut and bruised shins, calves and knees, and gathering firewood from under the snow. At ten o'clock next day was at the road when the returning stage came along The accommodating driver unhitched his leaders, drove up the mountain to our camp, and, hitching on to the elk skin, hauled the wounded hunter down to the sleigh. We are now safe al home. The young Englishman thinks he will be able to walk over to my cabin to- morrow for the first time.- 1 Defro,i Eree Press