Mohave County miner., 1889-07-13
HUNTED BY A MAD HOUND.

'The man-eater il nlad!'
looked at the tall Texan apprehen-
sively.
Are you certainp" I asked.
Il know it. had my suspicious
yesterday. and now there Is no doubt
Of it,"
This was serious. The man-eater
was the largest and most feroci0us
bloodhound 10 Texas. 1t was hard
enough to control him ut any time
but mad!-I shuddered at the thought!
My weeks visit at the Bolton ranch
had satisfied me that my host really
cared for only two things in the world
his daughters and the man-catcr.
where is Miss Sallie3" | inquired.
anxiously.
"Oh, that's all right" replied Boil
ton, carelessly. "Sallie took her pony
aud went of for ride an hour ago,
and the hound is safe enough. / took
him by the collar just now and locked
him up where he won't get at any
body. But it breaks me up, old fel-
low; 1 wouldn't lose him for anything"
My interest began to weaken. Miss
Sallie was safe and the dog was locked
up. What was bloodhound to meP
II the savage monster died. 50 much
the better.
walk of to the stable. A ride over
the prairie was not to be missed on
such a morning. and there would be .
chance OF riding back with Sallie.
But ! was doomed to disappointment.
Ny horse was lame. 1t did not take
long to convince me that somebody
had been riding him the night before.
Just then Pedro came in sight. The
ugly little Mexican gave start when
he saw me, and looked away.
"You yellow rascal" 1 shouted; '.you
had my horse last night?"
mo, sen0r."
"YOu are lyingw
mo, by all the saints, senor."
'.Then, where were you at midnight?''
II was attending to my business. "
snapped Pedro.
He looked 50 viciously mean aud SO
impudent that gave him light cut
with my whip and told him to get out
of my sight. He muttered something
and skunk Of.
There was no other animal that
cared to ride, and made up my mind
to walk.
had left the ranch several hundred
yards behind me when ! turned and
looked back. Even at that distance
could plainly recognize Pedro. He was
walking around little cabin back of the
kitchen. and was apparently peeping
through the cracks.
Looking at the man.eater." ! said
to myself. at is a good thing the beast
is locked up
The braciDg morning air and the
level prairie stretching out before me
for miles tempted me TO take long
walk. A long way of l could see o
hill-the only one in all that flat
country. Why not climb it and see
what was on the other side? Perhaps
Sallie was over there.
So l walked on with swinging stride.
for a couple of miles.
Suddenly came to a dead halt.
"That sounds like the man-eater's
barkw / exclaimed.
Again l heard it, and stopped mo.
ment
For an instant my muscles were
paralyzed-I was absolutely unable to
move.
A thousand horrible thoughts rushed
into my mind. If this mad blood
hound was on my track my case was
hopeless. / could not get back to the
ranch--there was not tree in sight
and the hill was still miles away
What was to be done?
summoned all my strength and
made run at the top Of my speed.
kept on as long as could and ther
paused to rest and listen.
The man-eater was coming my way
but not much faster than ! could run.
l resumed my flight. Would a mac
dog have his usual keen instincts
about himp Would he pursue the trai
or become confused and give 1t up?
These thoughts inspired me with 1
faint hope. II the dogs slow progress
ena bled me to reach the hill. wher'
there was no timber, / could climl
a tree, or possibly he would be misse'
and his master would ride 10 pursuit.
From one point, where there was
gentle rise in the prairie, I could Sc
in the distance a moving speck.
1t was the man-eater steadily FOL
lowing my trail!
Nv surmise turned out to be partl
correct. The animal seemed TO be a
fault. He would stop and run back
few yards and branch of aimless j
every direction. But this did not las
long. After 4 series Of eccentri
movements the hound would get o
nv tracks again and rush forward. H
was gaining, ahd my coances ofreact
ing the hill began to look gloomy.
For the next fifteen minutes l di
some good runnings but when turne