The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-19
TEE GIRLS OF NERVE.
They Unearthed and Slew a Wild Cat
That Had Killed g Horse.
From tie 81. Louis Globe Democrat.

"a 70 anu nauQe GaLneSs QdugnCerS or
enc Of the substantial farmers of the Bob
creek country, a few miles from Pueblo, is
told OF with much praise for the plucky
girls They are Illinois girls, and have been
here but eb )ut a year. Their fathers ranch
is in valley among TIE foot hills, and is
almost surrounded by bluffs and fir
covered promontories sloping back from the
creek.
The two girls, aged about 20 and %, were
IeIb alone last week by reasoa OF the court
seSslon. and took charge Of the stock during
their fathers absence. This. was nothing
new to them, aud they went on with the
WORK as usual. The first morning after the
departure OF their father. however, they
were Mortified to fad that one of the finest
horses IN the corral had been killed during
the night, and, great tracks showed that
some wild beast had committed the depre-
dation.
That night they sat up part of the night.
out without seeing anything. In the morn
ing, however. there was another horse
Killed, and the remainder of the herd in a
condition bordering on insanity. Deter
mined to sift the matter TO the bottom, they
locked up the house, and, taking rifles and
plenty OF ammunition, put on heavy boots,
ana started TO track the strange depcedator
dowp. They followed the footprints 10 the
loot hills, and then up diagonal path into
a glen covered with thick growth OF pine
The canon has precipitous sides and a mar
row. sand-covered path along the stream
which ooursed down the csnte,. 1t was not
hard 10 trace the footsteps. and cautiously
they followed the trail until they were sew
eral hundred feet above the level OF the
creek and OF the ranch.
The tracks led to an open space fanked
by high walls of red rock, and suddenly
disappearing. In vain they tried to dis
cover an opening somewhere. At last the
elder of the pIuclSv hunters climbed the
wall, and stood twenty feet above her sister.
mere. on a level plat, she saw a circular
hole leading into the rocks, and apparently
into den Both examined the aperture.
and decided that they had found the home
OF the prowler. But was he at home? And
what kind of a creature might they find it
TO be! The questions puzzled them for some
time, but finally Carrie undertook to solve
the difficulty by throwing large rock into
the cave. It went resounding down for
some feet, and then there came an ominous
sound that made both the girls turn pale
with alarm. II WAS not the growl of q
bear; it was a blood-curdling aud human
shrek that resembled nothing they had ever
before heard.
For some time they debated as to the
course best to pursue. One was for cover
ing up the entrance to the den and starving
the creature to death, but it was by no
means certain that another entrance did
not exist. Then it was proposed to fire
into the hole at random and trust to luck
to hit the mark. But all these propositions
were abandoned. and they determined
to punch up the animals" aud SEQ what
would result, trusting to their rifles to pro-
tect them in case they were attacked tlem-
selves.
A long pole was found and stuck carefully
through the Aperture into the den. Both
girls had hold on it, and they were pre-
pared to drop it and seize their loaded and
cooked rifles the moment anything showed
In the gloom beneath. Maud had brought
with her lariat thrown around her
shoulders, cowboy fashion, thinking, per-
haps, 1t would come handy, as, indeed, the
leathern thong often does in mountainous
districts.
Let us tie the lariat on, said she to her
sister.
;s"What for? We do not want to lose it,
too"
well, there may be O necessity for pull
ing the pole out again, and besides we do
not know how deep the hole is"
The logic seemed good, and Carrie acqui-
esced. The lariat was attached to the pole,
and they commenced to lower away. Down
it went to the full length of the piece of
wood, and then three or four feet Of lariat
was paid out, when suddenly that same hor-
rible shrek resounded, and they felt the pole
seized by some strong power beneath. They
braced themselves on the edge of the aper-
ture and held on.
Whatever the creature was it had good
teeth, and was evidently pulling its best to
get the pole and lariat away from its perse-
cutors
"Shall we let goa" asked one of the fair
hunters, anxiously.
"Not much" was the reply. "We have
his teeth set on the wood. and probably he
won't let 60. Wen pull him out"
This startling proposition was easier
made than carried out, as, in spite of their
best efforts, they we're unable to stir the
lariat one foot in their direction.
an tell you what to do" said Carrie;
"make pulley"
"But how9n was the reply.
"There ia a tres almost above US. Put the
lariat over a limb and pull the creature
OUT
This looked feasible, and while one held
the line taut the other threw the remainder
of the rope over the limb and brought 1t
down on'the other side.
Now" said the generalissimo OF the new
strategy, you get me the ri fies and we'll
see what we can do"
There was some danger of falling down
the cliff, but they did not think of that, and
both put their weights on the lariat. 1t
moved. The limb of the fir was bare and
smooth and no friction was taken into &C
count to hinder their strength having its
utmost force. Inch by inch thsy lowered
their side of the thong, and inch by inch
the upper end of the pole protruded through
the aperture. Screaming, cliwing and
bowling they heard their game approach
ing. and their excitement grew until tn ey
could hardly raise the heavy weight. But
they continued, and when it was seen that
they were almost at the end of their labor,
Maude, the heavier. was left to pull, while
Carrie seized the rifle Holding it pointed
at the hole she waited for the next lift.
1t came, and suddenly striped. cat-like
head appeared in view. The teeth were
embedded in the pole, while the most ter
rife anger and determination showed in the
ferocious features. Without moments
hesitation she fired at the near mark, and
with another wild shrek, the animal let go
its hold and fell, clutching and clawing. to
the bottom.
Down with the pole! | hit him. she
called, and in moment the bait was again
at the bottom Of the den and had been
seized by the nladdened creature. Again
they pulled it up, but its cries were weaker,
and when it reached the top they pulled it
entirely out before firing. The second ball
went crashing through its skull, and it fell
to the earth dazad for moment. Partially
reviving, it made leap for its captors, but
Maude was ready with the other rife, and
another ball laid the animal OUT dead at
their feet. They were not satisfied to leave