St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-20

caves were let into the walls ID many
places.
She had gone some distance when she
heard soft breathing sound. and she
saw on little ledge few feet away a
sight which caused her to reel with
fright. A monstrous wildcat, with
cleaning eyes, was lashing its tail back
ward and forward and preparing for
leap upon its supposed prey. Her dog,
a large Newfoundland, which had ac-
companied her, crOuched under her
skirts. She was too much excited to
think of flight or using her weapon. In
deed, she had no time, for the cat,
though it might have been at least
twenty feet away, had made its leap
and was sailing through the air in her
direction.
With an agility born of outdoor train
Ing the girl sprang to one side, and the
foe, Kissing with anger, rolled sprawl
ing Oh the stones. Like lightning she
took advantage of the mOmentary delay
and leaped to the wall of the canyon,
where she crept into the mouth of
little cave, thinking that she would
have better opportunity of defending
herself.
The dog, in the meanwhile, had as
sailed the wildcat, and the two were
clawing and tearing each other furi-
ously as they rolled over and over on
the ground.
Miss Annie was congratuTating her
self on her safety when new danger
threatened. From the dark interior of
the cave sounded roaring noise which
seemed the echo of the cry uttered by
the wild cat. Shrieking with fear, the
ffeet-f0oted girl left her place of want
age and clambered with all the rapidity
OF which she was capable up the side of
the canyon. Reaching a narrow ledge,
she turned and saw the cats mate
emerge from the cavern and Chamber
toward her. The first animal was grap-
ping with the dog at the foot of the
cliff.
Slowly she moved along the ledge
toward its narrowest portion, where she
stood, rifle in hand, awaiting her pur-
suer. Tue second cat cautiously fol-
lowed her footsteps, lashing its side
| with its long tail, and its eyes glisten-
| ing with anticipation. The girl exam
lned her weapon, and. finding it in per-
feet condition, rested it against the
wall of rock, and, taking careful aim,
waited until the foe was within four or
five feet, when she fired.
With bound the creature tumbled
backward, and, elawing and splitting,
went rolling down the precipice and
landed near Its mate and the dog. Here
the battle was growing unequal, for
though the dog was nearly as large as
its antagonist, it was growing weaker,
and the girl saw that it would be but
short time until it would be wearied out.
Reloading the rifle, from her vantage
ground, she drew careful point ON the
pair, and when the ribs of the cat Of
fered fair mark, fired. AS she did so,
a second shot rang out from down the
canyon, and her brothers form came in
view, he having been attracted by her
first firing. Whether by her own OF the
young mans bullet, the wild animal
was now in its death throes, and a few
good blows gave it its quietus, the dog
escaping, badly torn and wearied, but
not seriously injured.
The two animals were robbed of their
magnificent hides, which make attract
tive trophies of Miss Annie's proves.
They measure four feet six inches from
tip to tip, and are among the largest
ever killed hereabouts. Indeed, 1t is
unusual for the animals to exist in this
neigbbOrhood. It is thought that these,
being a diStlnctively Rocky Mountain
species, followed the Red river valley
down from Colorado, and were out Of
their usual location. Although the
canyon has been secured by hunters
since the escapade related, no trace of
other similar animals has been found,
and the cavern in which these had their
home is entirely deserted.