Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-03-23

crawl W Tue pTuSn tneu ROb uOWu On
hands and l,uoes and began the din |
cult journey. The hummocks were |
smaller and follower when reached
than they looked at first, and when
halfway across the dangerous space II
became n question Of wriggling along
la serpent In this position the
caribou was invisible, but had faith
in the wind, and was wriggling logged
ly forward when from a clump Of moss
not twenty feet from my nose a grouse
walked quietly forth cluclsing softly to
itself in regard to my probable busi-
ness
Here was pretty position. OF course
didn't dare flush the grouse for fear
of alarming the caribou, and for long,
ngonising moments lay there in the
snow staring at that Internal bird,
while II eyed me dreamily and chuckled
in an exasperatingly commiserating
fashion, until the cramp.knot in my
leg grew hard as o baseball, and
fumed and ragged and groaned inward
ly. At last the fool bird satisfied its
curiosity and trotted demurely away,
and when IL had got to a safe distance
| Strengthened my cramp and wriggled
on to the tuft whence the grouse had
come. Inch by inch raised my head
until n clear view was possible of the
bulls feeding-ground-he had vanished
as though the earth had swallowed
himl Hastily glancing up the barren,
caught sight of him walking smartly
along good four hundred yards away.
lie was not alarmed; he had neither
heard, seen nor winded me. lie had
merely decided to move along.
But chance favored me in the next
move. The caribou, after going half u
mile, suddenly turned across the barren
and headed for the timber on the far
Their side, at the same time edging
slightly In my direction, This course
kept him we'll to windward, and when
he finally approached the distant cover
/ started for him again. II was n long,
hard task TO cross the barren in a
crouching position, but finally ! man
aged to get behind him safely and fol-
lowed the track. / was now very tired
for the shooting vas heavy, but the
chase was leading homeward. was
mad all through and game to fight II
out on that line till darkness came.
Presently IL began to snow and In half
an hour the air was thick with soft
falling fakes This was in my favor,
save that / sometimes lost sight OF the
bull, only TO rediscovcr him walking
steadily along headed direct for the
camp My only hope was that he might
halt TO feed. He was going about as
fast as ! could, and 30 for two good
hours we reeled of the miles at an cx.
ercising gait At last the snow almost
ceased, but the air was darlSening fast,
and guessed we must be within d
short distance of camp.
While | was endeavoring to figure
out my exact whereabouts the bull
halted in an open space, bordered on
my side by clumps OF good cover aut
began TO feed. My WEAKNESS was for
gotten in moment; luck had turned
my way ut last, for ho was In perhaps
the best position for me that no coulo
have chosen in the whole barren
SnealSing rapidly on rs far IA was safe
! once again dotted shoes and got dow
on hands and knees and crawled, ant
crawled, and crawlcd, until the cove
was gained, and my victim stoo,
broadsdc on, not eighty yards away
lie was feeding busily and had no NOR,
idea that / was near than | had o
shouting, Carefully | raised to M
knees and waited one moment to pull
myself thoroughly together for the sho
that must needs decide the matter. 4
last glance at the distance, and at tn,
sight to make certain that IL was at tn,
lowest notch and thought To myself
Now, my son, surmisc III just set
tic for all this tramp. II | don't drol
YOU"
"Whangr the roar of n rifle sounde,
from II clump TO my left, u stream o
fiery smoke shot from the brush, tn,
Dull gave tremendous lunge forwar,
and went down In Il heap
For an instant | was petrifed will
amuzement; then lcapcd TO my fec
prepared to do ! hardly knew what
From the brush near by rose lanl
figure, n coppery face peercd forth
and an unmistakable voice muttercd
Cess down um car'boo!"
"Jol You blank, smoke-tnnne,
IDIOT, I've blamed good notion TO pu
u ball through your
10 started with MS much surprise a
his kind ever show; then his broa,
mouth spread in dinbolical grin, TO
lac guessed every incident Of the story
"Ale no sec you. See um carbo,
cum long. Me hide, think mebbe xii
nm car'boo. You lynx, you creep
creep-mc no tink you chase um car
. boo"
And that was all the comfort got
outside Of the head and feet, whicl
} were all | wanted Of the bull.
Later in the evening, when told j,
u Of tho all.day chase and where ha'
II been, he gruntcd and said Chase nm
" car'boo berry long time -twen-to
e mile dat way an back"
Is YES, aud crawled quarter Of II
+ confound yOu!"
"Um, dat SOP Me go two, three
four mile, look at trap, den run bacI
10 mend shoe. Me stop by fire, byme
by get uin car'boo."
"Ies, after | chase him twenty-tw,
miles for you, you old squawl"
! chuckling grunt proved that j.
= realized the humor Of the thing In fun
and the way his eyes twinklcd and tn
wrinkles curved round his silent moutl