The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-04-14


brush was filled with little humm DclSs
and hollows, showing where the low
growth, moss, etc, upheld the SLOW.
If / once gained the brush and nerves
Kept steady he should drop in his
tracks. ! heSitated for a moment be-
tween waiting for "A broadside shot
from where j was, or attempting TO
crawl To the brush, then got down on
hands and knees and began the difii-
cult journey. The hummocks were
smaller and follower when rea .hed
than they looked at first, and when
halfway across the dangerous spa se il
became a question Of wriggling q ong
la serpent In this position the
caribou was invisible, but ] had faith
in the wind. and was wriggling dorged-
ly forward when from a clump Of .ooss
not twenty feet from my nose a grouse
walked quietly forth clucking 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,
agonizing moments ] lay there in the
snow staring at that Internal bird,
while it eyed me dreamily and chuc,5led
in an exasperatingly commiser;.t ting
fashion, until the cramp-lnot in my
leg grew hard as a baseball, and 1
fumed and RACED and groaned inv ard
ly. At last the fool bird statistic its
curiosity and trotted dcmurcly away.
and when il had got TO a safe dis; Ince
i Strengthened my cramp and wril yled
on TO the tuft whence the grouse had
come. Inch by inch / raised my head
until clear view was possible Of the
bulls fecding-ground-he had vani he'd
though the earth had swallowed
him. Hastily glancing up the barren,
! caught sight Of him walking sm..rtly
along a good four hundred yards away.
He was not alarmed; ne had ne ther
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 a
mile, suddenly turned across the barren
and headed for the timber on the far
ther side, at the same time edging
slightly in my direction. This course
kept him well 10 windward. and when
he finally approached the distant cover
1 started for him again. 1t was a long,
hard task TO cross the barren in a
crouching position, but finally ] nan
aged To get behind him safely and fol-
lowed the track. / was now very ired,
for the -shoeing was heavy, but the
chase was leading homcward. ! was
mad all through and game TO Fl. ,ht it
out on that line till darkness came.
Presently il began 10 snow and in half
an hour the air was thick with soft
falling flakes. This was in my favor,
save that / sometimes lost sight Of the
bull, only TO redIscover him walking
steadily along headed direct for the
camp. My only nope was that he might
halt To feed. He was going about as
fast as ! could. and so for two rood
hours we reeled OFF the miles at an ex-
ercising gait At last the snow almost
ceased, but the air was darkening fast.
and / guessed we must be witt IN a
short distance Of camp
While / was endeavoring 10 f gure
out my exact whereabouts the bull
halted in an open space, bordercd on
my side by clumps of good cover, and
began TO feed My weariness was for
gotten in a moment; luck had turned
my way at last, for he was in PEI haps
the best position for me that he could
have chosen IN the whole barren.
Sneaking rapidly on as far as was safe.
once again DOTTED shoes and got down
on hands and knees and crawled. and
crawled, and crawled, until the cover
was gained. and my victim .tood
broadside on, not eighty yards a way.
He was feeding busily and had no more
idea that i was near than / had of
shouting. Carefully l raised to my
knees and waited one moment TO pull
myself thoroughly together for the shot
that must needs decide the matter. A
last glance at the distance, and at the
sight TO make certain that IL was a the
lowest notch and ! thought 10 myself:
Now, my son. surmise I'll Just set
tie for all this tramp. If / don't drop
YOU"
"Whang!" the roar Of rifle sounded
from clump TO my left, a stream OF
fiery smoke shot from the brush, the
bull gave treme ndous lunge for ward
and went down in "A heap.
For an instant ] was petrifed with
amazement; then leaped 10 my feet
prepared TO do ] hardly knew what
From the brush near by rose n lank
figure, a coppery face peered forth.
and an unmistakable voice mutterec:
''Gess | down um car'boo.'
30! You blank, smobe-tanned
idiot, I've blamed good notion 10 put
a ball through you!'
10 started with as much surprise as
his kind ever show; then his broad
SpTEau III "A Ola DOllcHl grin. Tor
he guessed every incident of the tory.
ME no see you. See um car'boo
cum long Me hide, tink mebbc kill
um car'boo. You lynx. you creep
creep-me no tink you chase um car
boo"
And that was all the comfort I got,
outside OF the head and feet, which
were all ! wanted of the bull
Later in the evening. when / told 10
Of the all-day chase and where 1 had
been, he grunted and said. "Cha um
car'boo berry long time-twen-too
mile dat way an back"
Yes, and crawled quarter Of il.
confound you!"
"Um, dat so? Me go two, three,
four mile, look at trap, den run back
TO mend shoe. Me stop by fire, lyme
by get um car'boo.
Yes, after ! chase him TWENTY-FIVE
miles for you. you old squawi'
A chuclling grunt proved that 10
realized the humor OF the thing in full,
and the way his eyes twinl1led al the
wrinkles curved round his silent mouth
almost threw me into fits. for there
was no use in kicking against fate.
She Had Her Revenge.
Angelina" said Edwin, there Is 4
little question that have long been
wishing TO ask you"
'Yes?" she said. opening her eyes
very wide and pretending complete ig-