The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1896-10-08


stone out. He worked hard and had
the Jewel loose when he noticed smali
pieces of stone and quantities OF dust
were descending on his head.
He was not much of a woodman, put
he knew that some cause must nave
produced that dusty rain. He paused
in his work and cast an upward glance
of mingled apprehension and reproacn
and was astonished to see the tawny
hide and glittering eyes of huge cata-
mount crouched above him on announcer
shelf not more than twenty-five reet
from where he sat. He was no coward,
vet he had never held a private Inter
view with catamount ana eAperi-
enced no desire to come to close quar-
ters. It was evident the cat was pre-
pairing to leap and Howard old sonie
hard thinking. Finally he croucheu
close to the cliff and signaled the cat
to come. The cat did so.
With a snarl and showing OF lts lear
ful teeth that cat launched Itself down.
ward like yellow cloud. 1t missed tne
shelf because 1t was too narrow TO al
ford much of a chance in such leap,
but its claws clutched the edge ana the
animal was in the act of making
desperate and probably successful Ell
fort to scramble up to where the young
lieutenant was fattened against the
cliff. Howard redeemed himself In this
juncture by giving the cat swift KICK
In the whiskers. This dislodged the
angry beast, and, with howl OF rage,
It partly twisted itself about ana
sprang wildly out into space. 1t clear
ed the intervening rocks and fell ike
a wet blanket on the roof of a huge
cinnamon bear, which had been Sleep
ing the hot hours away in clump OF
bushes at the base of the cliff.
Then the fun commenced. That Gin
namon let go his right and that cat
was sent sprawling twenty feet The
cat was a fighter and resented the IN
| sult nv declaring war on the spot. He
NOT only declared but he prepared to
mix with the bear. He sprang al
bruins throat, but the bear ducked
skillfully and clawed handful Of WOO
| from the cats back. The cat made an
other rush and succeeded this time IL
fastening his fangs In the bears shout
ders The bear Immediately took q
chancery hold and began his famous
representation Of now to squeeze fel
low to death.
The cat was game, nearly as large
as the bear and full Of fight, and witt
a desperate effort he tore himself loose
and also made several ragged holes II
| the bears fur and hide with the claws
with which his hind feet were en-
lowed. Again they came together ant
| Howard. who had been standing In
trance watching the fierce combat, re
gained his senses long enough to TAXI
aim at the battling brutes with his goot
rife. He stepped near the edge OF TIT
| cliff and was about to turn loose witt
his gun when the sharp report Of ,
rifle above him caused him to los'
his balance and he tumbled headlont
to Join bear and cat
"Injun" on the Scene.
For time he thought he had beer
shot but as he felt none the worse
after the tumble, having dropped Int
some heavily foliaged bushes, he jump
ed to his feet and opened fire on thu
fighters. AS he did so the cat sprans
into the air and fell with widely sprawl
ing legs at quite a distance, and theI
lay still after clawing up all the bushe
near it, while the bear spun around ant
around as if hasing its own tail How
ard knelt and sent in another shot. al
there was an echo from up the cliff
This time the bear slowly Strengthened
yielded up the ghost. Howard starte,
to examine the quarries when he wa
astounded to see an Indian in Il mon
grel costume Of cavalry trousers, leath
er shirt and war bonnet Of eagle fcath
ers rapidly rush down the cliff AM
claim everything in sight.
'1njun KILL" said the brave, with
sweep of his arm.
'Injun did nothing Of the sort" wa
the retort as Howard pushed lot o
cartridges into the magazine of hi
rifle. Soldier kill and soldier will jus
boss the job, If it's all the same to you
my buck"
The "injun" showed a desire to mi
war medicine, and 1t is doubtful wha
the result would have been but for tn
timely arrival of Captain Morris and
squad of troopers on the run. The car
tain took in the situation at a glanc
and ordered the Indian arrested 70
shooting off of the reservation, loade
the bear and cat on the men and lea
the way back to camp. He also Gale
in the scouts and gave them goo
IA winding. AS conclusion to hi
monologue he remarked: "If 1t ha
not been for the recklessness Of thi
young fellow / would not have know
that there was Ute In Colorado, e1
cepting by consulting the war map
and geography. Get away with 70
and see if you can redeem yourselve,
Gentlemen, hereafter orders not t
leave camp apply to officers as well a