The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-19

licked into shape. The hunt began In the early
tcro and any scent promised to hold. The trail
was struck Mt the edge Of a small valley
S SiSht had milG Fille eGr5 q COW OF The aSe Einf i'.; n TSG G sO%:
light, had eaton out her side. and had strolled
back up tho hillside. lie had been gone not
more. than an hour when the men reached the
place. and the dogs opened AT once DANGEROUSLY.
4 smart burst Of speed followed: Tho Santa
hunters were mounted on native ponies which
20 up apparently impossible inclines and jump
oil cliffs six feet high on to rock lodges with the
agility and surcfootedncss of the goat.
The trail led over u low range and down into an
other valley whcreit turned southtor "A mile and
u half to a branch of the Sacramento, whore the
cougar had slakcd his thirst. He had crossed
the stream on a fallen tree and gone on into the
hills; A little after this he must have heard
the dogs because 500 yards from the creek his
trail changed from the even fOotmarks of an
OF pRhH his KIND and Them enS to 10 bo SmS song H ie%sF the d trSs
loft the men. The country was such that rapid
riding was impossible. Only ,"yiejo,, spurred
through the hills. "'''"
borne back TO them. Pressing on as boldly as
they dared. they found the hnntsInan In tho
small forest Of pecans which grew in n dcpros:
sion like the bottom of IA bowl. So deep was it
that the tops Of the jail trees did not reach, to
said that the cougar, of which he had caught q
glimpse. had gone up one Of TIE trees. II
his claws were plain on the massive trunk, but
he was nowhere TO be seen. Ii was found after
ward that ho had leaped from his tree to az.
other, then to another. had gone down on the
far side. and was once more speeding TO the
south. The, chase was resumed but fifteen
Clamborlng oyer the top Of the howl. with the
dogs going belly, TO the ground, the chase ran
swiftly and steadily for two miles. Hero tho
horsemen were delayed for II moment in skirt
ing the edge of a narrow marsh, and the pack
GEPened "a gap po of 500 Mi,G yard" t5s sn AL 'h ds time re the
wind. Close ut their tails was 'Vieio." who
had risked laundering in the morass, and a good
thirty. feet in their front. utterly mute. sailed
the big beef dog. A quarter mile further on
they ran into the cougar. \ sheer cliff. fifty
and barred barre, S eErS.s' At Htf ill., base see a nG buGe bo SHidsT
had been detached and left a semi.cavern in its
side. This depression was five feet deep and
back. his eyes green with anger. and his lips
still bloody, from his breakfast. crouchcd El
Diable Tordillo. undauntcdly facing his pur.
sucrs. Not pausing in his rush nor swcrving
a hairs breadth to either side, the great beef
OPPONENT fairly. but n little low, and the inch'
long fangs. came down. with u snap and were
buried in his brain. driving through the skull
forearm hurled the carcass aside and the other
hounds streamed upon him.
He was down In an instant, buried three feet
deep under q cascade OF dog. but his rounded
back rose STEADILY ike m island through the
foemen We're dead before him, and tho space
was clear. Not a second pass d before no was
rcburied. Such was his giant strength that
IN ho pA''ho ITO III vi 'lhChlt shi
leaped straight to the summit Of the cave, each
time a hound clinging to his flank and going W
with MIN. 1t was impossible for the men To
shoot without killing a half dozen OF the dogs
nor was there room for them in tho narrow
space. in, which the bitter fight was fought,
even II they had wished TO enter. Five of the
hounds had been disabled. and ono other slain
by a bite through the backbone. when "Nieio.'
maddencd by the death OF the beef dog. sprang
from his horse, drew his knife, and plunged
into the fray.
The animal was then borne back to the wal
of the recess, half upright, and blood streaming
from a score OF wounds. With one straight
down-driven stroke the Mexican plunged the
blade to the hilt in its breast. 1t leaned for
ward, doubling convulsively, and struck ut hin
with all the force of the gigantic muscles OF it
right forepaw. The blow landed upon the left
side Of his neck, cut through 10 the juRular. and
ranging down, lett a trench three inches wide
and ton inches long across his breast. He fell
as IL struck with IA pole axe. the panther roll
ing over him in agony, two hounds still clinging
to its launches. 1t died almost instantly, and
the MeXicans, not afraid then to descend from
the saddles, all kicked ii viCiouSly.