The Saint Paul globe., 1899-04-30

10 MS liking, gathering the coils In his
LETT hand, spurred the quivering pony to-
ward the tree and began swinging the
moose as carefully as one sights a rifle.
The pony not only scented his enemy,
put saw him plainly. and with quiverfng
nmos and distended eyes and nostrils
opeyed the spur. advancing slowly. eau
tlousiy, almost on tip-toes. one might
say. and every step was so nicely bal
anced that at sign Of the lion MAX
ing spring he might whirl and away.
Nearer and nearer he drew, and the
eristies ON the huge yellow beast stood
upright. the long tail lashed the limb
angrily. and growing snarling, showing
tho full length of his terrible Jaws and
teeth he began poising his body. after the
manner OF cat. for a spring. A pressure
or Felipe's knees and the pony stood
In his last tracks like a statue; once,
twice, three times the wide moose swung
above Felipes head. then whistled
through the air the lion lodged and blink
ed, but the moose settled lightly over his
shoulders and under his jaw He took
no further notice of it, but concentrated
his attention on the horse and rider
Then slowly Felipe began backing his
pony until the slack of the rope was
nearly up, then he shouted ito camp,
senor." and seizing the rope he gave it
quick Jerk, Tightening the moose about
the lion neck at the same time whirling
his pony and uttering a screeching yell
that an Apache would have envied There
was an answering snarl, ending in a
choking scream. as the rope frightened
like bowstring; the lion clutched at the
limb, forcing his claws into the tough
wood. For an instant they hung the
pony tusging desperately. Would tho
rope stand the strain? Then the lion
leaped and the pony went forward on his
knees. I wanted to shut my eyes as the
pcny went down, and / saw the lion
gather his limbs under him for a spring
as he struck the ground. Felipe glanced
backward and saw the crouching poise
then at me, his teeth showing through
his black mustache, Don't shoot senor"
he laughed and shouted, ''oh, what fun!"
Then he threw himself far back in his
saddle, raised his pony to his feet by the
reins, sent the spurs home and the pony
went forward like a shot as the big yell
low body cleared the fifteen feet and
landed squarely where instant before
the pony had been struggling. The fall,
recovery and leap of the lion could not
have taken five seconds, but it seemed to
me that pony was on his knees as many
minutes.
In two lunges the pony had tightened
the rope. and the third jerked the lion
heels over head, but, cat-like, he landed
on his feet, and, crazed with fright and
pain, he bounded after the pony, now
snorting with terror as he strained every
nerve and muscle to keep taut that forty
foot rope Felipe fairly shouted in mad
joy, yet kept his head sufficiently to open
his clasp knife and hold 1t in his right
hand in order to cut the rope if absolute
ly necessary. On we went, racing like
mad down the mesa toward camp, but
scarcely breathed during that wild ride
If the pony should step on round stone
or in one of the many gopher holes,
ugh. But we went into camp in a
cloud Of dust, the lion screaming and
snarling, the pony snorting, Felipe yell.
ing, and it was no wonder that the two
staid mules that pulled tho GRUB" wag-
on broke from their picket. ropes and
went careering and braying down the val
ley.
"Santisima madre de Dios! (most holy
mother OF Cody screeched the Mexican
cook as he leaped the fire toward the
wagon. while the night riders came tum-
bling from their blankets, weapons in
hand, to repel a raid Of rustlers or help
stop a stampede; then with oaths, yells
and cheers, they jumped this way then
that. as Felipe and his captive charged
about camp For moment the lion
sulked and Long John raised his rifle.
mo. no, Juan, wait" and one of the
vaqueros grabbed his and then ran
to me. LET me have your horse, senior,
just moment" he said pleadingly.
dismounted, and, leaping into the saddle,
he uncoiled the lariat from about the
horn and quickly threw the moose around
the lions neck. He frightened the rope
just as the lion leaped, but the leap was
arrested in midair by Felipe's rope on the
opposite side and he came to the ground
with hoarse scream. For the next few
minutes the fun was, certainly fast and
furious" Leap which way he would, there
was always rope to draw him back:
he screamed growled, snarled, clawed
and bit at the strangling ropes, tore the
ground until the air was filled with dust
and sand. and through 1t all plunged his
huge yellow body, his eyebalis fiery and