New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-07


ridge top, the other dropped OF abruptly three
or four feet to another level. Around the cor
ner Of the first the miners kept their tools and
forge: down the second they planned to drip
when the blast was fired; and there they had
built a little fire. It being. on that particular
day, In the lee OF the rock.
The hole had been all drilled before Bob dis
covered that he had forgotten to bring any
powder; So cursing he started down the passage
To get some from the sheet iron powder house in
the draw. Hardly was he out OF sight before
Mccain, chuckIing softly to himself, pulled
from under shelving bit Of rock the missing
powder With this he loaded the hole he ar
ranged the fuse, and then dropped down the
ledge to get brand from the fire. 1t was nearly
out. so it took a few moments to start torch
However he was in no hurry, as 1t was some
little distance to the powder-house, and BOD
could not possibly return inside Of half an hour.
At last he coaxed bit Of pine into glow ana
turned to climb back startling sight met MS
eyes.
When Bob went to get the powder he stopped
at the forge for the water pail AS ne stoopeo
to pick It up something struck him a suooeh
blow In the thigh that knocked him over ana Sc.
the blood nowing-he said afterward ne 'housh'
the bone was broken. When he couid see lie
looked about to find what had hit him. anu us
covered not ten feet away the long tawhy oouy
Of puma.
The great cat lay watching him through mar
shut eyes, lazily switching its tai pach anu
forth From the depths of its throat came
deep. rumbling purr. He tried to RISE put cou'u
not Then he turned over on his ieit sioe "0
started to crawl painfully through the passAee
way Of the rocks The beast opened us eyes any
followed stealthily step after step sun s"i'
ing its tail and still purring 1t was III d spur
i've mood, and played with its prey as d c"'
plays with mouse. Inch by inch the man
nulled himself along leaving trail OF Dlooo. Az
last within a few feet Of the ledge, he stoppeu'
no could go no further. The puma, too' pauseu'
Al that moment Pat Mccain. blazing pine
brand in his hand. looked over the ledge. BOD
saw him and family warned him pach' Inc
numa saw him, too. The purring ceased anu
the 1.-the muscles frightened under the skln. Inc
game was over. The animal was prePaii"s ~
make its spring. Ct.
II did not occur to the little Irishiiah "s
ing soul to retreat. His comicai lea'uie"
ened his little blue eyes fairly snapped
" he drew himself up on the ledge heepi"s
eve fixed on the puma, until ne stoou eie|''
no shifted his brand mechanically into his lei.
hand, and drew MS SHea9"
know that the fire was his best weapon anu Ivy
WAC too weak to tell him. The brand, heid po'n'
downward began to blaze. The pumas sie"'
.ves shifted uneasily at this, and It's museie'
relaxed 1t was evidently discomposed. rat
did not await the attack but stepped lor""iu'
holding his knife firmly.
When within few feet OF the animal fa'
hes,ated and stopped. His nerve was sui UNI
shaken. but he did not know no" 10 pes'ii
The puma shifted uneasily at the pia|e' ou'
bod recovered from its first fear, and was again
Gathering its powers for a spring. FOR mo-
want there was absolute silence, and Pat hearo
through the still air the sharp chatter OF
.,uirreI and the clank Of the ore teams whlfne-
trees from the ore road far below. While ne
stood thus uncertain the fire from the PINE nav
ing run I'D along the torch, began to BURN rats
angers Without moving his head or shifting
his ewes he dropped it gently-plumb upon the
fuse he had so carefully arranged few mo-
ments before Then he took a step backward
70 avoid the smoke. There was splutter ana
a flash. then a sudden roar The man and the
beast were hurled violently in opposite direc-
tons end a volcano Of rock shot high In the
air and showered down again.
The axe gang found the puma very dead ana
Pat very hard to revive. The whiskey and
water method brought him around at last He
looked hazily about him. in evident bewilder-
mcnt until his eye caught sight OF the dead
animal. but then his face lighted up with eager
JOY
GLORY to God. Oim a miner" he shouted