The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-05-26

cCng TO inc camp, the old cGnTIctiCn had
returned with sickcnins force. he WIS
not miner. He had never shot" He
used al his persuasive powers in vain.
For ouc Thing. the men were r'raid to dis
obey King. Fn" ,!Nnth"r, tHry liked Pat
AID. having 81. ii:':A i:ii;:i i. lii; 'Euol0o p"
VIC ,au,ii'atl tb.t his shouting" and
sudden II v otiiH !ac syilonynuus terms.
SO Pat al InGcnId persuasion and tried
craft.
TIE old shafs 81 which re and Dob had
first began YORK had boon carrich down
80 fc"t. A;,r;lYl.ityto cross cuts and drifts
had been l.i,!;:n To exploit The lead Il was
now 3.hlrd1!rd bob ard Pat were put to
work at nmuther spot in the sane load II
liirl1 fAr.iirr aloUi; tho ridge.
III, n;.s had been all drilled before Bob
discovered tr.6 ~ hnd fnr,-J:lan to !lrinG
any powder, 50 he started down tho pas.
sage - gct snm:a tr0-l the sheet iron pow
der huusr in the draw. Hardly WAS lie
out II. sight BEFORE MCCa.n. chu"kliu;.
softly to himself, pulled from under IL
shelving hit of rock the missing pawtlcr
With this 10 load. Il tho hole He urr:tnty-
ed the fuse and then dropped down tho
ledge 10 get brand from the fire 1t WIS
nearly out, 81 IL t0IE n few moments to
start torch. However he was in no
hurry. IA it was soma little distance to the
powder huu,Sr, and Bob could not possibly
return inside OF hfiG an hour. AT last lie
eamxCd a bit of pine Tito ). glow and turn
eli to climb DaCi.. \ startling sight met
his eyes.
When Bob Went to get tho powder, he
stoIpcd at the force for tho water pail.
AS he stuo.IA to pick 1t up something
struck him Il sudden blow IN the thigh
tiiat knocked him ovC- and scG the blood
Rowing. lie sajd aftcrward hc thought
tic bone WAS broken. When he could sec,
he locked about to find what had hit him
and discovered not ten feet away the long,
tawny body of T. puma.
Tho great cat lag watching him through
hall shut eyes, la"iiy switching its tail
back. and forth. From the depths OF its
throat came q deep rulHhiirg rur. lie
tried 20 rise, but could rot. Then ne
turned over On his left side and started 20
crawl painfully through the passagcwiy
OF the rocks. The beast orcncd its eyes
and followed stcaitaily, step after stop,
still switching Its tail and still purring.
1t WAS In u sportigc lncod and played with
its prey ns u css plays with q mouse. Inch
by inch tho man pulled himself along,
leaving a trail of blood. At last, within
fow feet OF the ledge, he stopped. He
could go no farther. The puma, too,
paused.
At this moment Pat Mccain, blazing
pine brand i'll his hand, looked over the
ledge Bob saw him and family warned
him back. The puma s;iw him too. Tho
purring ceased, and the 1.-the muscles
frightened under the skin. Tho game was
over. The animal was preparing to make
It's spring.
1t did not occur to tho little Irishman's
fighting soul to retreat. His comical
features stitfCncd, his little blue eyes fair
| ly snapped. Slowly he drew himself up
OH the ledge, keeping his eye fixed on tho
| puma. until he stood erect. then f:2 aiift
ed his brand mechanically if,;0 his l>:U
hand and drew his sheath knife. lie did
not know tiiit the ti:'o was his best wcap-
| on and Bob Was too weak to tell h!IY.
| The brand, held pointed dawu"al1l. b2.
gan To blaze The pu:na'a great arca
shifted uncasily "a: this. and its mt s.ics
relaxed. II WAS evidently disuonnp2:'cd.
Pat did not await the attack, but sccplscd
forward, holding his knife firmly.
When within :. few lees ri thc rEi1nal.
| Pat hesitatsl AN; &: .ipcG Fix I.srvc vgs6
| still unahaken, but il" did nor kp.,yv hDw
to begin. The pima still shifted uv:. asiiy
st the blaze. but had recovered from It's
first fear md was HEniu gathering is pow
crs for spring. Fer "A moment there was
| absolute silence, and Tat heard through
the still air The sharp chatter Of Is squirrel
and the ciank OF tic ore team S wliitictrocG
| from thu ore road lar below. While ne
stood thus uncertain til" ire from the
pine, having run up along the turch, be-
gan ~ burn Pats fingers. Without NOV
ing his head or shifting his eyes lie drop
ped it gcntly-pluInb upon the fuse he
| had ~ carefully arranged few moments
before. Then he took a step backward 10
avoid tile smoke. There was Il Splutter
and fash, then a sudden roar The man
and the beast Were hurled violently in OPP
positc directions. and volcano OF rock
shot high in the air and showered down
again.
Tho AK gang found tho puma very dead
and Pat very hard to revive. The whisky
and water method brought him around at
last. He looked hazily about him In evil
dent bcwildcrment until his eye cauShs
sight of the dead animal, but then his fsco
lighted up with eager joy.
GLORY to God, Oi'm n minerH' he
shouted 'Oi've shot at lAst"'-SteWart
Edward White IL ArXoHaut.