The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-25

changed from bay 10 the short snappy yelp
of the wild animal. The cat. which vas an old
one and had been sent along before. recog-
nzed the meaning OF the sound and instantly
veered to the left. II could do this In safety.
as It was unlikely that IL would be seen again
| unless brought to bay.
Still veering and running at ton spsed. II
made nearly full oiru'e and crossed It's own
trail. streaklng Off at right angles TO Its former
| course. The result OF this manoeuvre was that
| the logs, strong rs was tho ecent, overran the
trail and had TO be cured and driven back to
| 1t. When they took II M again the leopard
had gained half mile and Williams. not drop
Of moisture on his ieathery skin or tieck OF
color In his tanned cheeks. was raging as the
heather rage. The check meant another half
! hour OF wild rush In the blazing sun, and. al
though he did not mind the heat. this sort OF
sport rouses the blood lust. The cat had put
seven miles behind II before II showed sign
Of weakening. Then the dogs began to draw
up ranidly. SO far as could be told. all OF the
men were stili on.horseback and riding grimly
and silently. tho course Of each OF them being
marked by the crashing OF the cat. claw or the
swaying limbs Of the mesquite as they were
brushed aside or crushed through.
In little open glade. not more than quar-
ter acre in extent and bounded on it's further
which it'did not dare to face, the leopard tired
OF running. turned for Its last battle. It's in
nate ferocity had got the better OF II and IL
preferred death to further flight. Without
check or pause the dogs streamed into the
open and rushed on II. AS they came IL threw
itself on its back as the wounded hawk offers
combat, and each Of its curved claws was
flashing scimitar. A rideress horse plunged
TO the front. running free and as intent upon
the chase as at the start. The owner. one Of
the deputies. had been swept from the saddle
by an overhanging limb. The Mexican mail
rider dashed up. swung to the ground while
his horse was extended. lit running. jerked his
revolver pointed It in the general direction Of
the cat and pulled the trigger.
black and white hound leaped IN with a
snarl and fell back. shot through behind the
shoulder. Swearing horribly. Williams came
to the front and danced about the mass pistol
in hand. waiting chance to send bullet
home. 1t did not come. 30 he leaped among
his crazed dogs and began kicking them right
and left. He cleared a little space in this way.
and had damned the nuzzle OF his revolver
within three feet Of the writhing leonard. when
the animal stifened convulsively. still upon its
back. breathed chokingly and died. 1t had
been bitten In twenty places and its skin was
ruined.
Williams lifted IL by its small but beauti-
fully modelled and powerful hindQuarter, held
it UP at AIMS length. and contemrtuously
tossed II into the pond. The deputy who had
been endorsed came slowly up. walking with
legs wide apart. and began to tell about 1t.
The horses we're bloody OF chest and leg. the
dogs were bloody. the faces OF the men were
bloody from countless scratches. The sun
beat down blow on blow. and the heat camo up
from the baked white ground In waves. 1t
was ten miles back to the town and not drink
able drop nearer. Long before shelter was
reached the blood upon man and beast had
dried and came OF in black fakes.