The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-29

front of the raE5c of hills presented a
bare and rocky aspect.
Tie Success of the expedition now
seemed likely, if not assured, and the
men We're in high spirits during supper.
When that meal was over-an hour of
daylight still remained -Quin an
nounced his intention of setting forth
On a reconnaissance
81 want to make sure that the camels
are really in the valley, " he added. elf
find that out, We'll know just how to
plan for tomorrow. I'll take one man
with me-"
A number volunteered to go, but
Quin finally chose Hark Calkins, know
ing him to be the most expert tracker
and plainsman. The two shouldered
their rifles and started off on foot,
while their comrades shouted various
warnings and instructions after them.
They pressed on rapidly and cautiously,
and turn of the gorge soon hid the
camp from view.
The scene was one of majestic gran
deur, and it recalled to Quin certain
parts of the Himalayas. The mountain
pass wound gently upward, and in the
middle was 8 narrow trail, worn in
former days By bands of raiding Indians
and columns of avenging troopers
Right and left was tangle of stunted
timber, bushes, fallen logs and heaped
up powders, reaching to the base of the
sheer cliffs, SCARED with many cling
ing tree, that lowered hundreds of feet
to the rosy tinted sky.
For half an hour the men plodded
on, following the trail of the camels,
who had been cropping the heritage
along the path within dozen hours at
the most. Finally the footprints turned
into gloomy little cross ravine to the
right of the main gorge. Hark Calkins
stopped with warning gesture.
"Yonder is what we call pocket. It
ends agin the mountain, he said soft
ly. THE whole lot of camels are in
there, dead certain, and there they'll
stay till mornin if nothin scares
them"
"Good" replied Quin. 1--WE had
better go back, then, and turn up in
force in the morning."
That's the idea, approved the COW.
boy. eff we have luck, we ought to
corner the herd. Come along, boss, and
mind how you step''-
A startling cutlery cut short the SEN
tence-a blood curdling, rasping scream
Of rage; then another and another, fol-
lowed by the sharp report of gun and
a mufaed yell. The sounds came from
close ahead, around turn of the main
gorge. Without hesitation, with one
impulse Quin and Calkins dashed for
ward, almost blowing furrow through
the bushes that here INSTRUCTED the
trail
Twenty yards or so and then they
pulled up short. Their rifles flew to
their shoulders They had emerged up
on the scene of the disturbance, and a
thrilling sight it was. A few feet away
at one eide of the valley an Indian was
feebly struggling in the grasp of huge
mountain lion, or puma, whose furious
snarling quite drowned the voice of his
victim. A dark hole in the rocks might
have been the beasts den. The redskin
4oN OV4AOAWJ SOAAO dClOoS ~ uudWdI6s
and fired hastily and missed.
''Don't shoot!" exclaimed Quin.
s'You'll hit the man. -
''He's scarcely kickin now!'' shout
ed Calkins. "He's a goner if we don t
plug the critturl"
just then the puma, hearing the
voices, swung its head around and saw
the intruders. Instantly, with a PAS
sionate screech, it sprang off the pros
trate redskin, crouched for second with
lashing tail and bounded forward.
Calkins fred, but failed to stop the
animal. Then he lost his head, and,
turning, he bolted like deer down the
ravine.
''Run for your lifel'' he yelled.
But Quin held his ground. His rifle
was leveled, and his eye travelled keen
ly along the tube. The puma was &C.
tually in the air and almost upon him
when he pulled the trigger. He could
not see the effect of his shot for the
smoke, but he took no chances and
jumped to one side. The next instant a
maddened scream rang in his very ears
and a humping blow on the shoulder
sent him backward to the ground.
He got to his feet without delay,
bruised little and slightly stunned,
and expecting to be pounced upon at
once by his savage enemy. Then he
took heart, seeing the puma struggling
in the bushes dozen feet beyond him
His shot had severely wounded it, and
1T was bleeding from the neck.
'sLook out!" shouted Calkins from a
ledge where he had taken refuge. ct
can't help you. I've dropped my weap-
on"
But Quin needed no assistance. He
lifted his rifle, aimed calmly and fred.
The second shot finished the beast. It
gave one or two convulsive leaps, then
rolled over and lay quite still. The
bullet had penetrated between the eyes.
Calkins left his shelter and fastened
to the spot picking up his rifle as he
came. He kicked the dead puma con-
| temptuously.
you've settled the crittur," he ex-
claimed. "For an eastern tenderfoot,
you're the coolest hand I ever seen,
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