Morris tribune., 1900-12-01

me that / was pitching forward on to
his bear trap. fell, but also swerv-
ed aside, and 1t was my rifle which
struck the pan and sprang the trap.
The terrible jaws, each armed with 10
great teeth, closed together within a
foot of my face and with sound that
made me think of surgeon saving
of legs had escaped, but my gun
was caught in a giants wise. / got up
and tried to call old Potts names, but
was so shaken and mad that not a
word would come. He stood looking
at me with puzzled and anxious ex-
| preston on his face, as If wondering
what there was to break loose about,
and at last grabbed up a club and
jumped in on him. believe that l
chased him fully mile before gave
up, but he kept out of my way. When
i finally sat down to rest, he came
sneaking back to say:
Colonel, they all said ye was queer
sort of a critter, but this last circus
beats my time. Mebbe yen tell me
what it's all about?'
"And maybe I'll pump 16 bullets in
to you as soon as I get hold of my RI
f1ew gasped. Potts, you ought to be
killed out of hand. 1t won't be murder
to wipe you off the face of the earth"
"Bekase Of that bar trap?" he asked.
Yes, Of course. You knew where it
was and never said word to me. If l
hadn't struck the chain with my foot,
I'd have walked right into it.
"Yes, I'd sorter forgot bout that
trap" he unused as he scratched his
ear, "but it's all right, amt it? Ye
didn't walk into 1t, and can't see why
We should kick up sich row. Lordy,
but We seem to be mighty pertickler
manw
It was bit Of job to get my rife
free of the jaws, and then dumped
the old trap into ravine and warned
Potts that if he showed his face in
camp I'd fusillade him. He waited
for two or three hours and then came
In with an injured expression on his
face and started up the fire for supper.
By that time had got over my desire
to shed his blood, but couldn't over
look his carelessness. We ate and
smoked and sat around in silence, and
next day would have seen the partner
ship dissolved for sure but for an in
cident Of the night. Soon after mid
night a grizzly Came skulking around
and almost stampeded our mules, and
Potts showed his gameness by blufang
the old fellow back into the thicKet
without waiting for me. This broke
the ice and made US friends again, and
it was agreed to give old Ephraim a
bard run for it next day. When morn
ing came, / had about taken old Potts
under my wing again and was secretly
glad that hadn't reached him with
my club. AS soon as breakfast was
dispatched we started out. The bear
had left tracks as big as a house and
in going away had. headed along the
mountain. We could reasonably hope
to hole him up somewhere within
mile, provided he had satisfied his
hunger and got home in the due sea-
son. When we finally came to a likely
spot, went to the right and Potts to
the left to investigate an opening in
the rocks. I made a slow advance,
realizing that the bear might be in
ambush behind any Of the big bowl
ders, and was cro1ching alongside Of
one, with neck stretched out, when
there was whiz and spat, and /
was blinded for a moment by particles
Of stone flung into my eyes. Potts was
carrying a rifle that day, and as it's
bark followed the spat of the bullet l
knew what had happened. While
had my hands to my eyes | heard him
shout at the top of his voice:
"Hey. colonel, I've got him-got him
fur surep'
Half a minute later he stood beside
me, prepared to finish off the game
I think he was really surprised and per-
haps considerably disappointed when
he found living man instead of
dead grizzly, and he hadn't word to
say. He sat down near me on rock,
and it was five minutes before had
my eyes cleared enough to make him
out. Then / brought up my Winches-
ter and said:
"Potts, I'm going to shoot 16 holes
into your jackass carcass! Where do
you want the first one?'
$50 it was ye instead of b'arw he
queried in reply.
'sIt was, and you knew it was. You
meant to murder and rob me, you old
villain! Talk fast, now, for you haven't
got go seconds to liver
.sLook here, colonel" he protested,
but only mildly, ''it was a mistake any
body might have made, and. bein ye
wasn't hurt, don't see why ye should
kick up DAHL Fact is. colonel
go on! Go on! You have 20 Sec
onds morew said as he halted.
s'Waal, the fact Of it is I'm goin to
quit. never was out with one Of ye
newspaper men before, and dang my
hide If ever / want to be ag'in. The
boys said ye was crank and a kicker
ind that I'd soon cut my job, but ye
talked smooth and give orders fur
plenty Of grub, and ! was willin to
AXE chances. Howsumever''
sHowsumever what, you nearsight- |
d, squirt eyed, dunderheaded pot
nao Il