The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-11-05


haps he would 20 away II l vanished
Back into the cave out OF sight l
crawled and waited for perhaps TWEEN
~ minutes. then quietly crept to the
mouth again. The lynx was gone!
After waiting q few minutes longer
started to let myself down at arms
length, meaning to hold on by the butt
OF my stick, which l TANNED upright
tightly into n small crevice.
Just as l was i'm the act of the first
part of the drop | heard the ficnd
come bounding along the ledge.
1t was too late for me to stay at the
cave level l fell at arms length.
How 1 feared the stick would give
way with my weight! But it held.
and / scrambled back. the lynx jump
ing at me and screaming as l pulled
myself up into the cave.
l tried the same plan several times.
although l did not again drop to arms
length. hut the moment 1 made the
least noise the lynx came bounding
back. 1 suspected him of deliberately
concealirg himself in order to tempt
me to drop, but he had not enough
self-control or else was too stupid to
wait long enough for his strataSem
to succeed.
1t was getting clear to me now that
if intended to get out OF there before
dark it must be done in some other
way, and soon, for the sun was al.
ready low.
/ looked up and down the bare wall
of rock. 1t offered no hope. But Just
rs l turned away a plaintive little
meouw walled out from behind me.
and like n fash new idea came
Why had 1 not thought of it before?
had merely to lower or toss the kit
ten to its parent, when of course the
ledge would be vacated.
But again l was doomed to disap-
pointment. The cave roof dropped in
ward rapidly, and ended In a sort OF
crevice, and the cub had gone back
into that. There it crouched in n
place barely six inches high, and the
little creature was q foot beyond the
reach of my moose. tried to dislodge
1t by bombardment of dust and
other refuse. but there It stayed. blink
Ing and cringing in n frightened little
heap, until n last, having no longer
the heart to worry it, l left it to itself.
When l resumed my place at the
mouth OF the cave the sun had set.
but l could see new cause for fear
down on the ledge. Instead of one
big lynx there were now two-the mate
of the first had come home!
Certainly bod b1updovo in4o -
neat trap. / could hope for no human
aid in that lonely spot, and there were
none at home to miss me and look me
up.
However, I took out my pipe. say
ING to myself, While we live. let us
live Sooner or later the brutes would
have to 20 away for food and water:
then would come my chance And as
night was their natural hunting time
this thought gave me comfort.
But hour after hour passed, and I
smoked pipe after pipe; and whenever
l looked down at the ledge 1t was al
ways either to look into pair OF
glowing spots and sometimes two
pairs, shining up through the darkness
or TO be greeted with a low, threaten
ing growl from somewhere in the
bushes below.
l began TO realize what It meant to
be hungry and thirsty. and my horse
was tied up down there alone. won
dcrcd where / should find him If ne
broke loose. Once, when the wolves
were making fuss somewhere in the
distance a sickening fear seized me
my six calves were shut up in the cor
raj at home.
All the time the coarse rock under
me grew harder and harder, until my
legs and thighs We're numb. At last.
could have been certain of having
but ono of the cats to face. I believe
/ should have dropped down and
taken my chance on the narrow ledge
in the dark.
You can guess. then. how I felt
when. Just rs the moon was rising I
caught sight OK am object moving
long yondcr high ridge two or three
hundred yards east of the hill. /
then Kept three large hounds. and I'm
the dim light This object looked like
one OF them. ! wh!sucd shrilly nj the
chance. bu. when the creature became
exactly outlined 90 dropped on its
haunchc7 ana mocEcd me with the
dolcful howl of n coyote Then all
was still again
FINALLY I FIRMLY resolved to end my
torture hy q hanGto.haud FIGHT I'M the
morning u ] should find the lynxcs
s.ll ON guard Then I stretched nv.