The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-10-09

IL tral Colorado, ana l was
watching them with delight from the
valley on the south side. when the
English settler, an "old timer" who
was riding the range with me, advised
me to beware of the birds. They had
brought him into strange pre-
dlcament once As he and | looked
up at the precipice OF the south side
of Cone Mount he began the story.
II was during the summer OF 1885,
lust three years after I came out here
] was very young and rather reckless.
Only few settlers were In this part
then. and as had only small bunch
Of cattle | was alone. | had been rid
ing the range one day. and was return
ing in the afternoon, when | saw those
eagles lowering over lis crest, as |
had seen them hundred times before
the very same pair we see now, ]
believe.
Wen, | wanted to find their nest. II
would not he dark for three or -four
hours, and as | was on the north side
OF the hill | could ride some distance
toward the summit. So up | went.
About half way from bottom to top !
tied my horse to tree and finished the
climb on foot.
lay face down, looking over the
edge OF the cliff for several minutes,
closely scanning its steep side, with
out seeing anything OF the eagles nest.
Then | heard something very different
from any noise an eagle ever makes.
1t was queer little wall, mulllcd and
catllkc, which seemed 10 come from
somewhere near me.
| glanced along the halfway ledge
below, and then down among the
rocks and bushes at the bottom, but
could see nothing. But soon the cry
was repeated, this time much clearer,
and at once | caught sight OF II small
| ycllowish object protruding from the
face of the rock wall itself not thirty
feet below me. | had no trouble in
| making out n pair of pointed black
| tipped ears on the head OF what |
knew must be lynx cub. The little
creature was standing In the mouth OF
that dark place you see up there about
thirty feet above the ledge. That dark
place Is n shallow cave.
Naturally | thought no more about
the eagles. The cub would make "A
far oddcr pet But how was to get
| 1t?
At the present time there is no way
OF reaching the cave except by rope
| IA nr I,n 4
from the ledge, but ut that time dead
pine, which had grown on the ledge,
leaned against the cliff. It's knotty
trunk formed Il perfect natural ladder
between the cave and the ledge below
i saw at n glance that the old lynXes
must reach their den by way of the
tree. Why couldn't l do the same
thing?
n more experienced man would moi
have tried such n thing in such q
place. alone and unarmcd-I had shot
away all the cartridges in my pistol al
coyote. But the spice OF danger die
not stop me, although my only weap
ON was a jack-knife
knew how to reach the ledge-an,
strong young man can easily get dowI
to 1t where 1t passes around the east
ern side of the hill After reachin,
the ledge, l began to wonder whether
the old lynxes were not about.
That ledge is singularly wild an,
lonely place. with fifty feet of elf
below 1t and as much towering above
l looked up the winding shelf. YER,
narrow in places, and could not hel,
wondering whether l or lynx O
lynXes would go over if one or NOR
, of the brutes should meet or overtak
me midway. After had gone nearl,
, all the way saw some distinct claw
marks ON various bushes, and big foot
prints on some sand, but as there wer
no other signs of the old lynxes l wen
ON TO the dead pine. There the de
was more than twenty feet overhead
The climb up that dead tree was nc
difficult, but it was alarming; for. a
: though the roots seemed deeply en-
bedded In assures, there was such n
unsound shaking about it that wa
glad to reach the top in safety.
The cave proved to be merely
= washed-out clay pocket, some five fee
high by about seven wide at til
mouth, and from ten to fifteen fee
from front to back. At the far en-
, was the lynx kitten. crOuching anon
lot of small bones and leaves. spi
ting and snarling, its eyes shining Liz
two great balls of topaz. 1t was Il
= larger than house cat, but its paw
}, looked as If they were wrapped up
fur mitten three sizes too big.
Before l left the ledge had cut an
= trimmed small sapling, so that ha
r a stick like short. stiff fishpole. Z
!. ono end of this now tied six or eigl
feet of the stout cord that 1 alwa,
carried In my ''shaps" pocket fl
emergency repairs and so on. On Il
o lower end Of this cord l made a ru
a ming moose. I hoped to get at II
young wildcat. But too late! r.
exactly what had been dreading O
II CURED. An alarming scratching soul
I