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

IL was all over so quickly that l
had had no time 10 consider anything
except present danger. but when !
looked down at the ledge | saw that
my trouble was not yet ended The
brute stood directly underneath me.
quivering with rage and quite un-
hurt from his fail. Of course he could
not reach me, but how was TO es-
cape except by dropping to the same
ledge squarely In front of him? And
he stood almost MS high as u wolf and
was much more active and dangerous.
shouted at him and pelted him
with all the stones ] could pick mp or
tear loose, but this only made him an
grlcr, so | tried another plan. Per-
haps he would go away if vanished.
Back into the cave out of sight I
crnwled ana waited for perhaps TWEEN
ty minutes. then quietly crept 10 the
mouth again. The lynx was goncl
After waiting Il few minutes longer
started TO let myself down at arms
length, meaning to hold on by the butt
of my stick, which | iammcd upright
tightly into n small crevlcc.
Just as | was in the act OF the first
part of the drop heard the dcnd
come bounding along the ledge.
II was too late for me to stay at the
cave level | fell ut arms length.
How | feared the stick would give
way with my weight! But It held,
and | scrambled back, the lynx jump
ing at me and screaming as | pulled
myself up into the cave.
| tried the same plan several times.
although | did not again drop TO arms
length. hut the moment | made the
least noise the lynx came bounding
back. | suspected him of deliberately
concealmg 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 stratagcm
to succeed.
1t was getting clear TO rlc now that
| If | intended to get out Of there before
dark II must he done In some other
way, and soon, for the sun was al
ready low.
looked up and down the bare wall
of rock. II offered no hope. But just
as | turned away II plantivc little
meouw walled out from behind me,
| and like n fash n new idea came.
why had not thought of 1t before?
ten TO its parent. when of course the
ledge would he vacated.
| But again | was doomed TO disap-
pointment. The cave roof dropped in
ward rapidly, and ended in sort OF
crevicc, and the cub had gone back
into that. There II crouchcd in Il
place barely six inches high and the
little creature was foot beyond the
reach Of my moose. I tried TO dislodgc
It by n bombardmcnt of dust and
other refuse, but there II stayed. blink.
ing and cringlng in Il frightened little
heap. until al last. having no longer
the heart to worry II, | left II to itself
When | resumed my place at The
mouth Of the cave the sun had set
but | could see new cause for feal
down on the ledge. Instead Of On,
big lynx there were now two-the mat,
of the first had come home!
Certainly | had blundered into {
neat trap. | could hope for no human
aid in that lonely spot and there wer,
none Mt home to miss me and look In
up.
However, took out my pipe. say
ing to myself. while we live, let III
live Sooner or later the brutes woul,
have to go away for food and water
then would come my chance. And n
night was their natural hunting tim
this thought gave me comfort.
Eut hour after hour passed and
smoked pipe after pipe; and wheneve
l looked down at the ledge It was al
ways either to look into pair o
, glowing spots and something's tw
pairs, shining up through the darkness
or to be greeted with n low. threaten
ing growl from somewhere in tn
{ bushes below.
l began TO realize what It meant t
be hungry and thirsty, and my hors
l was tied up down there alone ! wor
5 dered where l should find him If h
broke loose. Once, when the wolve
/, were making n fuss somewhere in th
{ distance slckening fear seized me
3 my six calves were shut up in the COZ
{ raj at home!
l All the time the coarse rock unde
? me grew harder and harder, until M
: legs and thighs were numb. At las
@ could l have been certain of havin
0 but one of the cats to face, l beliey
5 l should have dropped down an
n taken my chance ON the narrow lede
in the dark.
d You can guess, then, how I fe
d when, just as the moon was rising
o caught sight of an object movlr
It long yOnder high ridge two or thrt
S hundred yards east of the hill.
+ then Kept three large hounds, and
o the dim light this object looked Ill
l. one of them. 1 whistled shrilly at II
e chance. but when the creature becan
II exactly outlined it dropped ON /
G. launches and mocked me with II
d dOlefM howl of a coyote. Then 8