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

bNt UtTuuDS y WIS Eihh'Nh
ut the ledge. II was empty. My hopes
had scarcely risen, however, before
| one of the old lynxes appeared. bring
| Ing n dead rabbit-thc Kittens break
| fnstl When II reached the spot where
| the tree had stood II dropped the rab-
| bit and ran about, shifting and calling
| In great distress. Then suddenly. ns
| IT remembering what had occurred 1t
| turned around, brlstllng all over, and
glnring up at me. utter n long low
| growl-n direct challenge.
| AS this lynx had been away hunt
| ing probably the other was still on
| similar crrand. had therefore lost
an opportunity TO escape. Another
| day might pass before got the chance
| again. This prospect was unhenrable.
SO decided to go down and fight be-
fore the other lynx should appear.
My plan was simple enough. I
would watch my chance, drop when
| the lynx should he fnrthcst down the
| ledge, and by u quick rush attempt 10
| hurl him over the edge.
Keeping my eyes on him took out
my knife and began whcttlng It along
the leg of my calfskin snaps. The big
| blade was broken, so that the longest
one left measured only two inches.
| one short blade against a mouthful OF
sharp teeth and twenty sharp claws.
each an inch long and as good as II
knife! But the advantage in weight
| was mine.
| I l,ny it,a h., t,l I,a
| lynx, as If tauntlnG me with what It
| would do on my carcass. coolly com
mcnced clawing and mouthing n piece
of the fallen tree Now ana again he
would lift his big head my way, and
on one of these occasions IL occurred
TO me-what u chance for rope, or
course my lalat was tied TO my sad
could not get the idea out of my head
how easy II would he To get rid of
the brute If only had n moose around
his neck!
II would only bc necessary to choke
him. or swing him over the edge.
even thought of tearing my shirt into
strips TO make Il rope, but that would
be too tlmsy.
All this time I had plenty Of the
right material at hand-the leather
Snaps. or trousers, on which | was
whetting my knife! They had been
worn long enough to be soft and plia-
bic, and although they had cost me
$50 II did not take me thirty seconds
to pull them off. nor ten minutes to
| I.np In. ..n, Ia. A..
strips, which when knotted together
made very tolerablc line. / then
tied one end securely around u point
of rock, and was ready to make my
first throw.
But ] was so excited that, notwith-
standing the lynx never moved when
! threw, missed him altogether. The
moose went spinning over his back,
down over the ledge. lie glarcd at II
for few moments, then sprang at II
furlously. | barely had time to jerk
1t out OF his way. If he had caught II
there would have been sudden end
to my hope.
My next throw was better. As he
sprang TO avoid the loop IL caught him
fairly. The jerk almost pulled me out OF
the cave; in fact had to let go the line
to save myself The moose as nearly
as could see, was drawn tight arount
the brute's neck and under one fore
leg, but he was jumping and bouncing
about so that | could not see him well
For the space of perhaps forty seconds
there was simply whirling, snarlinl
mass of yellowish gray, with teeth
claws and spinning rope forming 1
confusing picture.
Back and forth, out to the edge, ther
close in again, to and fro in lightnn,
; moves he sprang, until at last, will
! one mad rush. he went flying over tn,
:; narrow shelf and down out of sight
The leather cord snapped across tn
sharp edge OF the rock near me like
thread. and moment later | caugh
l n final glimpse OF the terrified creatur
I plunging through the bushes down In
/ hill.
About six feet OF the line yet re
V mained tied to the rock. 1t meant jus
six feet less for me TO drop. | tied
to the butt of my stick, which j re
placed in the crevice Five minute
later / was on top of the hill, hurry
= ing toward home. found my horse
" still saddled, calmly nibbling besid
the corral, and the calves safe inside.
V On the following day l went bac
. with II double-barreled gun charge
o with buckshot and my revolver, hoI
ing to kill the old pair and capture tn
cub, but they and it were gone.
have no doubt the little creatur
y jumped down safely and Joined II
y parents. At least have always hope
y so.-T. Dwight Hunt, Jr.. In til
y Youths Companion.