The Opelousas courier., 1903-05-23
AN OUTLAW TRIBE.
BY Frank Lille Pollock.

rage and excitement.
From the other side of the room
from his unseen antagonist, I coulo
hear a low, purring growl. rising oc
~casionally to a shrill snarl, like that @
a belligerent tom-cat. Although
could make out neither form nor out
lire Of the animal, 1 was presently
able to distinguish a pale greenisl
glimmer Of eyes.
1t was not difficult to identify theil
owner. 1t could be nothing but :
lynx, I thought, that had strayed il
some way into the cabin. So 1 was no.
particularly alarmed, for the Canada
lynx is neither very ferocious nor hare
to kill. and / picked up my gun from
the wall and cooked it. At the click
the eyes seemed to regard me more
intently, and the growing snarl rose
a note or two. I aimed squarely be-
tween the phosphorescent points and
pulled the trigger.
The fash blinded me, and I could see
nothing. A savage snarl followed the
shot, and Jack dashed yelping into the
smoke. There was q confused scam
pering of feet across the boards to-
ward the inner doorway and more out
cries from the dog, who seemed to
have followed his wounded antagonist
into the second chamber.
I tried to poke up the fire, but it was
too nearly extinct, and I lighted a
match. The room was empty, but in
the middle of a shot-torn space on the
roughly-boarded floor lay a broad patch
OF blood.
Jack was standing in the doorway,
barking violently and looking back to
for encouragement, and I could
see red streaks ON his white hide lie.
fore the match burned out.
l was considerably surprised that the
shot at close range had not been fatal,
but 1 reloaded my discharged barrel,
lighted another match and cautiously
approached thBssaEna,. In the INSULT
cient light / could see nothing. 1 leaned
into the doorway and held up the little
flame. l stepped inside, and the match
burned my fingers and dropped, and l
was fumbling hurriedly for another
when q sort of small, animated thun-
derbolt struck me on the top of the
shoulder.
Before 1 could realize what had hap-
pened my cheek was laid open by a
claw-stroke. 1 felt the soft.
cool fur against my neck, and I was
being clawed and bitten with savage
energy; the animal, whatever it was,
was clinging to my coat and using
tooth and nail like a veritable fury.
1t seemed small, but its amazing fer
ocity terrified me, and I clutched at it
and tried to throw 1t off. I vas in
bitten in the hand, and it hung
like a bur, snarling in my ear; but 1
wrenched it loose and flung it to the
door. A medley Of yelps and yowls
told me that it had been attacked by
The terrier, but I was making for the
loor in q panic.
l did not stop till I was outside the
cabin. where Jack Immediately fol
owed me, having been worsted again.
t was pitch dark and raining harder
han ever. No sound proceeded from
he unlighted shanty. Blood was
ricKIing down my cheek, and l washed
ny wounds, which did not seem very
with rain-water, and tried to
lecide what sort Of animal this could
'e, SO small and SO ferocious, that had |
ttacked me.
1t was much too small for either n
'ay or a Canada lynx; it had seemed
lot larger or heavier than Jack him
elf, but its savage energy of assault i
Eas terrific. In spitee~of the democrat
condition Of my nerves, I was de-
to clear up the mystery. Be-
ides, | had either to rid the shanty
{ its invader or resign myself to pass
be rest Of the night in the rain.
1t was hard, nevertheless, to muster
to re-enter that dark cabin,
Mt after some minutes of hesitation
nd doubt I did 1t, and reached the
replace without interruption. l threw
. armful;of the sapin upon the hearth
nd lighted it with a match; the resin
as twigs blazed up like straw and IL
the room brilliantly.
There was no sign OF the enemy, al
dough Of course I could see little of
lie farther apartment. My courage
svived at the cheerful blaze, and /
visited a stout torch Of the dry boughs,
GIFTED 1t, and again approached the
oint of danger, my cooked gun in my
.ght hand and the aambeau in my
| realized that the brute must have
Popped upon me from the high shelf
bove the doorway. and this time i
oked about with my gun-barrel at
RMS length until I had satisfied my
IF that there was no danger in that
Then I stepped just inside
lie doorway. and Jack charged in un-
cover Of the light.
The wailing snarl began again. ON
lie wide shelf directly opposite me
'ouched a yellowish-gray animal,
.hich, to my astonished amusement,
recognized at q glance as a very huge
omestic cat. The domesticity, how
yer. was rather a racial than an in
'vidual characteristic. for I never saw
livelier picture of wild fury.
The fur stood on end all over its
ody. making it appear twice its real
re; Its ear twitched; its tail snapped
to and fro. and its eyes
azed green, while from between its
ared teeth came that savage and
lythmic war-cry. Its gaze was alter
ltely directed at me and at Jack, who
arted toward it, barking furiously,
taking good care to keep out of