The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-17

shock to the dog, but bravely she sus- tained it. still clinging to the nose of the bull. Not until the men rushed in with clubs and tapped Old Flora upon the head did she consent to loosen her grip. Thankful to escape the bull made of, while Old Flora sank Imply to the ground, completely exhausted, though life still clung tenaciously to her muti- lated form.
 For three long weeks she was con- fined to her accustomed den in the straw stack. where food and drink were carried to her. At the end of this time she came forth. her wounds fairly healed, though it was some time yet be- fore her former strength entirely re- turned. But she again grew strong and was yet to fight the unique. if not the hercest, battle of her life.
 Her master then lived in the north of Iowa, on the Cedar River It was in the. early days. and the larger game had not yet entirely disappeared. Dave and Nelse, two residents of the place. had discovered a cave in the riv- CT bank about two miles above the set clement. The entrance penetrated the bank just at the waters edge, and was only large enough to admit the body of a man in a creeping position. But the day the river froze over the discoverers determined to explore the cave.
 It was one late. frosty day in autumn that the two men skated up the river. On investigation the cave was found to be a chamber in the rock With light o1 the other, Dave crawled into the nar- row passageway, which in its course first rose and then opened into a damp chamber with about the dimensions of a cottage bedroom. Though a Assure in the rock to his side, the candle cast beams into a further and still larger chamber. But Dave's eyes had hardly completed survey of the glowing eyes that shone from the sable depths of the anterior chamber. With desperate struggle and an exclamation, he backed pell mell out from his narrow quarters.
 Dave quickly told of what he had seen, The country was yet wild, and 1t was just possible 1t might be panther or bear. After some parleying, it was decided that one should stay and guard the entrance, while the other skated back to town to secure some dogs.
 Several other parties who owned fighting canines were invited to share in the anticipated sport. Tn the afternoon the men set out, a jolly party. specula- ting on the several merits of their Tow sers. Brunos. Sports and Jacks They were a motley array. these dogs-bull- dogs, bird dogs, hounds and shepherds. Towser had killed a monster skunk; Bruno had licked old man Trow's big dog to finish; and others claimed hon. ors as great Many matched their strength on the way up the river. The reputation of Old Flora, which was, of course, among the number, was already quite generally known.
 ''The cave at last was reached, and the dogs, one at time, were by their masters led to its mouth But no amount of coaxing or whipping could induce them to enter. One sight of those fierce eyes chilled their pugnaci- ty. A single sniff caused some to skulk off. covering. And one dog considera- bly, embarrassed his master by dashing out of the hole on the yelp and scud- ding for home with his tail between his legs.
 At last it came Old Floras turn t test her courage At gesture from her master she approached the en- trance her huge head entered the hole; with forward foot raised and her tail wagging mysteriously she sniffed the damp air. Enoughl In she bounded with a savage growl, and the under ground battle was on From the ground came mixture of savage growls, whining and .gnashing teeth The very bank seemed to tremble. Out from the mouth of the cave poured min iature clouds of steam upon the frost laden air.
 But hark! Now. evidently one is chasing the other around the chamber. The excitement of the men is supreme Several revolvers are levelled at the en- trance of the cave. ready to annihilate the first strange thing of life that dares peep without. But the wild beast fears the voices of the men.
 "Quiet! Again they have clinchedl Extravagant are the speculations of the men as to the outcome. Fiercer and fiercer waxes the battle, when with surprising suddenness the tumult ceases. Not a sound escapes from the ground. Minutes pass Is the dog dead? The suspense becomes unbeara- ble.
 'Nelse grows anxious He must enter the cave. With revolver in hand, he crawls in. Dave is to follow if succor is needed. But Nelse's head and shoul- ders are no sooner free within the cham Der than some live thing in its mad gyrations around the room lights with stunning force upon the back of his neck
 With mad lunge. Nelse clears the entrance, upsetting Dave, who is hug ging the rear. No second attempt was made to assist thedog.
 With alternating spells of silence followed by attacks more savage than before, the engagement continued until the going down of the sun. Then a si- lence fell over the cave, more pro- longed than any before The men called repeatedly for the dog to come out, but nothing of life appeared; neither was the faintest sound heard from within. Old Flora had certainly been killed. But who dared enter to see?
 Tt was rapidly growing dusk, and the