Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-08-31
DAILY SHORT STORY
A LIONS SPRING.


were hostile and had given us several
close calls until we had penetrated the
Businesses and got beyond their rang
ing ground
We had on this morning moved our
camp about three miles down the creek
and was not feeling at all we'll. While
my partner Joe went back after
second load l looked for spot in
which 10 rest for an hour. Ten rods
to the west of the creek there was a
rocky bluf and ten feet up l saw the
mouth of cave Ii was a distressIngly
hot day, although deep among the
mountains, and l sought the cave for Its
cool shelter. 1t was place not over
eight feet long by three deep, a crew
ice among the jagged blocks OF lime
stone, and 1t was just the spot in which
TO rest. l had been working in ice
| con water, with the hot sun beating
down on my head, and l was fevPrish
and hot by turns. y was. in fact, a
little light headed and realized that
was. sat leaning against the back OF
the cave and almost went TO sleep.
was browsing when l heard a slight
noise above me and was wide awake
at once. From the lay of the ground
l knew that only a Wild animal OF
some sort could have gained the rocks
above
For five minutes | sat without move
ment, able only to see directly in front
OF me. Then a shadow appeared on
the earth below me. The sun was at
my back. and at the back of whatever
thing was up there. and its shadow
into y,
l made out the ears and head Of a
mountain lion. There was no mistak-
ing it for the head OF any other ami
NAL. From Il lair higher up among the
rocks the animal had got my scent on
the morning breeze and had come
down to stalk me. Down on the other
side of the brawllng creek was my
rife, and | had even left my hunting
knife among the camp equipage If
the lion was minded TO leap down on
the shelf at the front of the cave,
should be helpless.
l had studied the beast from hunt
er's point of view and therefore had
no trouble in reading what happened
during the next half hour In the
first place. if he had got my scent he
had also got that of some one else
1t was NOT the scent of another beast,
but OF man. / could tell that by
the nervous movements of the beast
could not see. He did not growl. as
he would If watching bear or wolf or
one of hiS own species, but now and
then lie whined and seemed a bit
afraid
When Joe returned he would not
pass the cave, but halt 200 feet away
He had his rifle and revolver with him.
Missing me, he would call out. The
lion would not attempt to attack an
armed man by daylight and at that dis
lance. Il seemed TO me that the
beast must be watching some one near
er by. l had not given the lay of the
ground much attention, but was under
the Impression that a shallow ravine
led from the cave in "A nOrtherly direc-
ton, parallel with the stream. This
would furnish cover for any one creep
ing up to view the site Of our new
camp and lie IN ambush for us.
finally settled it in my mind that some
Indian hunter or some young brave
anxious to make a record had in some
way struck our trail and was planning
TO get our scalps. He was creeping
up the ravine, and the lion was watch
ing him.
| could trace the progress OF the man
by the actions of the animal above
Sometimes the shadow included the
neck and shoulders Of the lion, and
sometimes il retreated altogether
Sometimes there was deepest silence
for a moment aud then II was broken
!. IL. 81. Ii
What | began to fear as the minutes
glided away was that Joe would re-
turn and be shot by the lurking savage
before the lion could interfere That
he meant TO spring when his prey
came near enough ! had no doubt. 1t
was just the sort OF situation TO APP
peal TO lion-the cat and the mouse
by watching the shadow and listen
ing To the movements OF the beast | |
was enabled 10 gauge the movements |
of the enemy in the raviue How near
at hand he was when the lion first
caught sight of him / could only guess |
afterward as looked over the ground,
but I made Il about 200 feet. He had |
the cover OF the powders and bushes |
for all that distance, but he moved |
with the greatest caution. The nearer |
he approached camp the greater his |
caution.
At fifty feet away he halted for full |
ten minutes. During this interval he |
must have been surveying our camp /
outfit and wondering why no one was
in sight With the suspicion OF his
race he probably scented some ambush
on our part. / knew when he came /
moving along again-when he was
within thirty feet-twenty-ten / had
now lost all fear that was TO become
a victim and was deeply interested in
watching for the climax. The lion was
fifteen feet above the man and would
have to spring outward about ten feet
This would be an easy effort for him.
AS the Indian came nearer the IiO1l
ceased to whine or click his claws,