The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-25

Jerusalem I turned Lee loose, and
I tell you when I do nobody gets
ahead of me. My four dogs knew I'd
sighted game, for they'd run ahead
like mad, and stand up on their hind
legs to look Then they'd jump in the
air and whine softly. I'd forbidden
them to bay The wolf was carrying
the hind quarters of calf and did not
sight me until l was within thousand
yards. When she did she dropped the
meal she had intended for her whelps
and flew for her life. She gained near
ly half a mile in the first burst of her
speed. but I knew the wolves. 1 saw
her swerve Away to the other side
of the valley L saw blue gulch-
There YOU 30, YOU devil said I. and
pulled across the angle. Then the
Kentucky in Lee began to come
Mats of buffalo grass ran together axe
smooth carpet under my feet, and the
sparse July blossoms swept by like
stars Dry arroyos did not check him.
He jumped over prairie dog holes care
full and clean, and he gained, gained
We were almose near enough for thu
dogs to sight her when the wolf drop
ped behind a little ridge and we ran
almost neck and neck to the mouth
of the gulch. She beat us two hundred
yards. and the dogs had not seen her.
81 did not look for the end SO soon,
but lust around the first bend l saw
one last awkward puppy flying to
cover. Down into the mouth of a hid
den den lie plunged, and knew the
mother was there with her frightened
young. 1 dismounted, and three of my
dogs lay down in the shade of the
rocks. but 1 took Fanny, my bravest
staghound. and approached the den.
There lay the bones of twenty calves
gnawed and dented. Hundreds more
lay along the bed OF the gulch. That
den has been stronghold for hun
dred years, safe between the toes OF
the Rockies.
Fanny gave one look into my eyes
and plunged into the dark hole. I
heard one unearthly yell of rage and
out she came, and close behind her the
wolf, bristles up, desperate, nerved
unto death. But her courage failed
when she saw me, and before the
hound could turn she bolted for the
open. I gave one yell. My three dogs
in the shade sprang up. and at last
their eyes were fastened on the prey.
The rocky glen roared and beloved
to the fierce canine shouting. I mount
cd and rode after them. There was a
battle royal on the prairie open. I
shot out of the gulch. The greyhounds
had overtaken the wolf, and the stag
hounds were almost upon her. Lord,
how my blood boiled. 1 couldn't let
them fight it out. uau to nave a
hand in the game.
81 never use a gun. I jerked my
heavy club from the pommel of the
saddle and sprang in among my dogs.
The wolf was monster-larger than
any dog had. Fangs and claws and
eyes were glittering all around Inc.
Then, in the time when fifty years
weigh on me like feather, I'm like
savage in those few moments-like
those first men who sprang out of their
caves to battle with the prehistoric
beasts.
"Ah! I can scarcely remember it
afterWard. | had her foreleg in INV
left hand, my right foot on her neck.
and plug my club came down. That
was all. + carried my prize to the
ranch and there met Ashbrook, just
in from Marsland with fourteen dogs.
We caught the male wolf the next
morning. and within. few days the
great den, and others in Dry Spotted
Tail were no more"-Omaha Bee.