Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-04

! oughly, and the moment that whirlng raw
h1de began singing its sharp whirr-r-r above
her head, she knew what was coming and,
once assured of the object at which it was
TO be aimed, she needed neither rein nor spur
to bring her quickly alongside the intended
victim.
Then Zeb, leaning well forward in the sad
duie and still spinning the moose with q
iightning-like movement about his head,
posed himself for an instant. and then, dart
ing the flying loop forward with quick
swoop Of his arm, sent the long, snaky thing
whistling away in front of the lunging bull.
Even before the moose fell, the rider had
taken several quick twists of the other end
OF the larat, about his saddlehorn with his
LETT hand, while, as it dropped directly under
tne animafs nose, he gave it sudden witch
with his right.
Then. the keen-witted mare shot out to
one side and drew rapidly away, then set
back upon her launches and stopped.
Ihe throw had been sure one, and the
big bull came houndering to the earth, giving
horse and rider shock that nearly upset
them both.
In trice the lariat was made fast to the
saddie-horn, and, "throw-rope' in hand, Zeb
dismounted, to try his luck at tying the
fallen monster.
The lariat had securely fastened upon one
foreleg, OF the beast, and as he shook his
fierce head, after recovering from the first
shock of surprise, and sprang to his feet with
snort of defiance, the knowing mare gave a
backward lurch that again brought him tumb-
ling to the earth.
Good fer ye, my girl" shouted Zeb, in
delight. War afeard ,ye couldn't fetch him;
but you've done brought the ole feller down,
shore 'nough!"
Meanwhile, even as he spoke, the skiTlful
lad had flung his "throw-rope" over one paw
ing, struggling hind-eg, and running round ON
the opposite, side, he pulled one way, while
the mare pulled the other.
Then there was sharp, hard struggle,
which lasted several minutes fight in which
at one instant the chances were in favor of
the buffalo, and at another, that he would
soon be conquered and compelled to yield to
the superior tactics of his enemies.
A score of times the huge beast gathered
his limbs for bound that would have brought
him to his feet, nerved to Withstand the dex.
trous Jerks Of the lariat and ready for a
headlong charge, when a sudden twist, given
at just the right time upon the leverage of
his unstable legs, would roll him over again
upon his back.
If once he gained his feet and faced the
horse, her efforts at throwing him would be
of no more effect than like strain upon a
solid ledge of rock, and in fleeing from the
charge so certain to follow, the mare would
lose all hold upon him, as half-dozen jumps
of the bull would suffice to throw off the
slackened moose of the lariat, and then the
rope-thrower might as well try to hold back
the wind.
Thus, success depended upon the constant
and concerted action of both the roper and
his horse-and well did both in this instance
do their part
The mare kept the lariat drawn taut, 1urch-
ing backward at every sharp command of her
master, while Zeb himself tugged and jerked
and maneuvered until the perspiration rolled
off him like great rain-drops.
At last, though, he succeeded, by throwing
a twisting half-hitch, in tangling the other
hind-leg of the bull, and then, drawing the
old fellows kicking hoofs together, he hung
on till the brute grew sulky, and gave the
fight up in despair,
After that, he could depend on the mare
in case of another struggle, and he now bold
ly approached his huge victim, hauling in the
rope as he did so.
In almost less time than it takes to tell it,
the sulky old bull was a hopeless prisoner,
tied head and foot, and in such manner that
he could not even make the attempt to rise,
much less get up and walk.
Then Zeb went to camp and told the bows.
but was compelled to wait until they had
followed him back to the spot before he could
gain credit for his story. Even then they
hunted the animal all over to find a bullet
wound. When that failed, Zebs fame was es-
tablished.