The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-05-01

them splash into the water.
He leaned out and shook his fist al
Avery and Jim when the last rock had
passed The weight Of the sliding
rocks had swept the way clear OF all
bushes and spurs. There was NO
getting out Of his niche without the
rope.
THAT was close one, JIM" Avery
said. as he leaned far over the top,
looking for Bob.
4 couldn't help it. 1t wouldn't have
happened II Bob had had sense enough
to tie the rope around him." Jim
growled, carefully coaxing the anchor
stone around bunch of Spanish bayo-
nets.
Let down the rope!"
He's all right, Ave- But where, Is
he? can't see him"
There he is See the handker-
chief"
Let down the ropel" came the yell
again.
BY walking a few feet along the
bank, Jim swung the weighted rope
close to the boulder The boys could
not see Bob, but they felt the rope
tighten and knew he had 1t.
Bob could now see the nest, large
hollow in the rocks, with It's two
young condors, under the frs at the
very edge of the ledge BY its side
stood an old bird, it's shining eyes
fastened on Bob as he peered over
the rocky slide. 1t was monster
condor over four feet high and black
as the shadow around it.
Bob now securely formed a loop in
the rope, in which he sat He then
gave the signal to be lowered. He
felt the rope tighten, and as soon as
he received the answering signal he
stepped off into space.
1t was fun at first. almost play, un-
til he glanced down and saw that a
little spur Of rock and soil with three
or four fir trees on it was all that lay
between him and the muddy Piru two
hundred feet below.
He clutched the rope with a grip
OF iron and forced his eyes away from
that fascinating depth.
AT last he was on the spur. The
quarry Of two months chase lay close
before him. He now tied the rope
under his arms, for he knew there
might be struggle while he was
stealing the young condors.
Picking up long, dead fir pole he
walked slowly towards the snorting
sentinel. A few close passes with
the pole sent the old bird kissing over
the edge, where she disappeared.
Hastily grabbing the young ones he
thrust them. head first, into sack,
then turned and made his way to the
wall, for the smell of carrion was
sickening almost beyond endurance.
Firmly tying the sack about his
neck he adjusted the rope and sent
up the signal. For a moment 1t
seemed as though the boys could not
move him; then he was pulled up
ward few inches.
They can never do It'll" he ex-
claimed, as he examined the clear
stretch Of rock, fifty feet up, without
a break or knob for a foothold to
ease the strain. But slowly, inch by.
inch, he rose.
A deep. heavy, moving shadow
passed over Bobs head. He turned
and saw the old condor, followed by
two more, coming with the speed OF |
an express, straight for him. A chill
Of fear crept over him, as he wound
one arm about the rope and pulled
out his hunting knife.
This is more than I bargained
for" he murmured. "I wish those
young ones would quit their squall-
ing"
Then a feeling of exu1tation passed
over him as he thought of his strange
situation. He was swinging in mid
air from small rope and fighting for
his life against three California con-
doris.
Come on, you vultures!" he cried,
as he caught one sweeping blow on
the head with his foot.
Take that and that and that!"
He was in frenzy Of fear and
braveness and horror. He stabbed |
and thrust with all his might until the
set the rope swinging like a
pendulum along the rock.
Jim and Avery wondered greatly at /
The swinging motion until they caught
sight Of the three condors, and the
echoes Of the fight came rolling up the
canyon to them.
"Pull, pull" Jim cried. There are
-hree Of them! They will kill him!"
The two boys, grasping and sweat
ng, bent anew to the task and hand
over hand raised Bob with a rush to
he friendly knob Of rock at the edge
II the wall.
Bob with ready presence Of mind
stepped out upon the spur Here,
,linging to the tight rope with one
hand, he turned at bay and plunged
lis knife with all his strength deep
nto the breast Of one Of the lighting
,ondors, as 1t swooped upon him. The
orce Of the blow turned him around,
one Of he birds, seeing the
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