Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-17
SONNY AND THE KID
Continued from page s

hter, he heard the Kid crying. There was no
Installing the note of terror in that hopeless,
elpless little sound Sonny did not need to
eason about it: his heart understood all that
vas necessary. Something was frightening the
Kid His white teeth barred themselves, and
lie darted forward.
At this instant there came cracking and
wishing in the thicket; and the Kid, as if
eleased from spell, turned with scream
ind started to flee. He tripped on a root, how
yer, and fell headlong on his face, his yellow
Furls mixing with the brown twigs and fir
leedles. Almost in the selfsame second a big
BRAY lynx burst from the green of the under
brush and sprang upon the little, sprawling,
helpless form.
But not actually upon it. Those outstretch-
ng, murderous claws never actually sank into
he Kids flesh. For Sonny was there just as
Don as the lynx was. The wild beast changed
is mind and attack, just in time to avoid
being taken at a serious disadvantage. The
lush of Sonnys heavy body bore it backward
lear of the Kid. The latter scrambled to his
eet, stifed his sobs, and stared open mouthed
It the sudden fury of battle which confronted
him.
Had Sonny not been endowed with intelh-
sence as well as valor, he would have fallen
victim almost at once to his adversary's terrific,
taking hind claws. But fortunately, during his
1Pugnacious puppyhood he had had several
Encounters with war wise, veteran cats. To
nm, the lynx was obviously huge and par
tiCularly savage cat. He knew the deadly
bower of its hind claws, with all the strength
|bf those great hind quarters behind them.
AS he grappled with the screeching lynx,
Silently, after the fashion of his bull ancestors,
be received ripping slash from one of its
armed fore paws, but succeeded in fixing his
grip on the base of the beasts neck, not far
rom the throat. Instantly he drew himself
backward with all his weight, crouching fiat,
and dragging the enemy down with him.
V,,t o1r
with all his strength, the splitting and screech-
ing cat was unable to bring its terrible hinder
Flaws into play The claws of the beasts great
fore paws, however, were doing cruel work on
fSonny's back and sides; while its long fangs,
pointed like daggers, tore savagely at the one
point on his shoulder which they could reach.
This terrible punishment Sonny took stoicay,
caring only to protect the tender under part
|of his body and his eyes. His close grip on the
base of the animals neck shielded his eyes
land, according to the custom of his tenacious
breed, he never relaxed his hold for moment,
but kept chewing in, chewing in, inexorably
working his way to final, fatal grip upon the
throat. And not for moment, either, did he
desist from his steady backward pull, which
kept the foe from doubling upon him with it's
hind quarters.
For several minutes the furious struggle went
on, Sonny, apparently, getting all the worst
of it. His back and shoulders were pouring
blood; while his enemy showed not hurt
Then suddenly the gray beasts screeching
took on a half strangling sound With its
mouth wide open it ceased to bite, though it's
fore paws raked and clawed more desperately
than ever. Sonny's relentless hold was begin
ming to throttle. His mouth was now too full
OF long fur and loose skin for him to bite clean
through the throat and finish the fight. But
he felt himself already the victor
Suddenly, as he continued that steady back
ward drag, the resistance ceased. The lynx
had launched itself forward in one last con.
vulsive struggle to free itself from those