Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-08-06

4
where Dandy had fallen, we pushed
directly into the forest, looking
keenly everywhere. confess to little
creeping thrills in my scalp by times
as I peered about, lest the terrible
thing might fall down upon me from
some tree like a tearing, crushing
bolt.
Above us, not far away, loomed
great wall of rock, scanned and
wrinkled with the erosion of countless
storms and winters. When we faced 1t
close at hand 1t lowered above us hun
dreds Of feet, brown and gray, and
clotted here and there. with green,
clinging tufts of growth. We caught
glimpse of the mountain lion at the
base of the mighty rampant as we ap-
preached but 1t vanished like some
thing melting into the wall. When we
came close to the brown barrier of
stone we found many fissures and
shadowy hollows in its face, and az
one of these-a low, narrow hole
some rumpled shale.
Saint at once dropped on his knees
and began to crawl into the hole. I
dragged him back by main strength
and planted myself before the opening.
Are you mad?" / cried. THAT crea-
ture will tear you into shoestrings If
you go In there!"
You ll-let me I'M" he demanded
pantingly, glaring at me; that thing
hurt Dandy and want to fight it,"
Before l could stop him he had
grabbed The lantern and disappeared.
/ shall not attempt to relate what
happened in Saints own language, for,
considering his lingual misfortune,
that would hardly be kind. That which
occurred, however, even as he told 1t
to me afterward was stirring enough.
When he entered the cavern the
lantern revealed no sign OF life. The
place was as the black mouth of some
great monster. The light shone on
short stone pillars and ragged points
that shut together along the walls
like teeth, the roof was corrugated
like the roof of some animals mouth.
No cougar was there. Throwing the
flare of light along the outer edge of
the floor. he found an outlet, black,
sunken hole, into which he instantly
crept. pushing the lantern and rifle
before him. 1t seemed the very In
sanity of courage, but the vision of
Dandy lying senseless with the red
rent down his neck and side goaded
the boy to battle.
Within half a dozen feet his head
and shoulders emerged In smaller
cavern, and IL or 15 feet farther on
he saw two reddish-green stars
flaming In the gloom. Off to the left
lay big hairy heap, which suddenly
stirred with snoring suspiration and
rose up to the height of man. At
the top of the shape a mighty mouth
opened with yawn and two little jet
like eyes widened with sudden inter-
est The master of the house had
awakened to the fact that he had visi-
tors.
Palpably he did not like 1t; the lam
terms glow, and the baleful CLEAN of
the cougars eyes, and the strange
white face thrust In over the threshold
of his private chamber, troubled him.
He growled and shifted and looked
angry.
! The giant cat paid the bear no at
tention, but fixed Its blazing eyes on
the light and the human face at the
entrance, wrinkling its sides and
working Its claws as 1t prepared to
spring. Saint drew the lantern back
under his arm. lifted his Winchester
and fired at the cougars head The
report seemed as the crashing roar of
cannon, and with a snarl the big
cat apparently bounded against the
low roof of the cave.
Involuntarily Saint drew back as he
rested on his elbows and knees, and
with the movement the rifle somehow
came across the mouth of the narrow
opening like a bar. The accident
saved him. for the next instant the
mad and frightened cougar plunged
against the bar. The impact of its
breast bent the rifle barrel far out of
line. Saints bosom and left arm
were slightly torn by Its claws
- That which Saint witnessed then,
fearful as 1t was, proved very much
to his liking. The mountain lion
bounced back and went round the
cave like a flash, while the bear
danced across the floor with It's mouth
open as II laughing, but in reality
highly irritated. The next moment
the cougar sprang upon the larger
animals back. The force of the plunge
carried the bear against the wall. and
they fell. With wrench and twist
bruin got himself free, but instantly
closed again, and hugging and writh
ing and bitter fighting began
The Saint saw something that
opened his staring eyes wider The
cougar was close in and seemed tear
ing at the bears vitals, when the
bear seemed to wrench the infuriate
: thing loose as with human hands ant
struck 1t a resounding slap. The
cougar dropped lifeless.