Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-08-05

VI SulCluW sat
whiskers and looking humorously at
Givens. The pony went on eating
grass.
1t is well to be reasonably watchful
when a Mexican lion sings soprano
along the arroyos at sundown. The
burden of his song may be that young
calves and fat lambs are scarce and
that he has a carnivorous desire for
your acquaintance.
In the grass lay an empty fruit can.
cast there by some former sojourner.
Givens caught sight of 1t with a grunt
of satisfaction. In his coat pocket
tied behind his saddle was handful
or two of ground coffee. Black coffee
md cigarettes-what ranchero could
desire more?
In two minutes he had a little fire
going clearly. He started. with his
can, for the water hole. When within
| fifteen yards of its edge he saw be-
tween the bushes a sidesaddled pony
with down dropped reins cropping
| grass a littSe distance to his left. Just
rising from her hands and knees on
the brink Of the water hole was Josefa
| ODonnell. She had been drinking
water, and she brushed the sand from
the palms of her hands. Ten yards
away, to her right. half concealed by
clump of sacuista, Givens saw the
crouching form of a Mexican lion. His
amber eyeballs glared hungrily. Six
feet from them was the tip of the tail
stretched straight. like pointers.
His hind quarters rocked with the mo-
ton Of the cat tribe preliminary to
leaping.
Givens did what he could. His six
shooter was thirty-ive yards away, ly-
ing on the grass. He gave loud yell
and dashed between the lion and the
princess.
The "rucus," as Givens called it aft
erward, was brief and somewhat con-
fused. When he arrived on the line Of
attack he saw a dim streak In the air
and heard couple of faint cracks.
Then a hundred pounds of Mexican
lion pumped down upon his head and
flattened him with a heavy jar to the
ground He remembered calling out.
"Let up. now; no fair gouging" and
then he crawled from under the lion
like worm, with his mouth full of
grass and dirt and big lump on the
back of his head where 1t had struck
the root of water elm. The lion lay
motionless. Givens, feeling aggrieved
and suspicious Of fouls, shook his fist
at the lion and shouted, I'll rastle you
again for twenty And then he got
back to himself
Josefa was standing I'm her tracks,
quietly reloading her silver mounted
3S caliber 1t had not been difficult
shot. The lions head made an easier
mark than a tomato can swinging at
the end of string. There was pro.
voking, teasing. maddening smile upon
her mouth and In her dark eyes. The
would be rescuing knight felt the fire
Of his fiasco burn down to his soul
Here had been his chance. the chance
that he had dreamed of, and Momus
and not Cupid had presided over 1t
The satyrs in the wood were nc
doubt holding their sides in hilarious
silent laughter. There had been some
thing like vaudeville-say, Signor Civ
ems and his funny knockabout act witt
the stuffed lion.
'Is that you, Mr.. Givens?" said 10
sefa in her deliberate. saccharlne con
tralto. "You nearly spoiled my sho
when you yelled Did you hurt you
: head when you fell?"
"Oh, no." said Givens quietly. "Tha
, didn't hurt" He stopped ignominious
ly and slowly dragged his best ha
, from under the beast. 1t was crushed
and wrinked to fine comedy effect
Then he knelt down and softly stroket
the fierce, open jawed head of the deat
lion.
"Poor old Billr' he exclaimed mourn
: fully.
! whats that?" asked Josefa sharp
] ly.
r "Of course you didn't know, Mis-
Josefa," said Givens, with an air o
+ one allowing magnanimity to trump
y over grief. "Nobody can blame you
v l tried to save him, but couldn't lie
) you know in time"
:, Save whoT
"Why, Bill. I've been looking 70
+ him all day. You see, he's been ou
y camp pet for two years. Poor old fe
/ low! He wouldn't have hurt cotton
q tail rabbit. It'll break the boys all u
4 when they hear about 1t. But yo
Il couldn't tell. of course, that Bill wa
. just trying to play with you"
% Josefa's black eyes burned steadil
, upon him. Ripley Givens met the ties
g successfully. He stood rumplng th
# yellow brown curls on his head pei
g sively. In his eyes was regret. nc
# unmingled with gentle reproacl
His smooth features were set to pa
a tern of indisputable sorrow. Josef
If wavered.
s "What was your pet doing herei
!, she asked, making last stan'
II "There's no camp near the Whit
D. Horse crossing"
II "The old rascal ran away from cam
"a yesterday" answered Givens readil.
IA IL D NOutlei luc SoSotCo uioh oSui
10 him to death. You see, Jim Webste
our horse wrangler, brought lit
10 terrier pup into camp last week. I'll
v pup made life miserable for Bill. E
n used to chase him around and che
10 his hind legs for hours at tim
10 Every night when bedtime came Bi
ID would sneak under one of the boy
20 blankets and sleep to keep the pr
10 from finding him. reckon he mu
j, have been worried pretty despera
o or he wouldn't have run away. E
,r was always afraid to get out Of sigl
- of compv