Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-06-06

| years. Tdl1eT dnu WeIe peIIeCuy dOiS
to run the ranch, especially as there would
be little to do through the rainy season.
Some days, when the rain fell pretty
steadily from morning till evening, father
would sit in the cabin with me, listening
TO long, cozy chapters from Our Mutual
Friend or David Copperfield.' Other
days he would work in the soggy forest,
telling trees into great windrows and dig
ging out mammoth roots by hand. That
was slow way of clearing land, but it
was the best we could do.
zone day he told me that he would have
to 90 to town directly after breakfast for a
falling wedge, as the one he had been
using had dropped into the litter of dead
brakes and couldn't be found. II was
quite trip, with the trail almostimpassa-
Bile, and he would be gone until late af-
ternoon.
You'll feed Nell at dinner time, and
be sure TO cook yourselfa hot meal-don't
lunch
al felt little lonely after he was gone /;
for now that the mill was closed for the
winter, there was no one within eight
miles-no one but Jeroboam. always
considered the pig very companionable
sort of person, and was glad to feel now
that he was within hailing distance.
81 fed Nell at dinner-time and ate my
own rather cherries meal, and then !
settled down forthe long afternoon. Grad
ually became absorbed in the book
was reading, rousing myself from time to
time to throw chunk on the cracking
fire in the fireplace.
Suddenly came out of the dream
world had been living in to realize that
it was evening, that father was still away
from home, and that a strange, wailing
cry had arisen, apparently in the ranch
yard or in the barn.
al tried to believe il was sound ! had
conjured up, but there still quavered
through my straining ears something OF
its forlorn tremolo. Probably it was a
coyote; and as this thought struck me
Jumped up and started out, ,Seizing heavy,
double -btted Ak as passed through the
wood-Shed, and huTying on across the
deserted yard toward the barn. One
thieving coyote was capable Of killing
every one OF our chickens, and chickens
were worth money. swung the stable
door and stepped inside.
"Our barn was the biggest log building
had ever seen at that time; within its
big single room father had found space
for two hangers, calf-pen and great
stack Of slough hay. II was almost as
light inside the building as cut, for the
logs had been notched sufficiently TO in
sure firm joint at the corners, but not to
bring the bodies together, so that there
was two-inch gap between each pair.
"The gray evening light Streamed into
the building and showed me the things
had been accustomed TO see: Nell,
standing stiffly erect at her manger; the
calves, with their wabbly legs braced at
awkward angles and their ridiculous ears
pointing with strange unison toward the
top OF the haypile. looked up-and the
AK suddenly slipped from my fingers and
| seemed to have turned 10 stone. For
there, within a few yards Of me, was a
big, slim, tawnY creature, very narrow
across the shoulders, with round, bullet
like head and long, slim, Swaying tail.
looked iearfully into his restless, yellow
green eyes, and | knew that was face TO
face with cougar
"For a minute couldn't have taken a
step if the big cat had walked directly
toward me. There was something terri
BILE in the strange, impersonal, almost
benevolent expression Of his wide hinged
eyes, and while was staring, fascinated,
into them, he walked silently down the
steep side OF the stack-eaSily, and ap-
parently without disturbing blade OF
grass.
ain moment he was standing on the
floor OF the barn. He turned toward the
calf-pe and could see his loose hide
twitch across his back, and his tail sway
ed more jerkily than before. Stealthlly
he sank toward the floor, all the time
watching those terrified calves.
al stopped quickly and picked up the
ak, hardly know with what purpose,
when suddenly there lrotted past me
something-a yellow something, which
came 10 an abrupt stop before me. II
was Jeroboam, returned from one OF his
trips OF exploration, filled with the JOY
of living and with his own importance.
"For an instant his attitude was one OF
surprise. Then his ginger-colored bris-
ties stuck straight out, and | could hear
his tusks grinding together as the lust OF
battle came over him. Without waiting
for the cat to turn toward him, he charged,
his long, muscular legs clearing the gap
in couple of jumps and landing him full
on top of the cougar.
THAT his present enemy was one far
removed from the most formidable pot
hound, Jerry must have instantly dis
covered. His great jaws tore a gaping
wound across the cats throat, and he
whirled and snapped again; but at the
same instant his antagonist drew himself
together, and then shot himself out, send
ing Ieroboam over in heap.
Next instant they were locked in one
writhing, pitching, raging mass. ] could
see the cats flail-Iike legs ripping and
tearing, cutting terrible gasheS; ] could
catch fleeing gIimpses OF Jeroboam's
formidable Jaws, their tuSks red and drip
ping. thought had seen Jerry fight