Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-06-14
enced Derorv.

enced DeIore.
The moon was straight above them
and the night was almost as bright a.
day. when he went down again to hunt
for Gray Wolf. At the foot Of the rock
a big white rabbit popped up ahead OF
him. and he gave chase. For half n
mile he pursued, until the wolf instinct
in him rose over the dog, 'and he gave
up the futile race. A deer he might
have, overtaken, but small game the
wolf must hunt as the fox hunts II,
and he began to slip through the thick
cts slowly and as quietly as a shadow.
He was a mile from the Sun Rock
when two quick leaps put Gray W0lrs
supper between his jaws. He trotted
back slowly, dropping the big seven
pound snOw-shoe hare now and then to
rest.
When he came to the narrow trail
that led TO the top Of the Sun Rock he
stopped. In that trail was the warm
scent Of strange feet. The rabbit fell
from his jaws. Every hnlr In his body
was suddenly electrified into life. What
he scented was not the scent Of RAD
bit, a marten or a porcupine. Fang
and claw had climbed the path ahead
Of him. And then, coming family to
him from the top Of the rock, he heard
sounds which sent him up with a ter
rible whining cry. When he reached
the summit he saw In the white moon
light scene that stopped him for q
single moment. Close to the edge OF the
sheer full to the rocks, fifty feet below,
Gray Wolf was engaged In u death
struggle with huge gray lynx. She
was down--and under, and from her
there came sudden sharp terrible cry
Of pain.
Kazan few across the rock. His at
tack was the swift silent assault OF the
wolf, combined with the greater cour-
age, the fury and the strategy OF the
husky. Another husky would have died
in that first attack. But the lynx was
not a dog or a wolf. 1t was "Mow-lee.
the swift" as the Sarcees had named
1.-THE quickest creature In the wilder
ness. Knzan's inch-long fangs should
have sunk deep In its jugular. But In
q fractional part Of second the lynx
had thrown itself back like huge soft
ball, and Kazan's teeth buried them
selves In the flesh OF its neck instead
Of the jugular. And Kazan was not
now fighting the fangs OF wolf In the
pack, or of another husky. He was
fighting claws-claws that ripped like
twenty razor-edged knives, and which
even jugular hold could not stop.
Once he hid fought a lynx In trap,
and he had not forgotten the lesson the
battle had taught him. He fought to
pull the lynx down, instead Of forcing
It on its back, as he would have done
with another dog or wolf. He knew
that when on Its back the fierce cat
was most dangerous. One rip Of Its
powerful hind feet could disembOwel
him.
Behind him he heard Gray Wolf sob
bling and crying, and he knew that she
was terribly hurt. He was filed with
the rage and strength Of two dogs, and
his teeth met through the flesh and
hide Of the cats throat. But the big
lynx escaped death by half an inch. II
would take a fresh grip to reach the
jugular, and suddenly Kazan made the |
deadly lunge. There was an instant's !
freedom for the lynx, and in that mo.
ment It flung itself back, and Kazan
gripped at Its thrOat-On top.
The cats claws ripped through his
flesh. cutting open his side-a little
too high to kill. Another stroke and
they would have cut TO his vitals. But
they had struggled close to the edge Of
the rock wall. and suddenly. without a
Snarl or cry. they rolled over. 1t was
fifty nr sixty feet Ia the rocks Of the
edges below. and even as they pitched
over and over in the fall, Kazan's teeth
sank deeper. They struck with ter
'ifc force. Kazan uppermOst. The