Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1918-02-28
CHAPTER xIlI-contInued.


H.
Weyman was with him when they
struck fresh signs Of lynx. There was
q great windfall ten or fifteen feet
high. and in one place the logs had
formed sort of cavern, with almost
solid walls on three sides. The snow
was beaten down by tracks, and the
fur of rabbit was scattered about.
Henri was jubilant.
I'VE got heem-surc he said.
He built the bait-house, set trap
and looked about him shrewdly. Then
he explained his scheme to Weyman.
II the lynx was caught, and the two
wolves came to destroy 1t, the fight
would take place In that shelter under
the windfall, and the marauders would
have to pass through the opening. So
Henri set five smaller traps, conceal
Ing them skillfully under leaves and
moss and SHOW, and all were far
enough away from the bait-house 80
that the trapped lynx could not spring
them in his struggles.
when they fight, wolf jump this
way an that-an' sure get In" said
Henri. HE miss one, two, t'ree-but
he sure get In trap somewhere"
That same morning light snow fell,
making the work more complete, for
1t covered up all footprints and buried
the telltale scent Of man. That night
Kaxan and Gray Wolf passed within a
hundred feet of the windfall, and Gray
VOLTS keen scent detected something
strange and disquieting in the air. She
Informed Kazan by pressing her Shout
der against his. and they swung off
ut right angles, keeping to windward
Of the trap-line.
For two days and three cold starlit
nights nothing happened at the wind
tall Henri understood, and explained
to Weyman. The lynx was a hunter,
like himself, and also had its hunt-line,
which 1t covered about once a week.
On the fifth night the lynx returned,
want to the windfall, was Iured
straight to the bait, and the sharp
toothed steel trap closed relentlessly
over Its right hindfoot. Kazan and
Cray Wolf were travelling a quarter Of
. mile deeper in the forest when they
heard the clanking of the steel chain
az the lynx fought to free itself. Ten
minutes later they stood in the door
Of the windfall cavern.
1t was white clear night, so filled
With brilliant stars that Henri himself
could have hunted by the light Of them.
The lynx had exhausted itself, and
lay crouched on its belly as Kazan
and Gray Wolf appeared. AS usual,
Gray Wolf held back while Kazan be-
gan the battle. In the first or second
Of these fights on the trap-line, Kazan
would probably have been disembOw-
sled or had his jugular vein cut open.
had the fierce cats been free. They
were more than his match in open
light, though the biggest of them fell
ten pounds under his weight. Chance
had saved him on the Sun Rock. Gray
Wolf and the porcupine had both add
ID to the defeat Of the lynx on the
sand-bar. And along Henris hunting
line 1t was the trap that was his ally.
Even with his enemy thus shackled
be took bigger chances than ever with
the lynx under the windfall.
The cat was an old warrior, six or
seven years old. His claws were an
Inch and a quarter long, and curved
IKE scimitars. His forefeet and his left
Andfoot were free, and as Kazan ad-
vanced, he drew back, SO that the trap
chain was slack under his body. Here
Kazan could not follow his old tactics
Of circling about his trapped foe, until
II had become tangled in the chain, or
had 30 shortened and. twisted 1t that
there was no chance for q leap. He
had to attack face to face, and sud.
denly he lunged in. They met shout.
der to shoulder. Kazan's fangs
snapped at the others throat, and
missed. Before he could strike again
the lynx flung out Its free hindfoot
aud even Gray Wolf heard the ripping
sound that It made. With snar
Kazan was flung back, his shoulder
torn to the bone.
Then 1t was that one of Henri's hid
den traps saved him from a second ut
lakeland death. Steel jaws snapped
over one Of his forefeet, and when h,
!eaped, the chain stopped him. Ono,
Sr twtcs bsfore, blind Gray Wolf hat
ieaped in, when she knew that KazaI
was in great danger. For I'm instan
she forget her caution now, and as sh
heard Kaxan's snarl Of pain, sh
Bprang In under the windfall. Fiv
1sps Henri had hidden In the spac
y front Of the bait-house, and Ora
Wolcs test found two Of these. 6h
~ o. hse ~, 0apping and saarl