the last of the plainsmen-第40节

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ull　blast。　I　gave　Satan　a　loose　rein；　and　he　stayed　neck　and　neck　with　the　bay。　There　was　not　a　log；　nor　a　stone；　nor　a　gully。　The　hollows　grew　wider　and　shallower　as　we　raced　along；　and　presently　disappeared　altogether。　The　lion　was　running　straight　from　the　canyon；　and　the　certainty　that　he　must　sooner　or　later　take　to　a　tree；　brought　from　me　a　yell　of　irresistible　wild　joy。

〃Hi！　Hi！　Hi！〃　answered　Jones。

The　whipping　wind　with　its　pine…scented　fragrance；　warm　as　the　breath　of　summer；　was　intoxicating　as　wine。　The　huge　pines；　too　kingly　for　close　communion　with　their　kind；　made　wide　arches　under　which　the　horses　stretched　out　long　and　low；　with　supple；　springy；　powerful　strides。　Frank's　yell　rang　clear　as　a　bell。　We　saw　him　curve　to　the　right；　and　took　his　yell　as　a　signal　for　us　to　cut　across。　Then　we　began　to　close　in　on　him；　and　to　hear　more　distinctly　the　baying　of　the　hounds。

〃Hi！　Hi！　Hi！　Hi！〃　bawled　Jones；　and　his　great　trumpet　voice　rolled　down　the　forest　glades。

〃Hi！　Hi！　Hi！　Hi！〃　I　screeched；　in　wild　recognition　of　the　spirit　of　the　moment。

Fast　as　they　were　flying；　the　bay　and　the　black　responded　to　our　cries；　and　quickened；　strained　and　lengthened　under　us　till　the　trees　sped　by　in　blurs。

There；　plainly　in　sight　ahead　ran　the　hounds；　Don　leading；　Sounder　next；　and　Moze　not　fifty　yards；　behind　a　desperately　running　lion。

There　are　all…satisfying　moments　of　life。　That　chase　through　the　open　forest；　under　the　stately　pines；　with　the　wild；　tawny　quarry　in　plain　sight；　and　the　glad　staccato　yelps　of　the　hounds　filling　my　ears　and　swelling　my　heart；　with　the　splendid　action　of　my　horse　carrying　me　on　the　wings　of　the　wind；　was　glorious　answer　and　fullness　to　the　call　and　hunger　of　a　hunter's　blood。

But　as　such　moments　must　be；　they　were　brief。　The　lion　leaped　gracefully　into　the　air；　splintering　the　bark　from　a　pine　fifteen　feet　up；　and　crouched　on　a　limb。　The　hounds　tore　madly　round　the　tree。

〃Full…grown　female；〃　said　Jones　calmly；　as　we　dismounted；　〃and　she's　ours。　We'll　call　her　Kitty。〃

Kitty　was　a　beautiful　creature；　long；　slender；　glossy；　with　white　belly　and　black…tipped　ears　and　tail。　She　did　not　resemble　the　heavy；　grim…faced　brute　that　always　hung　in　the　air　of　my　dreams。　A　low；　brooding　menacing　murmur；　that　was　not　a　snarl　nor　a　growl；　came　from　her。　She　watched　the　dogs　with　bright；　steady　eyes；　and　never　so　much　as　looked　at　us。

The　dogs　were　worth　attention；　even　from　us；　who　certainly　did　not　need　to　regard　them　from　her　personally　hostile　point　of　view。　Don　stood　straight　up；　with　his　forepaws　beating　the　air；　he　walked　on　his　hind　legs　like　the　trained　dog　in　the　circus；　he　yelped　continuously；　as　if　it　agonized　him　to　see　the　lion　safe　out　of　his　reach。　Sounder　had　lost　his　identity。　Joy　had　unhinged　his　mind　and　had　made　him　a　dog　of　double　personality。　He　had　always　been　unsocial　with　me；　never　responding　to　my　attempts　to　caress　him；　but　now　he　leaped　into　my　arms　and　licked　my　face。　He　had　always　hated　Jones　till　that　moment；　when　he　raised　his　paws　to　his　master's　breast。　And　perhaps　more　remarkable；　time　and　time　again　he　sprang　up　at　Satan's　nose；　whether　to　bite　him　or　kiss　him；　I　could　not　tell。　Then　old　Moze；　he　of　Grand　Canyon　fame；　made　the　delirious　antics　of　his　canine　fellows　look　cheap。　There　was　a　small；　dead　pine　that　had　fallen　against　a　drooping　branch　of　the　tree　Kitty　had　taken　refuge　in；　and　up　this　narrow　ladder　Moze　began　to　climb。　He　was　fifteen　feet　up；　and　Kitty　had　begun　to　shift　uneasily；　when　Jones　saw　him。

〃Hyar！　you　wild　coon　hyar！　Git　out　of　that！　Come　down！　Come　down！〃

But　Jones　might　have　been　in　the　bottom　of　the　canyon　for　all　Moze　heard　or　cared。　Jones　removed　his　coat；　carefully　coiled　his　lasso；　and　began　to　go　hand　and　knee　up　the　leaning　pine。

〃Hyar！　dad…blast　you；　git　down！〃　yelled　Jones；　and　he　kicked　Moze　off。　The　persistent　hound　returned；　and　followed　Jones　to　a　height　of　twenty　feet；　where　again　he　was　thrust　off。

〃Hold　him；　one　of　you！〃　called　Jones。

〃Not　me；〃　said　Frank；　〃I'm　lookin'　out　for　myself。〃

　〃Same　here；〃　I　cried；　with　a　camera　in　one　hand　and　a　rifle　in　the　other。　〃Let　Moze　climb　if　he　likes。〃

Climb　he　did；　to　be　kicked　off　again。　But　he　went　back。　It　was　a　way　he　had。　Jones　at　last　recognized　either　his　own　waste　of　time　or　Moze's　greatness；　for　he　desisted；　allowing　the　hound　to　keep　close　after　him。

The　cougar；　becoming　uneasy；　stood　up；　reached　for　another　limb；　climbed　out　upon　it；　and　peering　down；　spat　hissingly　at　Jones。　But　he　kept　steadily　on　with　Moze　close　on　his　heels。　I　snapped　my　camera　on　them　when　Kitty　was　not　more　than　fifteen　feet　above　them。　As　Jones　reached　the　snag　which　upheld　the　leaning　tree；　she　ran　out　on　her　branch；　and　leaped　into　an　adjoining　pine。　It　was　a　good　long　jump；　and　the　weight　of　the　animal　bent　the　limb　alarmingly。

Jones　backed　down；　and　laboriously　began　to　climb　the　other　tree。　As　there　were　no　branches　low　down；　he　had　to　hug　the　trunk　with　arms　and　legs　as　a　boy　climbs。　His　lasso　hampered　his　progress。　When　the　slow　ascent　was　accomplished　up　to　the　first　branch；　Kitty　leaped　back　into　her　first　perch。　Strange　to　say　Jones　did　not　grumble；　none　of　his　characteristic　impatience　manifested　itself。　I　supposed　with　him　all　the　exasperating　waits；　vexatious　obstacles；　were　little　things　preliminary　to　the　real　work；　to　which　he　had　now　come。　He　was　calm　and　deliberate；　and　slid　down　the　pine；　walked　back　to　the　leaning　tree；　and　while　resting　a　moment；　shook　his　lasso　at　Kitty。　This　action　fitted　him；　somehow；　it　was　so　compatible　with　his　grim　assurance。

To　me；　and　to　Frank；　also；　for　that　matter；　it　was　all　new　and　startling；　and　we　were　as　excited　as　the　dogs。　We　kept　continually　moving　about；　Frank　mounted；　and　I　afoot；　to　get　good　views　of　the　cougar。　When　she　crouched　as　if　to　leap；　it　was　almost　impossible　to　remain　under　the　tree；　and　we　kept　moving。

Once　more　Jones　crept　up　on　hands　and　knees。　Moze　walked　the　slanting　pine　like　a　rope　performer。　Kitty　began　to　grow　restless。　This　time　she　showed　both　anger　and　impatience；　but　did　not　yet　appear　frightened。　She　growled　low　and　deep；　opened　her　mouth　and　hissed；　and　swung　her　tufted　tail　faster　and　faster。

〃Look　out；　Jones！　look　out！〃　yelled　Frank　warningly。

Jones；　who　had　reached　the　trunk　of　the　tree；　halted　and　slipped　round　it；　placing　it　between　him　and　Kitty。　She　had　advanced　on　her　limb；　a　few　feet　above　Jones；　and　threateningly　hung　over。

Jones　backed　down　a　little　till　she　crossed　to　another　branch；　then　he　resumed　his　former　position。

〃Watch　below；〃　called　he。

Hardly　any　doubt　was　there　as　to　how　we　watched。　Frank　and　I　were　all　eyes；　except　very　high　and　throbbing　hearts。　When　Jones　thrashed　the　lasso　at　Kitty　we　both　yelled。　She　ran　out　on　the　branch　and　jumped。　This　time　she　fell　short　of　her　point；　clutched　a　dead　snag；　which　broke；　letting　her　through　a　bushy　branch　from　where　she　hung　head　downward。　For　a　second　she　swung　free；　then　reaching　toward　the　tree　caught　it　with　front　paws；　ran　down　like　a　squirrel；　and　leaped　off　when　thirty　feet　from　the　ground。　The　action　was　as　rapid　as　it　was　astonishing。

Like　a　yellow　rubber　ball　she　bounded　up；　and　fled　with　the　yelping　hounds　at　her　heels。　The　chase　was　short。　At　the　end　of　a　hundred　yards　Moze　caught　up　with　her　and　nipped　her。　She　whirled　with　savage　suddenness；　and　lunged　at　Moze；　but　he　cunningly　eluded　the　vicious　paws。　Then　she　sought　safety　in　another　pine。

Frank；　who　was　as　quick　as　the　hounds；　almost　rode　them　down　in　his　eagerness。　While　Jones　descended　from　his　perch；　I　led　the　two　horses　down　the　forest。

This　time　the　cougar　was　well　out　on　a　low　spreading　branch。　Jones　conceived　the　idea　of　raising　the　loop　of　his　lasso　on　a　long　pole；　but　as　no　pole　of　sufficient　length　could　be　found；　he　tried　from　the　back　of　his　horse。　The　bay　walked　forward　well　enough；　when；　however；　he　got　under　the　beast　and　heard　her　growl；　he　reared　and　almost　threw　Jones。　Frank's　horse　could　not　be　persuaded　to　go　near　the　tree。　Satan　evinced　no　fear　of　the　cougar；　and　without　flinching　carried　Jones　directly　beneath　the　limb　and　stood　with　ears　back　and　forelegs　stiff。

〃Look　at　that！　look　at　that！〃　cried　Jones；　as　the　wary　cougar　pawed　the　loop　aside。　Three　successive　times　did　Jones　have　the　lasso　just　ready　to　drop　over　her　neck；　when　she　flashed　a　yellow　paw　and　knocked　the　noose　awry。　Then　she　leaped　far　out　over　the　waiting　dogs；　struck　the　ground　with　a　light；　sharp　thud；　and　began　to　run　with　the　speed　of　a　deer。　Frank's　cowboy　training　now　stood　us　in　good　stead。　He　was　off　like　a　shot　and　turned　the　cougar　from　the　direction　of　the　canyon。　Jones　lost　not　a　moment　in　pursuit；　and　I；　left　with　Jones's　badly　frightened　bay；　got　going　in　time　to　see　the　race；　but　not　to　assist。　For　several　hundred　yards　Kitty　made　the　hounds　appear　slow。　Don；　being　swiftest；　gained　on　her　steadily　toward　the　close　of　the　dash；　and　presently　was　running　under　her　upraised　tail。　On　the　next　jump　he　nipped　her。　She　turned　and　sent　him　reeling。　Sounder　came　flying　up　to　bite　her　flank；　and　at　the　same　moment　fierce　old　Moze　closed　in　on　her。　The　next　instant　a　struggling　mass　whirled　on　the　ground。　Jones　and　Frank；　yelling　l