the last of the plainsmen-第41节

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osed　in　on　her。　The　next　instant　a　struggling　mass　whirled　on　the　ground。　Jones　and　Frank；　yelling　like　demons；　almost　rode　over　it。　The　cougar　broke　from　her　assailants；　and　dashing　away　leaped　on　the　first　tree。　It　was　a　half…dead　pine　with　short　snags　low　down　and　a　big　branch　extending　out　over　a　ravine。

〃I　think　we　can　hold　her　now；〃　said　Jones。　The　tree　proved　to　be　a　most　difficult　one　to　climb。　Jones　made　several　ineffectual　attempts　before　he　reached　the　first　limb；　which　broke；　giving　him　a　hard　fall。　This　calmed　me　enough　to　make　me　take　notice　of　Jones's　condition。　He　was　wet　with　sweat　and　covered　with　the　black　pitch　from　the　pines；　his　shirt　was　slit　down　the　arm；　and　there　was　blood　on　his　temple　and　his　hand。　The　next　attempt　began　by　placing　a　good…sized　log　against　the　tree；　and　proved　to　be　the　necessary　help。　Jones　got　hold　of　the　second　limb　and　pulled　himself　up。

As　he　kept　on；　Kitty　crouched　low　as　if　to　spring　upon　him。　Again　Frank　and　I　sent　warning　calls　to　him；　but　he　paid　no　attention　to　us　or　to　the　cougar；　and　continued　to　climb。　This　worried　Kitty　as　much　as　it　did　us。　She　began　to　move　on　the　snags；　stepping　from　one　to　the　other；　every　moment　snarling　at　Jones；　and　then　she　crawled　up。　The　big　branch　evidently　took　her　eye。　She　tried　several　times　to　climb　up　to　it；　but　small　snags　close　together　made　her　distrustful。　She　walked　uneasily　out　upon　two　limbs；　and　as　they　bent　with　her　weight　she　hurried　back。　Twice　she　did　this；　each　time　looking　up；　showing　her　desire　to　leap　to　the　big　branch。　Her　distress　became　plainly　evident；　a　child　could　have　seen　that　she　feared　she　would　fall。　At　length；　in　desperation；　she　spat　at　Jones；　then　ran　out　and　leaped。　She　all　but　missed　the　branch；　but　succeeded　in　holding　to　it　and　swinging　to　safety。　Then　she　turned　to　her　tormentor；　and　gave　utterance　to　most　savage　sounds。　As　she　did　not　intimidate　her　pursuer；　she　retreated　out　on　the　branch；　which　sloped　down　at　a　deep　angle；　and　crouched　on　a　network　of　small　limbs。

When　Jones　had　worked　up　a　little　farther；　he　commanded　a　splendid　position　for　his　operations。　Kitty　was　somewhat　below　him　in　a　desirable　place；　yet　the　branch　she　was　on　joined　the　tree　considerably　above　his　head。　Jones　cast　his　lasso。　It　caught　on　a　snag。　Throw　after　throw　he　made　with　like　result。　He　recoiled　and　recast　nineteen　times；　to　my　count；　when　Frank　made　a　suggestion。

〃Rope　those　dead　snags　an'　break　them　off。〃

This　practical　idea　Jones　soon　carried　out；　which　left　him　a　clear　path。　The　next　fling　of　the　lariat　caused　the　cougar　angrily　to　shake　her　head。　Again　Jones　sent　the　noose　flying。　She　pulled　it　off　her　back　and　bit　it　savagely。

Though　very　much　excited；　I　tried　hard　to　keep　sharp；　keen　faculties　alert　so　as　not　to　miss　a　single　detail　of　the　thrilling　scene。　But　I　must　have　failed；　for　all　of　a　sudden　I　saw　how　Jones　was　standing　in　the　tree；　something　I　had　not　before　appreciated。　He　had　one　hand　hold；　which　he　could　not　use　while　recoiling　the　lasso；　and　his　feet　rested　upon　a　precariously　frail…appearing；　dead　snag。　He　made　eleven　casts　of　the　lasso；　all　of　which　bothered　Kitty；　but　did　not　catch　her。　The　twelfth　caught　her　front　paw。　Jones　jerked　so　quickly　and　hard　that　he　almost　lost　his　balance；　and　he　pulled　the　noose　off。　Patiently　he　recoiled　the　lasso。

〃That's　what　I　want。　If　I　can　get　her　front　paw　she's　ours。　My　idea　is　to　pull　her　off　the　limb；　let　her　hang　there；　and　then　lasso　her　hind　legs。〃

Another　cast；　the　unlucky　thirteenth；　settled　the　loop　perfectly　round　her　neck。　She　chewed　on　the　rope　with　her　front　teeth　and　appeared　to　have　difficulty　in　holding　it。

〃Easy！　Easy！　Ooze　thet　rope！　Easy！〃　yelled　the　cowboy。

Cautiously　Jones　took　up　the　slack　and　slowly　tightened　the　nose；　then　with　a　quick　jerk；　fastened　it　close　round　her　neck。

We　heralded　this　achievement　with　yells　of　triumph　that　made　the　forest　ring。

Our　triumph　was　short…lived。　Jones　had　hardly　moved　when　the　cougar　shot　straight　out　into　the　air。　The　lasso　caught　on　a　branch；　hauling　her　up　short；　and　there　she　hung　in　mid…air；　writhing；　struggling　and　giving　utterance　to　sounds　terribly　human。　For　several　seconds　she　swung；　slowly　descending；　in　which　frenzied　time　I；　with　ruling　passion　uppermost；　endeavored　to　snap　a　picture　of　her。

The　unintelligible　commands　Jones　was　yelling　to　Frank　and　me　ceased　suddenly　with　a　sharp　crack　of　breaking　wood。　Then　crash！　Jones　fell　out　of　the　tree。　The　lasso　streaked　up；　ran　over　the　limb；　while　the　cougar　dropped　pell…mell　into　the　bunch　of　waiting；　howling　dogs。

The　next　few　moments　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　distinguish　what　actually　transpired。　A　great　flutter　of　leaves　whirled　round　a　swiftly　changing　ball　of　brown　and　black　and　yellow；　from　which　came　a　fiendish　clamor。

Then　I　saw　Jones　plunge　down　the　ravine　and　bounce　here　and　there　in　mad　efforts　to　catch　the　whipping　lasso。　He　was　roaring　in　a　way　that　made　all　his　former　yells　merely　whispers。　Starting　to　run；　I　tripped　on　a　root；　fell　prone　on　my　face　into　the　ravine；　and　rolled　over　and　over　until　I　brought　up　with　a　bump　against　a　rock。

What　a　tableau　rivited　my　gaze！　It　staggered　me　so　I　did　not　think　of　my　camera。　I　stood　transfixed　not　fifteen　feet　from　the　cougar。　She　sat　on　her　haunches　with　body　well　drawn　back　by　the　taut　lasso　to　which　Jones　held　tightly。　Don　was　standing　up　with　her；　upheld　by　the　hooked　claws　in　his　head。　The　cougar　had　her　paws　outstretched；　her　mouth　open　wide；　showing　long；　cruel；　white　fangs；　she　was　trying　to　pull　the　head　of　the　dog　to　her。　Don　held　back　with　all　his　power；　and　so　did　Jones。　Moze　and　Sounder　were　tussling　round　her　body。　Suddenly　both　ears　of　the　dog　pulled　out；　slit　into　ribbons。　Don　had　never　uttered　a　sound；　and　once　free；　he　made　at　her　again　with　open　jaws。　One　blow　sent　him　reeling　and　stunned。　Then　began　again　that　wrestling　whirl。

〃Beat　off　the　dogs！　Beat　off　the　dogs！〃　roared　Jones。　〃She'll　kill　them！　She'll　kill　them！〃

Frank　and　I　seized　clubs　and　ran　in　upon　the　confused　furry　mass；　forgetful　of　peril　to　ourselves。　In　the　wild　contagion　of　such　a　savage　moment　the　minds　of　men　revert　wholly　to　primitive　instincts。　We　swung　our　clubs　and　yelled；　we　fought　all　over　the　bottom　of　the　ravine；　crashing　through　the　bushes；　over　logs　and　stones。　I　actually　felt　the　soft　fur　of　the　cougar　at　one　fleeting　instant。　The　dogs　had　the　strength　born　of　insane　fighting　spirit。　At　last　we　pulled　them　to　where　Don　lay；　half…stunned；　and　with　an　arm　tight　round　each；　I　held　them　while　Frank　turned　to　help　Jones。

The　disheveled　Jones；　bloody；　grim　as　death；　his　heavy　jaw　locked；　stood　holding　to　the　lasso。　The　cougar；　her　sides　shaking　with　short；　quick　pants；　crouched　low　on　the　ground　with　eyes　of　purple　fire。

〃For　God's　sake；　get　a　half…hitch　on　the　saplin'！〃　called　the　cowboy。

His　quick　grasp　of　the　situation　averted　a　tragedy。　Jones　was　nearly　exhausted；　even　as　he　was　beyond　thinking　for　himself　or　giving　up。　The　cougar　sprang；　a　yellow；　frightful　flash。　Even　as　she　was　in　the　air；　Jones　took　a　quick　step　to　one　side　and　dodged　as　he　threw　his　lasso　round　the　sapling。　She　missed　him；　but　one　alarmingly　outstretched　paw　grazed　his　shoulder。　A　twist　of　Jones's　big　hand　fastened　the　lassoand　Kitty　was　a　prisoner。　While　she　fought；　rolled；　twisted；　bounded；　whirled；　writhed　with　hissing；　snarling　fury；　Jones　sat　mopping　the　sweat　and　blood　from　his　face。

Kitty's　efforts　were　futile；　she　began　to　weaken　from　the　choking。　Jones　took　another　rope；　and　tightening　a　noose　around　her　back　paws；　which　he　lassoed　as　she　rolled　over；　he　stretched　her　out。　She　began　to　contract　her　supple　body；　gave　a　savage；　convulsive　spring；　which　pulled　Jones　flat　on　the　ground；　then　the　terrible　wrestling　started　again。　The　lasso　slipped　over　her　back　paws。　She　leaped　the　whole　length　of　the　other　lasso。　Jones　caught　it　and　fastened　it　more　securely；　but　this　precaution　proved　unnecessary；　for　she　suddenly　sank　down　either　exhausted　or　choked；　and　gasped　with　her　tongue　hanging　out。　Frank　slipped　the　second　noose　over　her　back　paws；　and　Jones　did　likewise　with　a　third　lasso　over　her　right　front　paw。　These　lassoes　Jones　tied　to　different　saplings。

〃Now　you　are　a　good　Kitty；〃　said　Jones；　kneeling　by　her。　He　took　a　pair　of　clippers　from　his　hip　pocket；　and　grasping　a　paw　in　his　powerful　fist　he　calmly　clipped　the　points　of　the　dangerous　claws。　This　done；　he　called　to　me　to　get　the　collar　and　chain　that　were　tied　to　his　saddle。　I　procured　them　and　hurried　back。　Then　the　old　buffalo　hunter　loosened　the　lasso　which　was　round　her　neck；　and　as　soon　as　she　could　move　her　head；　he　teased　her　to　bite　a　club。　She　broke　two　good　sticks　with　her　sharp　teeth；　but　the　third；　being　solid；　did　not　break。　While　she　was　chewing　it　Jones　forced　her　head　back　and　placed　his　heavy　knee　on　the　club。　In　a　twinkling　he　had　strapped　the　collar　round　her　neck。　The　chain　he　made　fast　to　the　sapling。　After　removing　the　club　from　her　mouth　he　placed　his　knee　on　her　neck；　and　while　her　head　was　in　this　helpless　position　he　dexterously　slipped　a　loop　of　thick　copper　wire　over　her　nose；　pushed　it　back　and　twisted　it　tight　Following　this；　all　done　with　speed　and　precision；　he　took　from