the last of the plainsmen-第47章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
se 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 his pocket a piece of steel rod； perhaps one…quarter of an inch thick； and five inches long。 He pushed this between Kitty's jaws； just back of her great white fangs； and in front of the copper wire。 She had been shorn of her sharp weapons； she was muzzled； bound； helpless； an object to pity。
Lastly Jones removed the three lassoes。 Kitty slowly gathered her lissom body in a ball and lay panting； with the same brave wildfire in her eyes。 Jones stroked her black…tipped ears and ran his hand down her glossy fur。 All the time he had kept up a low monotone； talking to her in the strange language he used toward animals。 Then he rose to his feet。
〃We'll go back to camp now； and get a pack； saddle and horse；〃 he said。 〃She'll be safe here。 We'll rope her again； tie her up； throw her over a pack…saddle； and take her to camp。〃
To my utter bewilderment the hounds suddenly commenced fighting among themselves。 Of all the vicious bloody dog…fights I ever saw that was the worst。 I began to belabor them with a club； and Frank sprang to my assistance。 Beating had no apparent effect。 We broke a dozen sticks； and then Frank grappled with Moze and I with Sounder。 Don kept on fighting either one till Jones secured him。 Then we all took a rest； panting and weary。
〃What's it mean？〃 I ejaculated； appealing to Jones。
〃Jealous； that's all。 Jealous over the lion。〃
We all remained seated； men and hounds； a sweaty； dirty； bloody； ragged group。 I discovered I was sorry for Kitty。 I forgot all the carcasses of deer and horses； the brutality of this species of cat； and even forgot the grim； snarling yellow devil that had leaped at me。 Kitty was beautiful and helpless。 How brave she was； too！ No sign of fear shone in her wonderful eyes； only hate； defiance； watchfulness。
On the ride back to camp Jones expressed himself thus： 〃How happy I am that I can keep this lion and the others we are going to capture； for my own。 When I was in the Yellowstone Park I did not get to keep one of the many I captured。 The military officials took them from me。〃
When we reached camp Lawson was absent； but fortunately Old Baldy browsed near at hand； and was easily caught。 Frank said he would rather take Old Baldy for the cougar than any other horse we had。 Leaving me in camp； he and Jones rode off to fetch Kitty。
About five o'clock they came trotting up through the forest with Jim； who had fallen in with them on the way。 Old Baldy had remained true to his famenothing； not even a cougar bothered him。 Kitty； evidently no worse for her experience； was chained to a pine tree about fifty feet from the campfire。
Wallace came riding wearily in； and when he saw the captive； he greeted us with an exultant yell。 He got there just in time to see the first special features of Kitty's captivity。 The hounds surrounded her； and could not be called off。 We had to beat them。 Whereupon the six jealous canines fell to fighting among themselves； and fought so savagely as to be deaf to our cries and insensible to blows。 They had to be torn apart and chained。
About six o'clock Lawson loped in with the horses。 Of course he did not know we had a cougar； and no one seemed interested enough to inform him。 Perhaps only Frank and I thought of it； but I saw a merry snap in Frank's eyes； and kept silent。 Kitty had hidden behind the pine tree。 Lawson； astride Jones' pack horse； a crochety animal； reined in just abreast of the tree； and leisurely threw his leg over the saddle。 Kitty leaped out to the extent of her chain； and fairly exploded in a frightful cat…spit。
Lawson had stated some time before that he was afraid of cougars； which was a weakness he need not have divulged in view of what happened。 The horse plunged； throwing him ten feet； and snorting in terror； stampeded with the rest of the bunch and disappeared among the pines。
〃Why the hell didn't you tell a feller？〃 reproachfully growled the Arizonian。 Frank and Jim held each other upright； and the rest of us gave way to as hearty if not as violent mirth。
We had a gay supper； during which Kitty sat her pine and watched our every movement。
〃We'll rest up for a day or two；〃 said Jones 〃Things have commenced to come our way。 If I'm not mistaken we'll bring an old Tom alive into camp。 But it would never do for us to get a big Tom in the fix we had Kitty to…day。 You see； I wanted to lasso her front paw； pull her off the limb； tie my end of the lasso to the tree； and while she hung I'd go down and rope her hind paws。 It all went wrong to…day； and was as tough a job as I ever handled。〃
Not until late next morning did Lawson corral all the horses。 That day we lounged in camp mending broken bridles； saddles； stirrups； lassoes； boots； trousers； leggins； shirts and even broken skins。
During this time I found Kitty a most interesting study。 She reminded me of an enormous yellow kitten。 She did not appear wild or untamed until approached。 Then she slowly sank down； laid back her ears； opened her mouth and hissed and spat； at the same time throwing both paws out viciously。 Kitty may have rested； but did not sleep。 At times she fought her chain； tugging and straining at it； and trying to bite it through。 Everything in reach she clawed； particularly the bark of the tree。 Once she tried to hang herself by leaping over a low limb。 When any one walked by her she crouched low； evidently imagining herself unseen。 If one of us walked toward her； or looked at her； she did not crouch。 At other times； noticeably when no one was near； she would roll on her back and extend all four paws in the air。 Her actions were beautiful； soft； noiseless； quick and subtle。
The day passed； as all days pass in camp； swiftly and pleasantly； and twilight stole down upon us round the ruddy fire。 The wind roared in the pines and lulled to repose； the lonesome； friendly coyote barked； the bells on the hobbled horses jingled sweetly； the great watch stars blinked out of the blue。
The red glow of the burning logs lighted up Jones's calm； cold face。 Tranquil； unalterable and peaceful it seemed； yet beneath the peace I thought I saw a suggestion of wild restraint； of mystery； of unslaked life。
Strangely enough； his next words confirmed my last thought。
〃For forty years I've had an ambition。 It's to get possession of an island in the Pacific； somewhere between Vancouver and Alaska； and then go to Siberia and capture a lot of Russian sables。 I'd put them on the island and cross them with our silver foxes。 I'm going to try it next year if I can find the time。〃
The ruling passion and character determine our lives。 Jones was sixty…three years old； yet the thing that had ruled and absorbed his mind was still as strong as the longing for freedom in Kitty's wild heart。
Hours after I had crawled into my sleeping…bag； in the silence of night I heard her working to get free。 In darkness she was most active； restless； intense。 I heard the clink of her chain； the crack of her teeth； the scrape of her claws。 How tireless she was。 I recalled the wistful light in her eyes that saw； no doubt； far beyond the campfire to the yellow crags； to the great downward
