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like a mad bull。 With both arms round him I held on。 I vowed never to let him get down that slide。 He howled and tore； but I held on。 My big black horse with ears laid back stood like a rock。
I heard the pattering of little sliding rocks below； stealthy padded footsteps and hard panting breaths； almost like coughs； then the lion passed out of the slide not twenty feet away。 He saw us； and sprang into the pinyon scrub with the leap of a scared deer。
Samson himself could no longer have held Moze。 Away he darted with his sharp； angry bark。 I flung myself upon Satan and rode out to see Jones ahead and Frank flashing through the green on the white horse。
At the end of the pinyon thicket Satan overhauled Jones's bay； and we entered the open forest together。 We saw Frank glinting across the dark pines。
〃Hi！ Hi！〃 yelled the Colonel。
No need was there to whip or spur those magnificent horses。 They were fresh； the course was open； and smooth as a racetrack； and the impelling chorus of the hounds was in full 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 tufte