e 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