Lobo, Rag and Vixen | Page 7

and he had galloped about in a reckless manner
that was very unusual with him. I had half expected this, and had set a
number of additional traps about the pasture. Afterward I found that he
had indeed fallen into one of these, but such was his strength, he had
torn himself loose and cast it aside.
I believed that he would continue in the neighborhood until he found
her body at least, so I concentrated all my energies on this one
enterprise of catching him before he left the region, and while yet in
this reckless mood. Then I realized what a mistake I had made in
killing Blanca, for by using her as a decoy I might have secured him
the next night.
I gathered in all the traps I could command, one hundred and thirty
strong steel wolf-traps, and set them in fours in every trail that led into

the cañon; each trap was separately fastened to a log, and each log was
separately buried. In burying them, I carefully removed the sod and
every particle of earth that was lifted we put in blankets, so that after
the sod was replaced and all was finished the eye could detect no trace
of human handiwork. When the traps were concealed I trailed the body
of poor Blanca over each place, and made of it a drag that circled all
about the ranch, and finally I took off one of her paws and made with it
a line of tracks over each trap. Every precaution and device known to
me I used, and retired at a late hour to await the result.
Once during the night I thought I heard Old Lobo, but was not sure of it.
Next day I rode around, but darkness came on before I completed the
circuit of the north cañon, and I had nothing to report. At supper one of
the cowboys said, "There was a great row among the cattle in the north
cañon this morning, maybe there is something in the traps there." It was
afternoon of the next day before I got to the place referred to, and as I
drew near a great grizzly form arose from the ground, vainly
endeavoring to escape, and there revealed before me stood Lobo, King
of the Currumpaw, firmly held in the traps. Poor old hero, he had never
ceased to search for his darling, and when he found the trail her body
had made he followed it recklessly, and so fell into the snare prepared
for him. There he lay in the iron grasp of all four traps, perfectly
helpless, and all around him were numerous tracks showing how the
cattle had gathered about him to insult the fallen despot, without daring
to approach within his reach. For two days and two nights he had lain
there, and now was worn out with struggling. Yet, when I went near
him, he rose up with bristling mane and raised his voice, and for the
last time made the cañon reverberate with his deep bass roar, a call for
help, the muster call of his band. But there was none to answer him,
and, left alone in his extremity, he whirled about with all his strength
and made a desperate effort to get at me. All in vain, each trap was a
dead drag of over three hundred pounds, and in their relentless fourfold
grasp, with great steel jaws on every foot, and the heavy logs and
chains all entangled together, he was absolutely powerless. How his
huge ivory tusks did grind on those cruel chains, and when I ventured
to touch him with my rifle-barrel he left grooves on it which are there
to this day. His eyes glared green with hate and fury, and his jaws
snapped with a hollow 'chop,' as he vainly endeavored to reach me and

my trembling horse. But he was worn out with hunger and struggling
and loss of blood, and he soon sank exhausted to the ground.
Something like compunction came over me, as I prepared to deal out to
him that which so many had suffered at his hands.
"Grand old outlaw, hero of a thousand lawless raids, in a few minutes
you will be but a great load of carrion. It cannot be otherwise." Then I
swung my lasso and sent it whistling over his head. But not so fast; he
was yet far from being subdued, and, before the supple coils had fallen
on his neck he seized the noose and, with one fierce chop, cut through
its hard thick strands, and dropped it in two pieces at his feet.
Of course I had my rifle as a last resource, but I did not wish to spoil
his royal hide, so I galloped back