The Last of the Plainsmen 



near that scrub pirion, this side of the hole. If I 

 rope him, I can use that tree.&quot; 



Then he turned to me : 



&quot; Are you to be depended on here? &quot; 



&quot;I? What do you want me to do? &quot; I demanded, 

 and my whole breast seemed to sink in. 



&quot; You cut across the head of this slope and take 

 up your position in the slide below the cave, say 

 just by that big stone. From there you can command 

 the cave, our position and your own. Now, if it is 

 necessary to kill this lion to save me or Frank, or, of 

 course, yourself, can you be depended upon to kill 

 him?&quot; 



I felt a queer sensation around my heart and a 

 strange tightening of the skin upon my face ! What 

 a position for me to be placed in ! For one instant 

 I shook like a quivering aspen leaf. Then because 

 of the pride of a man, or perhaps inherited instincts 

 cropping out at this perilous moment, I looked up 

 and answered quietly: 



&quot;Yes. I will kill him !&quot; 



&quot; Old Tom is cornered, and he ll come out. He 

 can run only two ways : along this trail, or down that 

 slide. I ll take my stand by the scrub pinon there so 

 I can get a hitch if I rope him. Frank, when I give 

 the word, let the dogs go. Grey, you block the slide. 

 If he makes at us, even if I do get my rope on him, 



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