THE COWARDLY COUGAR 



"Pack out a live lion?" I inquired, in dis- 

 may. " Out ot there?" 



1 ' Sure ! You're a big, strong guy . ' ' 



For some unaccountable reason Ambrose 

 seconded this fantastic idea. He seconded it 

 with enthusiasm. 



"We'll do that very little thing!" he cried. 



It is true I am big and strong, but my 

 strength was not equal to this unfeeling pro- 

 posal. I became giddy and my knees gave 

 way. When I revived, some one had propped 

 Fred against a tree and was holding snow to 

 his temples. 



Alas, the power of an evil suggestion! It 

 recurs. It grows until it obsesses the mind of 

 its unhappy victim. This phenomenon, I am 

 told, accounts for much crime. That extrava- 

 gant proposal to subdue a wild lion and to 

 take it out of the canon alive preyed upon us. 

 It was preposterous, absurd ; nevertheless, we 

 could not escape it, once it had taken root in 

 our brains. The very monstrosity of the idea 

 rendered it hideously fascinating, and we were 

 drawn to it as moths are drawn to a flame. 

 We had come to Arizona to rest and to re- 

 cuperate; we didn't want to pack anything 

 into or out of any canon, much less this one. 



