234 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
an inch. When they have seen what they wanted to see, or have 
satisfied themselves that all was well, they lower themselves to 
the ground exactly as they reared themselves—on an absolute 
perpendicular, and by slow-motion. Any quick side movement 
might betray their presence or attract the notice of an enemy, 
thus leading to a fatal investigation. 
The opportunity Uncle Dave had long sought came to him 
at a moment when he least suspected—when he entertained not 
the slightest suspicion that the ONE diamond-back he most 
wanted was just around the corner. He had come forth from 
his cold quarters and was treating himself to a sun bath in the 
balmy spring sunshine, just to the rear of the entrance to his 
gopher hole den. At the very sight of his most dreaded enemy 
he seemed to recall that this was none other than the one he 
eluded by less than a stone’s throw on a former occasion, many 
years previous. From the start he resisted in a most deter¬ 
mined manner, opposing every effort to apply the halter. 
Finding himself with the noose firmly about his neck, he strug¬ 
gled with more determination than any rattler the old gentle¬ 
man had ever encountered, finally breaking the string with 
which he was bound. Now he was thoroughly enraged over 
the very thought that any man would attempt to thus humble 
his pride. Rearing his head to a height of two feet or more, 
he began singing his rattles violently, while weaving back and 
forth in a most menacing manner, in the face of which Uncle 
Dave gave ground until he could prepare another noose. Re¬ 
turning to the fray, the old gentleman soon had him in harness 
again. He struggled and thrashed the ground with such violence 
that he broke off fully one-half of his long string of rattles, but 
all to no avail. Feeling that he now had him somewhat subdued, 
Uncle Dave commenced dragging him toward an open spot 
of ground, but little realizing the thoughts that were taking 
definite form in the old wizard’s mind. Passing between two 
large shrub oaks, the rattler suddenly threw his giant form 
into a broad “S,” thus binding his body between the two oaks. 
At the same instant, timing the two maneuvers perfectly, he 
gave a determined jerk against the .string, breaking the noose 
a second time. His anger now knew no bounds. Uncle Dave 
