Halted By A Mountain Lion

We were driving froru Oakland over ae ridgo that divides Alameda aud Contra Costa counties, three girls bound !or a country danco at Moraga valley, a ittlo settltmient on the Contra Costa ide. It was late in January, aud the íight was pitch davk, bnt as the young aacher who drove knew every inoh of he way we were not afraid. We had made theasceutof tbemounaiu aud were driving down at a good jace when suddeuly the horses stopped, eared and then swerved to ono side, overturning the rockaway and landing us all in the mud on the side of the road. Ko ono was hurt, and as we picked otirselvos up, wondering in a dazed way what the tronble was about, somehins leaped out of the bushes, over the acks of the prostrate horsea and lit in the brush on the lower side of the road. Chere was a fearfnl roar, and then we saw two great, green eyes glaring out of the darkuess. The driver had succeeded in pulling ;he frightened horses to their feet and righting the wagon. He ordered us to jet into our seats, and handing the ines to the girl on the front seat he told lier to hang on for dear life. "Itisa lioh, and he'll jump in another minute, " said the tnan. Then, m we sat speechless fronv fright, the rancher drew bis revolver. There was a scream unlike and more dreadful than anything I had ever heard. Then the great beast rolled a few feet in tho brush aud was still. After the lioraes were quieted and we had reganied our com posure sntílciently, w9 iuuiDcd out of the rockawav. aud. with the aid of matches, examined onr game. It was a splendid young California mountaiu liou, nieasuring about fonr feet iu length. Wo three girls were all very brave when we fonnd the beast was raally daad, so wo helped the driver lift tbe carcass into the back of the wagon and then oontinned our trip, creating a great sonsatiou among the yoaug rustics at the danoe when we told of our adventure. To be sure, we gave the driver credit for the actual killing, but woren't we there when it happened, and didn't we keep quiet, instead of screaining as Iota of girls would liave