ArchibaldRoger’scowhandshaveinthismannercaughtseveralbears，onornearhisranchontheGrayBull，whichflowsintotheBighorn；
andthoseofMr。G。B。Grinnellhavealsooccasionallydoneso。Anysetofmoderatelygoodropersandriders，whoareaccustomedtobackoneanotherupandacttogether，canaccomplishthefeatiftheyhavesmoothgroundandplentyofroom。Itis，however，indeedafeatofskillanddaringforasingleman；andyetIhaveknownofmorethanoneinstanceinwhichithasbeenaccomplishedbysomerecklessknightoftheropeandthesaddle。Onesuchoccurredin1887ontheFlatheadReservation，theherobeingahalf-breed；andanotherin1890atthemouthoftheBighorn，whereacowboyroped，bound，andkilledalargebearsingle-handed。
MyfriendGeneral\"Red\"Jackson，ofBellemeade，inthepleasantmid-
countyofTennessee，oncedidafeatwhichcastsintotheshadeeventhefeatsofthemenofthelariat。GeneralJackson，whoafterwardsbecameoneoftheablestandmostrenownedoftheConfederatecavalryleaders，wasatthetimeayoungofficerintheMountedRifleRegiment，nowknownasthe3rdUnitedStatesCavalry。ItwassomeyearsbeforetheCivilWar，andtheregimentwasondutyintheSouthwest，thenthedebatablelandofComancheandApache。WhileonascoutafterhostileIndians，thetroopsintheirmarchrousedalargegrislywhichspedoffacrosstheplaininfrontofthem。Strictordershadbeenissuedagainstfiringatgame，becauseofthenearnessoftheIndians。YoungJacksonwasamanofgreatstrength，akeenswordsman，whoalwayskeptthefinestedgeonhisblade，andhewasonaswiftandmettledKentuckyhorse，whichluckilyhadbutoneeye。Ridingatfullspeedhesoonovertookthequarry。Asthehorsehoofssoundednearer，thegrimbearceaseditsflight，andwhirlingroundstoodatbay，raisingitselfonitshind-legsandthreateningitspursuerwithbaredfangsandspreadclaws。Carefullyridinghishorsesothatitsblindsideshouldbetowardsthemonster，thecavalrymansweptbyatarun，handlinghissteedwithsuchdaringskillthathejustclearedtheblowofthedreadedfore-paw，whilewithonemightysabrestrokehecleftthebear’sskull，slayingthegrinningbeastasitstoodupright。
CHAPTERV。