The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1861-04-13

iSltpuuiellS1hon Was pun to- the keeneAt
tension; q rod further, aud Ne might be
under the eye 81 the hidden panther, and
instantly be faced BY It's overwhelmina
spring Besides the hunter being IN mo.
ton, and the foe III cover, The latter pos
sessed d dangerous advantage III point Of
discovery The aching suspense of such
a moment must have been almost intoler.
able AT this moment 4 tifnid hunter
would have given bis ear to the snggesl
tons Of prudence, or Of that fear which
sometimes bears snch name; and quietly
backed ont As for Cheney. this har.
rowing suspense only strung TO sharper
tension nerves Of tried steel. Always
keeping in the shelter Of tree, he crept
on q few rods further. Ii I'M, 1. (.
Il BY this time, the hound, with back
bristling, and nttering low means, came
back to his masters feet; no urging could
force him to move on single foot with
out his master: Cheney was sure that al
that instant he could not be i dozen rods
from the pantherj indeed, he was certain
that the crowded jam of hemIock before
him was the cover The hunter felt at
that instant that the ferocious beast was
only waiting to catch him clear from the
shelter Of the protecting trees to make q
spring, The hunter felt himself sheltered
behind his stronghold, an enormous hem
lock, and coolly made ready for the final
scene Of the lonely but terribly exciting
drama, He planted his hatchet In the
snow, freshly capped bis weapon, ard got
q second charge Of powder and lead ready
to hand. Now, al ready, keeping his
body sheltered, he begins to search inch
BY inch, and foot by foot, the dense mass
Of heInlock beyond He knows his feline
fellow.actor is there Yet so perfectly
was the panther hidden, that for tortur.
| ing half hour the hunter strained bis eyes
in vain. Suddenly q quick whine from
the hound hugging his feet, s.artles him;
| following the dog is riveted gaze q moment,
loi the dim outline Of the savage by slow,
blood-chilling degrees grows upon the
hunters view, developing, az Il were, into
shape from the dense mass Of hemIock
sprayl The panther was hngging close
TO o giant limb in the fork. Of q tree,
scarcely a hundred feet distant. 1t was
motionless, saye It's yellow eyes, which
now began to scintIlIate like sparks Of
fire: twas not a moment for hesitation.
The hunter took single stride from bis
shelter, caught q, sight, aud With the
Iqniekness Of Thought fired The ball
meant for the creatures head only broke
his shoulder. The smoke of the discharge
had not yet risen; the panthrr's curdling
scream Of pain had scarcely riyeR the
forest stiffness before Cheney was shelter.
ed and ready to try again *:' .:.E-'., I.
Until: the panther eau get an unob.
strIeted sight, it will hardly. ever spring.
But the wounded animal was emitting
Epiercing cries, and its powerful tail was
rapidly laslling its tanks. Again the
hunter stepped ont; It was but amoment's
glance, yet he saw the flaming eyes, the
tstretched and foam.dripping jaws, the
irory.white claws that riveted themselves
into the great branch npon which the
panther yet lay. The fifle.balI was quick.
Ter than the panther's spring, for just as II
Esallied back upon its launches for the
bound, the missile, this time true, smete
/ II fairly between the eyes The shot was
Instantly fatal; its steel.sprung limbs re.
Taxing, and the keen claws loosening theii
1 grip in the wood where they had beer
halt. buried, the panther fell crashing
through the branches Mt the hunters feet
| dead. I: = - IL Il. .S. !, y.
After "Toaey's tale" it was not .
thought to fall eomplacently asleep upon
that We were this night in the once favor
lite retreat Of this animal. However, TIL
fire was heaped with wood, aud a rudd!
blaze aided to dissolve the incubus of fea
THAT had erept upon the listeners during
Etbe guides story. III