Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-11-07


up the trail, but it might be some time
before they could fall on the traces,
and in the meantime here we were be-
sieged by wild beast as cunning as it
was cruel.
The most exposed point Of our for
tress was the little window in the ga
BILE. The shutter opened nearly flush
with the floor, and beneath was lit
tie lean-to form the roof, Of which the
window could easily be reached, and
| knew that the boards would no. long
sustain the attack of those claws
The beast might not, however, find
out this point, and, in the meantime, it
behooved us to keep as quiet as posi-
bic. lie might get tired of waiting
ard Watching and 90 away, but even
if he did, we should never dare to stir
from our shelter.
My greatest fear was that the horses
might go home, and that my husband,
on thinking Of nothing worse than the
overtuln, might come to look for us,
unarmed and defenseless. My mind
was so full of this dread that | do not
think | fully realized the terrors Of my
own position,
Diana, happily, was not one Of those
girls whose first impulse in any danger
is to scream. She slipped down on the
boards, and, laying her head in my lap,
held Dicks hand tight, but she did not
say a word, nor utter cry.
Dick was far more moved than his
sister. He trembled all over, and turn
ed on me a face so white and misera-
BILE, that in all our distress | was con-
scious of a surprised feeling at seeing
boyof his spirit and character so over
come.
"All is not hopeless yet" said, in
a Whisper
"Oh, Mrs Graham" said he, "it's
all my fault
"Your fault? how can that be?'
"Oh, I've been such a selt-willed
fool When | went for the horses ]
met Mr.. Moore, and he told me he had
Just heard that the tiger had got loose,
and / never let him know that we were
going to Galoosa, because | was sure
if I did he'd come up and put a stop
to our rides and | Inever told Mr. Bruce,
and | didn't want to drive round by
the mill, for | thought the Captain
might have heard, and all because |
was so determined to show | could
drive and to have my own way, and
do what I'd set out to do, and |
wouldn't believe there was any danger
till after we had started, and then ii
began to come over me what | had
done, and that was why | wanted to
take the short road, and now | have
killed you and Diana and poor Dick
hid his face with a moan of remorse
and despair.
Poor Dick Many piece of boyish
willfuness and self-confidence had l
known in my time, but none that seem
ed likely to bear such bitter fruit.
"Oh, Dick y was all that Diana said.
1t was no time for reproaches, and |
used none, | am glad to think but |
confess that for a few moments | felt
bitterly resentful,
The beast below, hearing our voices,
reared himself on his hind-leGs, and,
as his head nearly touched the boards
on which we stood, he tore at the wall
with his claws until the whole house
shook, and the great splinters flew from
the solid-oak logs.
He switched his tail to and fro, and
whined and chartered his teeth like an
angry cat that sees a bird just out of
her reach, and then resumed his swift, |
restless movements to and fro. lcould
not but gaze with sort of Mortified
admiration at the creatures dreadful
beauty, the union of perfect grace and
tremendous power displayed in every
motion The dog pressed close to my
side, and licked my hand; ard then,
as the tiger repassed the opening in
floor, he set up his bristles with low
deep growl. don't know how long
we sat together there on the floor in
the twilight. The garret was hot and
close, but we dared open the shutter
for a breath Of air
Altera while, our foe seemed to weary |
of his restless march, and, throwing his |
vast weight and length along the floor
lay with his eyes fixed on the hold in
the ceiling like cat watching mouse
hole. Even now sometimes in dream
| see those eyes as | saw them then.
1t began to grow toward dusk, and
the light there was in our prison grew
DINNER.
Suddenly the dog began scratching at
the window-shutter, as though anxious
to get out | tried to quiet him, but in
vain and then, longing for a breath of
fresh air. vcntured to open the shutter
by fingers breadth.
The instant | did SO, the dog forced
his way through, and from the roof Of
the little shed sprung to the ground, and
sped away into the swamp, but not
toward home.
| boled the shutter instantly, but the
noise had reused the tiger, and, starting
to his feet, he made the place echo and
rc-echo with his hoarse roar.
Had he been genuine wild beast,
used to providing for himself and to
for his own dinner, our lease of
life would have been short but, having
been brough up in cage, he was not
acute enough to look for another open
ing into the place, where his expected