, 1877-08-17


ages from view almost in a moment. Les
! lie was badly wounded and bleeding rap
idly. but he managed to keep his seat
for two or three miles, gradually grow
ing weak and dizzy, however, and expect.
ing at every leap 10 be hurled to the
ground.
suddenly the Crisi, came aS the horse
gave an unusual spring to clear q small
stream, On went the terrified animal at
a swifter gait than before, bot poor Les
lie fell like a dead man into the dashing
current of the brook,
Fortunate frr him Was it that he
dropped where he did, for the cold bath
revived him at once, and a. he crept
down the stream in search of "A hiding
place the waters covered his trail from
the pursuing ShawNnese.
A moment brought him to an over
hanging bank upheld by the roots of a
large tree, beneath which he crept as the
only concealment possible for him to gain,
with one useless limb and such deathly
weakness. But as he was painfully
crawling under the bank another danger
appeared.
An enormous panther, probably at
tracted by the smell of fresh blood, en-
tered upon the scene, and spying the
wounded man, sprang tiercely up the
trunk of leaning tree few feet away,
to watch him like cat about to seize a
mouse. The position of the leaning tree
was such that when Leslie had perfected
his concealment as well as he could, there
was still an opening among the roots,
through which he and the panther looked
each other in the face .'.t....
This state of affairs continued for half
an hour sr more, the creature lashing its
tail and drawing its claws along the bark
of the tree, as if just about to spring,
when Leslie knew from the beasts sud-
den change of action that the Indians
were approaching.
The poor fellows suspense was agoniz-
ing as the panther turned around aud be-
gan to howl at the presence of the new
foe. Having traced victim to the hole
among the roots, the great cat was en-
ragged at the appearance of rival to its
feast of blood.
But the interval was brief. Again the
sharp crack of guns rang out, and the fu-
rious creature sprang into the air and fell
heavily on the ground out of Leslie's
sight.
Then he surmised, from the sounds,
that the red men were removing the pan
theirs hide, aud for half an hour longer
he was ON the rack of anxiety lest they
should discover his hiding-place.
But to his indescribable relief he gath
cred from few half English words that
they intended to follow the horses trail,
not knowing that the rider had dropped
from his seat and was near them.
In little time he heard their tread as
they crossed the roots within a couple
of yards Of his head and fastened away
ION the pursuit.
But had not the horse been also wound
ed so as to mark its continued flight with
blood, the savageS doubtless would have
come back to the brook where Leslie fell
and searched him out. Little cared they
for the injured animal, and much for the
scalp of its rider; but the continuous red
trail deceived them, and saved him.
AS it was, be did not dare stir from his
hiding-place until the afternoon of the
next day, lest, returning past the place,
they might discover him. |
All this time he was half immersed in
water, and suffering untold agonies from
his wound.
Finally, toward night Of the second day,
after nearly thirty-six hours in living
grave, he crawled forth, like hunted
fox, from its lair At first he put out his
head to look and listen; and then, dis
covering nothing alarming, he crept fee
bly, into the open mir,
But ahl what situation for wound
ed and exhausted man, long days jour
ney from the nearest help, and surround
ed by an unfriendly wilderness. His
rifle he had left with his wife for her de-
fence if needed, for pioneer women were
often expert with gun; and hence his
hunting knife was his only weapon.
But he was more troubled concerning
his girl wife, alone in the distant cabin,
than about himself a' .a
The pain of his wounded limb was for
gotten in the keener anguish of fear lest
the blood thirsty Shawanese should fol-
low the trail to the stockade and succeed
in killing or capturing the woman who
constituted its only garrison.
AS he lay on the autumn leaves in the
afternoon sunshine, filed with such fore
bodings, hunger began to clamor within
him, and crawling painfully to the car.
cass of the panther, he cut off and tried
to eat some of this most unsavory meat.
At this moment the faint jarring of
distant steps came through the forest 81
lence to his ears, and feeling his inability
to defend himself from even the smallest
danger, he turned and began to creep
back toward the hiding place.
While he is thus engaged, let us look
into the cabin and see how Annie is far
ing.
Knowing well her own perilous situa-
ton, she kept argus watch during Les
lies absence; and toward the evening OF