Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-11-22
SAVED BY A PANTHER

MS nAhu nj IL When an through.
We were weather bound at rude
Western inn, almost upon the verge Of
civilization. The day just past bad been
a stormy one, and We had got through it
as best we could Now, as the darkness
came on early. and the long evening
loomed up before US. we gathered about
the roaring fire Of huge logs, which burn.
ed bravey upon the hearth. and prepared
to pass it away by story telling, device
TO which travellers in our situation are al
WAYS prone 60 resort.
The one who had been appealed to for
u e FIRST story was a man of some Fifty
years Of age. who had lollowed The occu-
patton Of peddlel. II, had the best
turnout ia the Stable which that part Of
the country had ever seen in his line
though he had told Us that once he md
for years carried pack on his back. But
by his own exertion. and industry he had
risen above that now, sud had snug
sum laid up again the time when he
should give up hi. business, and take the
remaining years Of his life in an easier
way.
We gave our consent To his conditions.
and he at once com mmeuced his story.
Iti now nearly fifteen years sgo thst
the adventure beiell me which am about
to relate.
1T WAS before / gave up my pack for a
7 Il at.I I I. 4 i
made up my mind that | could afford it,
/ ! WAS travelling through wild section df
country wilder, # possible, than this
about US here. Between the settlements
there were long stretches of forests Glled
with wild beasts, and now and then you
came upon band Of strolling savages.
Besides these there was the usual class
Of villains, b0rse-thieves. ana rrnegndee.
who would not hesitate To take mans
life, it they thought it to their advantage
10 do so.
One night I stopped at tavern which
stood in the last IF little settlement Of
not more than dozen lng houses. / hid
been The round Of them. and drove what
bargains ] could, and in the morning
wss to 60 on, ut r. early an hour a. posi-.
bic, for / learned hat 1 bad nearly
score Of miles to go before l should reach
the next settlement.
Tn the evening there was assembled in
the bar-room all of the male denizeus Of
the place, and among them was one
whom | ut once set down as villain.
Ills looks plainly showed that there was
little he would hesitate to do, If in the
end there WIS anything To gain. Again
and again l caught him looking toward
my pack, which ! bad placed in one cor
ner OF the room, near the bar and al
once | felt sure he Was looking at me a.
though calculating whether or no ! should
be dangerous antagonist 10 case he
should rob me OF it. The more saw of
him, the less liked his looks, and felt
relieved when at last he left the room for
home.
/ WIS up betimss tho next morning, |
and, rs seon as | had finished my break |
fast, ! started. A. ] left the settlement |
behind me, ! could not help CHANGING |
whom ] had formed so poor an opinion
was not following me ; but he was not To
be seen. HArdy anyone was stlring out |
Of doors, and here was liltle lie except /
about the tavern, or where the white
smoke curied up above the roof of each
cabin.
Once within the forest, ] hurried on,
desiring to put as great distance Ms |
could between me- and the settlement in |
as i'tle time as possible.
A feeling of danger oppressed me, |
which found impossible to shake of. |
am not naturally timid or given to present
ments, as many are bLton this occasion
there was sort of fear upon me Of which |
could not rid myself, try MS hard as |
might.
'Ali The morning kept on in this way
and by noon I felt that had put such
distance between myself and the settle,
ment that | had no longer cause to cear
any one | had left behind ma.
As / bad learned from tho landlord !
that should not be able to reach any
human hahitation before nightall, I had |
taken my dinner along and now feeling
the need ct it, sat down by the edge Of |
clear stream which crossed the road, |
and commenced my noouliGe meal. Only |
a man who walked as | had done TINT
morning can know the relish had Tor
the bread and mpat which had been pro
vided for me, and when the generous
supply had disappeared | almost wished |
That there had been more.
The extra excrtion had made, and |
the hearty meal Of which had partaken,
made me sleepy, and piacng my pack |
under my head. / closed my eyes, think.
ing ] would Iake few minutes rest be, |
fore going onward.
4 did not mean TO sleep, vet in less
than five minutes / was unconscious OF |
All that was passing around me. How |
long | slept | know not Itmight nave
been few minutes, or it might have
been an hour, but / awoke Mt last with II |
start, and a sense OF some great danger |
hanging over me. / did not start up, or |
move hand or foot. certain something |
| could not tell What, seemed TO chain me
down.
i opened my eyes and looked about me.
but saw nothing and | was just on the
point Of making motion to get upon mg
feet, when l heard tie slight cracking
Of a branch above my head Looking up /
in the direction of the sound, ! beheld
sight which almost froze the marrow in |