Nevada County picayune., 1886-08-04

along with me, and now, feeling the need of it, l sat down by the edge of a clear stream whi ch crossed the road, and commenced my noontide meal. Only a man who had walked as 1 had done this morning can know the relish l had for the bread aud meat which had been provided for me, aud when the generous supply had disap- peared 1 almost wished there had been more.
 "The extra cxertiOn I had made, and the hearty meal of which had partaken, made me sleepy, and, placing my pack under my head, closed my eyes, thinking would take few minutes rest before continuing my jorney.
 ] q did not mean to go to sleep yet in less than i've minutes 1 had lost con sciousness of all that was going on around me. How long l slept know not. It might have been an hour, but l awoke at last with a start. and sense of some great danger hanging over me. l did not start up or move hand or foot. A certain something, could not tell what, chained me down.
 "I opened my eyes and looked about me, but saw nothing. and ] was just On the point of making a motion to get on my feet, when ] heard slight crankling of brush above my head Looking in the direction of the sound, 1 bcheld a sight that almost frOze the marrow in my bones, and seemed to turn my blood to ice. X huge panther was crouching there, ready for a spring upon me.
 As motIonless as one dead l lay there and gazed upon my terri blc enemy. To stir as much az a hand l knew would be the signal for the beast to spring upon me. Its fiery eyes were fixed upon my face, and it's tail was gently waiving to and fro. like thai of d eat,
 Hope of escape there seemed none. My doom WITS sealed. The panther had me as surely in his power as though at that moment he had his claws fastened in my flesh. The agony of those few moments l shall remember to my dying day. It hSunts me in my sleep, and often start up in af' ir,2ht, dreaming that the terrible ecene is being enacted over again.
 ".All at once the fiery eyes of the panther were turned from nc, and fixed upon some object q little 10 the right. What could it mean! What new dadger was approach ing me from that directlOni By turning my head little l was en- abled to see what it was. X man was creeping toward mo with knife in hand. He was not a dozen feet from where l lay, and at the first glance l recognized him. It was th. man whom l had made up my mind was william in the tavern the night before, and whom fear ed all the forenoon might he fol- lowing me. The presentment l had was not groundless then. But l had not counted on double danger.
 "Cautiously the william crept to- ward me with murderOus look in his face. A glance showed me one thing was evident. The viii Han, while he sought to murder me, was not aware of his own dan. ger, for the panther no longer kept his eyes on me. It was watching closely every motion of the william, and every instant l expected that it would leap dOwn.upon him. Hit would only do so before he reached my side, it would prove my salva' ton.
 "ClOser and closer the william drew toward me. Only a moment more aud he would he so near that he could reach me with his ont ! stretched hand. There was not a moment to lose, and ? was just on the point of springing to my feet, wien, q,iick as a flash of lightning, the panther cleft the air and land ed o,i the shoulders Of the william. A terrible cry of rage burst from his lips as he fell, his blood dyeing the eair'tlhi..' At the same instant l was on my feet, and drawing pis,. tol I sent d b!illet through the Head oi the beast. It did it's work well, though even in death it chung to