The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-22

Their had come down from the trees and
had taken course through the snow
toward Lewis Lake, now the mountain
summer resort of Eagles Mere.
The tireless hunter followed the trail
through the dense forest, and it led
him straight to the lake, a distance OF
FIVE miles, and around the southern
shore for two miles more. when Brown
discovered his game drinking from the
lake. The present site of the Eagles
Mere steamboat landing is pointed out
as the spot where the great panther
stood and received Captain Browns
first bullet. The shot did not disable
the panther, and it sprang into the
laurels and again disappeared. leaving
the echoes of its yells reverberating
about the rocky shores of the lake. The
course of the panther lay toward the
outlet of the lake, and Captain Brown
followed through the dense growths OF
laurels. When he came to the outlet he
discovered the panther half buried in
the soft mud at the edge of the water.
1t was treating the wound it had re-
ceived, as is the instinct of wild ami
mails of its kind. The hunter did not
wait for the panther to enjoy the benefit
of the healing mud, but sent another
bullet after his first. Again the tena-
cious beast sprang into the thicket, but
Captain Browns quick eye saw that
his last shot had been an effective one,
and he still followed the trail, now
marked by blood. From the direction
the wounded animal took the skillful
woodsman knew that it was making for
the rocky recesses further down the
course of the outlet. at spot now
famous as the Rainbow Falls. There
the creek flows through deep ravine,
and the faces of the rocks are cut and
scanned by assures and deep ravines.
The hunter, now sure of his trophy,
followed more leisurely than he had,
and when he came to the head or top of
the falls, where a perpendicular rock
towers nearly fifty feet above the
stream, at its base being roomy but
dark cavarn, he saw the enormous
body of the panther stretched on the
ground at the mouth of the cave.
Brown clambered along the rocks
which Rugged the water SO closely that
passage was difficult and dangerous,
and at last reached the fiat rock which
covers space of several feet between
the cave and the waters edge. The
WAYS of panthers were well known to
the hunter, as he had learned them by
rough experience; but he was so certain
that this great beast that lay stretched
at the mouth of its den had died in its
efforts to reach that retreat that he laid
down his gun, and taking his knife
from its sheath advanced upon the pros
trate beast to claim its magnificent skin
as his reward for the long chase. He
reached the side of the panther, and
was about to bend down and commence
stripping it of its skin. when the great
beast sprang to its feet as quick as
and with a yell that almost
deafened the surprised hunter, threw
itself upon him. The force of the shock
threw Brown several feet away, off the
rock. 1t was not only blow that the
panther gave him, but as the Infatuated
animal struck it buried its long claws
in the hunters thick buckskin shirt and
ripped it from him from neck to waist.
Brown still retained his knife in his
grasp and struggled to quickly regain
his feet. He rose to his knees, and as
he did so the crouching panther leaped
toward him. Quick as a flash the wary
hunter threw himself on his back on the
ground. But for that the panther. fly
ing through the air with wonderful
would have struck him and
carried him along in the flight. AS it
was. the panther passed over him.
Rapidly rs the panther's leap carried
it through the air, Browns eye and
hand were quicker still. The hunters
keen, long-bladcd knife, thrust upward
as the huge body of the panther was
passing over him as he lay. was plunged
almost to the hilt in the animal. The
thrust was between the fore legs, but
the knife was not Withdrawn, and its
keen edge, buried in the panther's flesh,
passed the entire length of the great
body, and the panther fell
lead and disemboweled fifteen feet be-
yond the spot where Brown lay covered
with blood that had poured upon him
from the frightful wounds of his now
foe.
The hunter jumped to his feet, and
was eying with grim satisfaction the
of his work. when cry,
Of which he at once knew the signif-
canoe. echoed among the rocks. He
;prang to where his gun lay, and seiz-
ng it, looked in the direction of the
,ry. There, crouching on the summit
IF Cavern Rock, her eyes glaring. and
her long tail swaying in that deliberate,
;nake-like movement that denotes the
ury of the cat and its kind, was the
nate of the great panther that had just
net his death. The mate plainly COM
the situation, and did not
AIRY in her efforts for vengeance.
With frightful yell she launched her
self from the rocky peak in furious
cap for the hunter, who stood near the
waters edge. His bullet met the venge-
ul panther in mid-air and passed
through her heart The impetus of her
cap carried her to the spot where she
lad intended to fall upon the hunter
md bury her fangs in his throat. but
he fell dead at the waters edge where