The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-01-16

OF the alders few rods away. He had
barely time to turn his head when he
saw full-sized buck, with antlers
thrown back, coming directly toward
him from the direction Of the lick. 1t
was beautiful mark, with its dusky
white chest, mauve shoulders, black
hinged nostrils and bullying, glistening
f9ygsyzasss -
With suppressed excitement Tom
raised his gun, cooking 1t as he did 50.
But the bush behind which he stood
only partly concealed him The buck
saw the potion and started aside, two
bounds, thsn having had only an inn
perfect glance at its dangerous cnany.
it stopped and blew"
Tom, who had been on the point Of
shooting at it on Ike run, now fired with
rather more careful aim. The buck
bounded off the ground, fell, sprang up
and dashed away with four OF five con-
vulsiveleaps. when, coming in violent
collision with a chestnut butt, it fell
again and lay kicking wildly.
Tom rushed forward with an involun-
tary shout of citation. He saw at once
that the ball had passed through the
bucks body.
- Good shot, said he, and admiringly
pattea~the stock of his old rifle.
The deer was plainly at its last gasp.
Tom knew that the shot must have
frightened all other game within hear
ing, and accordingly made. the mistake
which many another hunter has made of
- .l<., 4. ia l. n
down, drew his knife and proceeded to
iff-the=deer- antl-te consider how he
could best dress it.
First he cut a fgambrclt' stick, and
then with a cord which he had brought
along in the pocket of his frock set at
work with considerable cxertion, for the
'dcer vas fat and heavy, to draw it up to
the limb of a hickory preparatory to
skinning and drawing. His plan was to
take home one hind quarter wrapped up
in the hide, and come back next day
with his father for the rest of the meat
Tom was not skillful butcher, and
made clumsy and slow Job Of it. After
half an hour Of hard work ho was not
nearly through with his unpleasant task.
he heard behind him, not far
oil. "a curious titfnl -hnating4on the dry
leaves and ground. Engrossed as he was,
and quite unmindful of danger, he threw
careless glance over his shoulder.
Careless, but for one moment only!
For his eye fell on spectacle" At to APP
pal even veteran hunter Not over
fifteen feet away there crouched pam
2ther of-the largest size, its ears set back
and its fiery eyes, like glittering metallic
balls, fixed upon him, it's claws working in
the earth, and its long tail switching nerv-
ously from side to side. A few steps be-
hind it another panther, also of huge
proportions, in a ha1f-sitting posture,
snuffed and gloated over the rich repast
whose odor was waited to its nostrils
And there lay Toms unloaded rife
twelve or fifteen feetaway, between him
and them!
obeying his first impulse he ran for
life into the alders, and SO onward
Through -the-swamp,- his reekfng knife
still in his hand, nor did he once pause
till he had reached the lcdgy hillside
beyond it. Here pausing for moment,
half expecting to sec the ferocious
creatures close upon him, he plainly
heard loud growls from across the bog
whence he had fled.
The panthers were feasting, quarrel
ing. very likely, over the dainty ban
quot with which Tom had inyolnntarily
provided them, and after the first
paroxysm of his fear had passed the
young hunter felt not little chagrined
at his loss and the sorry story he would
have to tell his father and grandfather
He remained there listening for
long time. Occasionally the growing
was renewed, then after awhile it
ceased. Still Tom sat on the ledge lis
tcning, waxing more impatient and
angry about his deer every minute.
At last, hearing nothing more OF the
growing, he concluded that5the- pan
theirs had eaten their fill and gone away
II he could recover his gun and carry
homo the bucks antlers in evidence of
his rather improbable. story, even that
would be better than going back empty
handed, So, after waiting long while,
he stole back across the swamp and
through the alders, listening after every
step as he drew near the place.
Coming at last in sight of the spot, he
saw nothing of. the panthers. They had
pulled down tho carcass, and apparently
eaten all Of it, except The bones, which
he could sees together with tho antlers,
lying near.
He crept along and after some time
drew near on tiptoe. Feeling pretty sure
hat !, Al
last look. all around he stepped for
ward and picked up the skull and horns.
just then, quick as a flash OF light,
both panthers alighted on the ground,
one on each side Of him.
/ They had been lying crouehed low be-
hind log, among some sedges only
few yards away, and no doubt had been
watching every step of his approach.
The boy uttered an involuntary shrek,
and clutched his knife; but the panthers,
instead of springing upon him, merely
crouched, glaring up into his eyes, so
near that he could have kicked them
had he dared. There they lay, theifeyes
fixed on his facet
For some unaccountable reason,
though it may haye been because they
werewolf stuffed with deer meat, they
did not seem disposed to attack him.
AT any rate they were evidently In no
hurry to do so, but lay there, each doing
just as the other did. Each seemed to
be trying to stare poor Hom out of coun-
tcnance. Meantime the boy, half par
alyzed with fright, could even imagine
that they were grinning horribly at his
expense. Trembling so violently that
he could hardly stand, he remained mo-
tioness for what seemed an age, not
daring to move hand or foot. " -
long as he- stood strf1 the-brrtes-
lay crouched and did not move. At
length, unable to bear it moment long
er, Tom drew back one foot, his left,
then his right, very slowly. But the
two panthers wrigglcd along on the
ground, just as far as he moved, keep
ing their glowing eyes fixed on HIS
face, and each doing exactly as did his