Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-09

At this moment tho panther turned her
head toward the frcnchnian ana looAeh
AT him nxcily. without advancing. Ihe
rirldltv Of those metallic eyes and their IN.
rnpportahlc brightness tnade the I'rosencai
utnidcr.
The beast began TO move toward him.
lie looked NJ her carcasingly, aud. liking
her eve. A. n TO unenttixe her. he let her
come close IN 10 film; then, with q son
and gentle gcsturc. he pusrd hts hanh
along her body from head 20 tail, scratch
iug With Nj. nails the flexible veFtebfio
tina, divide panther's yellow baok.
The lcast put up her tail with pleasure,
her eyes grew softer. and when ior u.
third time the frcnchnnn accomplished
this self interested piece OF haitery Hhs
broke into purrlug like n cat.
But this purr proceeded from a throat 30
deep and powerful that IRE echoed through
the grotto like tho praia Of cathedral or
nan.
The proveucnl. realizing the success OF
his carcsscs, redoublcd then, until the I'm.
pcrions beauty was eompletelysooshed and
iulled
When he felt sure that he had perfectly
subducd the forocity OF his capriclous COM
pnnIou. whose hunger had been satisfied 70
cruelty the night before, he got mp to leave
the arotto. The panther let him 10, but
when he had climbed the hill she came
bounding after him with the lightness Of a
sparrow hopping from branch TO branch,
and rubbed herself against the .oldicr'sleH,
archlng her back after tho fashion Of a cat,
Then looking AZ her guest with eyes whose
brightness had grown less inilcxible. she
uttered that savage cry which naturnlists
have compared 10 the sound OF a saw.
'what an cxacilng bcautyi" cried the
Frrnchman, smiling. lie set himself to
play with her ears, 10 caress her body and
10 scratch her head hard with his nails.
Then, growing boidcr with success, he
tlckied her skull with the point OF his dag
rcr, watching for the spot 10 strike her.
Int the hardness OF the bones made him
afraid Of failing.
The sultann OF the desert approved the
notlou Of her slave by raising her head,
,trctching her neck and showing her de-
light 6y tho qulctnc,s of her attitude. Tho
Frenchmnn suddenly reflected that Ia order
10 nA.nsslnnte this fierce princess with one
blow he need only stab her Ia the neck.
lie had Just raised his knife forshe attempt
when the panther. with graceful notion,
threw herself upon the ground before his
feet, oastlng on him from time TO time a
look IN which. In spite Of IT, icrocity Of
nature, there was n CLEAN Of tenderness.
The poor Proycncal. with lis back
against palm tree, hte his dates, while
lac cast inqulriug glr. -. now toward tho
desert for dcliycrcrs, now upon his terrible
companion, to keep nm eye upon her du-
blous ccmeucy, Every time he threw
away n date stone the panthcV fixed her
eyes upon the spot with inconccivablr mis-.
] H.. aarstsluteal Tim Erauauenun
with buslnessllkc attention, but the cx-
animation seemed favorable. for when no
finished his poor meal she licked bis boots,
and with her rough. strong tongue re-
moved the dust iucrustcd Ia their orcascs.
"Bnt when she becomes hungryP
thought the Proyencal.
Z Despite the shudLcr this Idea caused him.
] the soldier began examining with curiosity
the proportions Of tho panther. certainly
one OF the most beautiful specimens Of her
I kind. She was thrr. feet high and four
feet long. without the tail. This powerful
weapon, rs round ~ "a club, was nearly
three feet long. The hcad-ns large ~ that
OF u lioncss--was distinguished by an rN-
preston Of rarc deliuacy; true. the cold
[ cruelty Of the tiger dominated, but there
I was also a resemblance To the features Of n
willy woman. In word. tho countenancc
Z u; the solitary queen wore n, this moment
MI expression Of fierce gaysty. like that Of
Nero flushed with wine; she had quenehed
her thirst In blood and now desired TO play.
| The soldier tried 10 come aud 80. and tho
panther let him, content to follow him
With her eyes, but less after the manner Of
~ faithful dog than Of great Angora cat.
suspicious even 81 tho movements of its
master. when he turned round he saw
n. a .aa.N. a q =
horse. the panther had dragged the body
all TINT distance. About two.thinls had
been devoufcd. This sight treasured the
! frcnehman. lle was thus easily able 10
explain the absence Of the panther, and
the respect which she had shown for him
while he was sleeping.
Thc iirst piece OF luck emboldened him
about the future. lie conceived the mad
idea Of setting up u pleasant household
life together with the panther, ncgleciing
no means OF pacifying her aud OF concillnt.
Ing her good gracaA lie returned 10 her.
and saw to his deli. ;ht that she moved her
tall with an almost imperoeptiblo motion
Then he sat down beside her without
fear aud began TO play with her. lie
gravpcd her paws, her muxxlc. pulled her
caiS, threw her over on her back aud vlgur-
ously scratched her warm aud silky sides.
She let him have bis way. aud when tho
soldier tried TO smooth tho fur upon her
paws sue carefully drew Ia her claws, which
hal the curve Of n Damascus blade.
The frcnehmgn. who kept one hand upon
his dagger, was still thinking OF plunglng
II Into the body Of tho too conlding nan.
Their, but he feared less she should strangle
him In her last commissions. And, besides,
within his heart there was movement Of
rcmorse thnt warned him 70 respect an In.
offensive creature. II seemed 10 him that
lac had found friend IN this vast desert.
lnvoluntarily he called to mind woman
whom he once had loved, whom he sarcas.
tically had nlcknamed "Mgnonne," from
her Jealousy, which WINS so ilrrce that dur
Ing tho whole time OF their acquaintance
he went In fear that she would stab him.
This memory OF his youth suggested tbs
Idea OF calling tho young panther by this
name whose 1.-THE agility aud grace he now
admired with less terror.
Toward evening he had become 40 far
accustomed 10 his perilous position that
he almost liked tho hazard OF IL. Al last
his oompnniOn hnd g0t into the habit Of
looking nt him when lao called Ia ialsetto
toice, "Mlgnonne."
Al shutdown Mlgnonne uttered several
times deep and melancholy cry.
"She has been properly brought NM
thought the light hearted soldier; "sie
says her prayenW Hut II was no doubt
her peaceful attitude which brought tho
Jest into his mind.
"All right, my little pet; will let yon