Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-10-21
ENRICHED BY APANTHER

sweet q seventeen-year-old maiden as
ever lived.
Pretty Bessie did not lack for lovers,
and quite as naturally the favored one
was the very one that her father object
ed to.
Clyde Brown was frank spoken, with
an honest, manly face, true, loving
heart, and little else.
"Why, Elizabeth"-her father always
called her that when displeased-"how
can you forget that we are descended
from the Randolfs of Virginia? Just a
little longer, daughter-a year or two at
the most-and we will go east and live
as other people do. Then my jewel may
find worthy setting"
II want no one but Clyde, papa" pro-
tested Bessie tearfully.
But tears made no impression upon
the hard heart of George Randolf.
| However, he condescended to give a
conditional consent to their union-such
and shook their heads and Bessies merry
face grew grave.
"When you can show the possession
of 800, 900 you can have her." he said
grimly, in answer to Clyde Brownies
manly petition. "Until then I'll hear
no more about it."
"You can never do it," sobbed Bessie
when they stood alone in the moonlight
by the road few moments later, while
her father watched angrily from the
window. Fortunes are wonderfully
made in these mines sometimes, but
none will fall to u.s."
Don't be discouraged, my precious
Queen Bess," Clyde returned, with all a
lovers unreasoning fondness. "Only
trust in me through all and wait for me,
no matter what may happen. Will You
promise me that?'
Indeed | will, dearest! You knew
that | would before you asked" she
murmured. But do not try me too
much, for father is as hard as a rock"
~ must go away for awhile, my dar
ling. Somewhere in yonder endless
chain Of mountains fortune is waiting
for me. feel it-I know it as well as if
it were already in my grasp" he an
swered, in solemn earnestness.
"God grant that it may be 3d." she
added.
And then she walked slowly to the
house, to her fathers great relief.
The next morning Clyde left the town,
fully equipped for prospecting tour,
and quite alone excepting the three large
dogs which followed sedately at his
heels.
For some time the prize which he
sought eluded him, but it came to him
at last in strange manner.
One day, after following the course Of
a noisy, shallow stream into a narrow
valley hemmed in by lofty mountains,
he camped at the foot Of a gigantic tree
near the water
The dogs whined uneasily and shifted
at a hole among the roots Of the tree,
but he called them away and went on
building FIRE to cook supper from the
loose wood and branches around.
"Now that the fire is ready" he
unused aloud, 81 wonder il I'll find any
game hereabout."
As if in answer, a half grown deer
came down to the stream on the opposite
bank not many rods away.
1t stopped, with one foot upraised, and
looked at the dogs with startled eyes;
but the next instant the report Of Clyde's
rife rang out, the deer leaped into the
air, sprang forward and fell into the
stream, from which it was soon dragged
by the dogs.
But the echoes made by the report had
not died out among the hills before an
other sound aroused them again.
II was the scream OF an angry panther
from the mountain behind him, and it
was instantly answered by another on
the right, and yet another far down the
valley on the left.
Clyde heaped the dry limbs upon the
fire, and the dogs, usually as brave as
lions, whined piteously as they skulked
close to his feet.
He waited in breathless anxiety for
several minutes, but could hear nothing
except the cracking Of the fire, which
now threw wide circle of light, and the
night wind among the trees.
Soon, following magnetism which he
could not account for. he fixed his gaze
rpon a tall tree near the base Of the
mountain and encountered the glare Of
two fierce, yellow eyes.
A panther was crouching there upon a
long limb, every nerve of his body in
motion rs he prepared for the fatal
spring.
To aim and fire at him was the i'm
pulse Of second, and the tawny brute
sprang outward with snarl of rage and
pain, and fell squarely into the fire.
There was an unearthly shrek, smell
Of burning hair, q shower Of Goals and
lighted wood, then the brute stood
wounded and blinded near the tree.
"At him, boys; at himr cried Clyde.
And the dogs closed on him, but,
fwounded as he was, he was more than
match for them.
He killed one and sent the others howl
ing to q safe distance before their master
could surely aim the second bullet, which
ouieted him.
He was not an instant too soon, how
ever for there came another terrific
scream, this time from the tree directly
over his head.
I'm ready for You now!" he cried,
coolly sighting another panther directly
between the scintillating eyes.
He fired and sprang aside, while the
animal fell, struck the ground with a
heavy thud, clawed the earth and air
convulsively for few seconds and then
lay quite still.