Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-02-06

1.-THE idea, when Il first struck me,
struck me with too much force 10 be
agreeable. II was n very unusual pro
ceeding on the part Of an Indian devil,
displaying a most imperfect conception
of the fitness of things That should
hunt him was proper and customary
but that he should think Of hunting me,
presuInptuous and most unpleasant.
resolved that he should be made 10 re-
pent It before night
'''The traps we're unusually success
ful that trip, and at last had to stop
and make cache Of my spoils. This
unusual delay seemed to mislead my
willy pursuer, who suddenly came out
Of thicket while was hidden behind
a tree trunk. As he crept stealthily
along on my trucks, not fifty yards
away, was disgusted at his sleuth
hound persistence and crafty malignity.
| raised my gun to my shoulder, and in
another moment would have rid myself
of his undesircd attractions. but the
animal must have caught a gleam from
the shining barrel. for he turned like a
fash and buried himself In the nearest
thicket.
1T was evident that he did not wish
the matter forced TO an immediate is
sue. As a consequence, | decided that
It ought to be settled at once. ran
toward the thiclet, but at the same
time the panther stole out on the other
side and disappeared in the woods.
upon this concluded that he had
become scared and given up his unhal-
lowed purpose. For some hours dis
missed him from my mind and tended
my traps without further apprehen-
sion, but about the middle of the after
noon or a little later, when had
reached the farthest point of my cir
cult, / once more became impressed
with sense that was being followed
''The impression grew so strong that
it weighed upon me, and determined
to bring it to a test. Taking some
luncheon from my pocket ! sat down be-
hind tree to nibble and wait. | sup
pose must have sat there ten minutes,
hearing nothing, seeing nothing, so
that was about to give It up and con-
tinue my tramp, when along came the
pantherl My gun was leveled instant
", but mt the same instant the brute
had disappeared. His eyes were sharper
than mine. 'Ahp said to myself, 1
will have to keep "a big fire going to-
night or this fellow will pay me call
when am snoozing.'
"About Bundown met with an un
lucky accident, which dampened both
my spirits and my powder. In crossing
n swift brook at place where the ice
was hardly thick enough to hold up its
covering of snow, broke through and
was soaked After fishing myself out
with some difficulty l found my gun
was full of water, which had frozen as
lt entered Here was pretty fix.
The weapon was for the present ut
terly useless | feared that most Of
my cartridges were in like condition,
The prospect for the night, when the
Indian devil should arrive upon the
scene, was not n cheerful one. Ipushed
on miserably for another mile or so,
and then prepared to camp.
First of all built such fire as
thought would impress upon the In
dian devil due sense Of my impor-
tance and my mysterious powers. At a
safe distance from the fire spread out
my cartridges to dry, in the fervent
| La.a hnk lao hn1 ~ taH
far enough to render them useless. My
gun / put where II would thaw as
quickly us possible.
"'rhen / cut enough ilrewood to
blaze all night. With my snowshoes
dug deep hollow at one side of the
fire. The fire soon melted tho snow
beneath il, and brought it down to tile
level whereon was to place my couch.
may say that the ground had Sc
lected was gentle slope, and the fire
was below my bed, so that the melting
snow could run off freely. Over my head
fixed good, firm 1ean-to' of spruce
saplings, thickly thatched with boughs.
Thus secured myself in such a way
! liluh AllN AhuittA hNNii NONAN tOihN hN hliN
only from the side on which the fire
was burning, Such approach, con
graduated myself, would be little to
his catship's taste,
''By the time my shelter was com
pleted it was fully night in the woods.
My fire made a ruddy circle about the
camp, and presently l discerned the
panther, gliding In and out among the
tree trunks on the outer edges of the
circles. He stared at me with his
round, green eyes, and / returned the
gaze with cold Indifference. l was busy
putting my gun In order, would not
encourage him lest he might grow too
familiar before l was ready for his re-
ceptlon.
Between my cleaning walls Of snow
| had worked up q temperature that
was fairly tropical, Away up over
head, among the pine tops, few large
stars glimmered lonesomely. How far
away seemed the world OF my friends
ON whom these same stars were looking
down. wonder how those at home
would feel II they could see me there
by the solitary camp fire, watched no
lentlessly by that prowllng and vindlc-
tive beast
Presently, finding that made no
attack upon him, the brute slipped
noiselessly TO within few dozen PAGES
Of the fire. There he orouchsd down In
the snow and glared upon me. hurled
n flaming brand at him, and he sprang
backward, snarling. into the gloom.
Na..a -. t....l ...I..s4k-.a A.. a. -. -.