The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-05-20
ENRICHED BY A PANTHER

king, who by nature is as stern and ar
bitrary as men are apt to be when the,
acquire sudden riches. In addition t.
his gold he possessed a rare treasure il
the person Of his daughter Bessie, d
sweet a seventeen-year-ol maiden d
over lived.
Pretty Bessie did not lack for lover.
and quite as naturally the favored on
was the very one that her father objec
ed to.
Clyde Brown was frank spoken, vii
an honest, manly face, a true, lovis
heart, and little else.
"Why, Elizabeth"-her father alwa
called her that when displeased-"ho.
can you forget that we are descend
from the Randolfs of Virginia? Just
little longer, daughter-a year or two
the most-and we will go east and ly
as other people do. Then my jewel III
find worthy setting"
81 want,no one but Clyde, papa" pr
tested Bessie tearfully.
But tears made no impression up
the hard heart of George Randolf.
l.,
conditional consent to their union-suo
an absurd condition that people laugh,
and shook their heads and Bessie's merl
face grew grave.
"When you can show the possessic.
of 100000 you can have her." he sat'
grimly, in answer to Clyde Brown
manly petition. Until then I'll he.
no more about it."
"You can never do it," sobbed Bess
when they stood alone in the moonliG.
by the road few moments later, whi
her father watched angrily from Il
window fortunes are wonderful.
made in these mines sometimes, b.
none will fall to u.s.
Don't be discouraged, my preciou
Queen Bess, Clyde returned, with all
lovers unreasoning fondness. On,
trust in me through all and wait for IL
no matter what may happen. VIII 70
promise me that?'
Indeed | will, dearest! You kneu
that | would before you asked" ST.
murmured. "But do not try me to-
much, for father is as hard as a rock.
81 must go away for awhile, my da
ling. Somewhere in yonder endle
chain of mountains fortune is waltz
for me. feel it, know it as well as
it were already in my grasp" he an
swered, in solemn earnestness.
'God grant that it may be SO" 81
added.
And then she walked slowly to t.
house, to her fathers great relief.
The next morning Clyde left the tow
fully equipped for a prospecting ton
and quite alone excepting the three lar
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 a strange manner.
One day, after following the course Ct
a noisy, shallow stream into narrow
valley hemmed in by lofty mountains
he camped ut 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 a fire to cook supper from the
loose wood and branches around.
"Now that the fire is ready" he
unused aloud, II wonder if I'll find any
game hereabout."
AS if in answer, half grown deer
came down to the stream on the opposite
bank not many rods away.
1t stopped, with one foot appraised. an
looked at the dogs with startled eye
but the next instant the report of Clyde
rifle rang out, the deer leaped into til
air, sprang forward and fell into IT,
stream, from which it was soon draggg
by the dogs.
But the echoes made by the report h
not died out among the hills before al
other sound aroused them again.
1t was the scream of an angry panthC'
from the mountain behind him, and
was instantly answered by another
the right, and yet another far down /
valley on the left.
Clyde heaped the dry limbs upon t. e.
fire, and the dogs, usually as brave
lions, whined piteously as they skul6e
close to his feet.
He waited in breathless anxiety f
several minutes, DuJ COulu uedH uOtui" -
except the cracking of the fire, win
now threw a wide circle of light, and o
night wind among the trees.
Soon, following a magnetism which g.
could not account for, he fixed his ga
npon a tall tree near the base of q
mountain and encountered the glare
two fierce, yellow eyes.
A panther was crouching there upon
long limb, every nerve of his body il
motion as 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 ana
pain, and fell squarely into the fire.
There was an unearthly shrek. smell
Of burning hair, shower of Goals ano
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,
wounded as he was, he was more than a
match for them.
He killed one and sent the Others howl
ing 10 q safe distance before their master
could surely aim the second bullet, which
quieted him.