The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-20

looked over the desert for miles on one
side and on the other the view was bro
Ken by the mountains, which came to
within short distance of the house.
Seeing nothing, | stepped outside. nv
knife in my hand, and looked around
before | could realize what was going
to happen ! saw two enormous panthers
come from somewhere, They were stand
ing on their hind legs and growing fe-
rociously.
"A moment later I was paralyzed with
fear, and then turned TO the door so as to
get inside and escape the monsters. But
horror! The door had blown shut and
the latch had caught on the inside, so
there was no way to open it. There may
nave been some string or other arrange
menC, but did not know where to find
1t, so was at the mercy of the animals.
There was nothing to do but fight, so
took tirmer grip on my knife and wait
ed for the attack, but felt that it was
certain death to me The beasts were
the largest l ever saw, and they were be-
side me in an instant. The largest one
made jump for me and dealt it blow
over the heart that | thought settled it.
for 1T rolled over on the ground and laid
still. The other was frightened for few
minutes and hesitated about attackin g
me, but l now had hope with only one to
fight.
'How finished theanimal is more than
can tell, as my memory is very dull on
that point. But he made a rush at me
which had to dodge and l made an at
tempt to get behind him. [ had almost
succeeded aud could have done my work
right there, but my foot slipped and 1 fell
down, and before / could get to my feet
the panther jumped on me. But in some
strange way he jumped for my feet and
got hold of his tail and commenced CASH
ing his hind legs with my knife. For sew
eral minutes the air seemed in a whirl
and l was all mixed up with my antagO-
mist, but unable to get in a telling cut.
We fought and rolled over on the ground
until L was covered with wounds, but at
last l saw my chance and plunged my
knife into the animals stomach and gave
downward rip. 1t did the work enough
to let me get up and find the animals
heart with the steel
81 looked at my two victims a moment,
and then started to awaken the landlord
by pounding on the door.
suddenly l was grabbed from behind
with terrible force, and turning around
saw that both of the animals had left
for dead had got up again and were about
to make short work of me,
II had no show this time and calmly
waited for the end to come. Both the
panthers got hold of me and started for
the mountains, dragging me over the
stones and logs as if l was a feather; and
the speed they went at seemed like light
ming. l had no idea of where l was going,
and / didn't care, as had no hope of es-
cape, and fully expected to be taken to
the panther's lair and devoured.
81 was right about the place, because
was soon dragged to a sort of gorge that
had a cavern at one end. | was taken to
this place and laid on the ground, and
both Of my enemies sat and looked at me.
Somehow, was not hurt very much
and was able to move easily l made an
attempt to sit up but was promptly
pushed back by the larger of the panthers.
Then both began to howl, and near by
could hear other bowls that proved to be
those of cubs. The little fellows came
out and wanted to make a meal of me
right there, but were stopped, for some
reason, by the older ones.
What was to be done with me was
now a most important question to me,
The old ones did not seem as if they
wanted to devour me nor let the cubs do
it. But this the cubs objected to, and
commenced on my feet, which were badly
bitten before the old ones could stop
them. Then one Of the boldest of the
cubs made a rush for my throat, but |
kept him away with my arm.
This seemed to anger the old panthers,
for they chased the young ones back to
the cave and then took hold of me again
and started somewhere.
''They went faster than before, and it
was not long, although it seemed ages to
me, before | was laid down on the ground.
| opened my eyes and found that l was in
front of the door of the hotel. | looked
again, and saw that it was open, and that
the panthers were sitting down watching
me closely But the temptation was too
great and l had to seize the chance of
escape, although it looked like certain
death.
II made a sudden Jump and got inside
the door and closed it after me as the two
beasts threw their huge bodies against it,
~ was now safe, and commenced call
ing the landlord and wondered why he
had not heard the fight. 1t was also evil
dent that he had got up and opened the
door But no landlord came, and as it
seemed to me had looked in every part
of the house before gave up finding him
and went to my room, where everything
was Just as had left it, except that the
candle had gone out, but the fire was
burning brightly.
II wanted to wash my wounds, and as
there was not much water in the pitcher
on the stand | went out to the basin of the
fountain, 1t was most refreshing TO let
the soft cold water fall over my head, and
in a short time dld not feel the least Dlt
as if l had been through such a terrible
struggle. sat down on one of the seats
in the court for some time before going to
bed, but the moonlight, flower trees and
the splashing fountain were not long in
producing a feeling of drowsiness, so that
when | laid down | was asleep In an in
slant
''When l awoke it was late in the day
and the sun was streaming in all around
me. For several minutes l was dumfoun-
ded and wondered how had got into the
place where l was.
at was the same room IN which had
laid down down to sleep, but it looked as
if nobody had entered it for hundred
years. | was lying on a pile of rubbish,
and everything around me was in the last
stages of decay. got up and went into
the court, but the fountain was dry, and
nothing could be seen but crumbling
walls. There was no sign of vegetation,
and the trees and flowers had vanished
with the water.
II was in an awful state of mind, and
thought at first that l had slept in that
room for years and years. But when L
made my way to the outer door by climb
ing over rubbish and fallen timbers, and
looked out, the first thing l saw was the
two dead panthers, and short distance
off my horse, with his saddle still on him,
tied to a cactus.
''My mind was in a whirl, but had no
desire to skin the animals, so l got on my
horse and went to Nogales as fast as L
could, where put in several days Doctor