The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-18

| screams OF tho panthers, now certainly
both behind them. That tho oxen had
distanced them In their first mad run was
| plain, but that gave tho unfortunate straw
riders no hope Of an ultimate ESCAPE. for
they could now count by tho screams the
rapidly mado jumps of their pursucrs,
| which wero fast closing In upon thcm.
| Waldo's team, though much winded,
was running fairly VOL, through his time
| ly forcthought in turning loose his Lead
ors, whilo Eddy, who hud had barely time
to catch the hQyn of his near OK, had no
| control over lYs leaders, which, In their
| successive rights at ouch scream from tho
panthers, boltcd frightfully, adding to
their danger rs well rs lesscning their
chances OF escape by flight
At would seem that tho dangers already
surrounding the party could not be in
creased, but those in the last sled became
suddenly aware that Wuldo's abandoned
leaders wero in the road behind them
They recognized tho danger immediately
and tried, by flinging out their free arms
and shouting, to change the course Of the
pursuing oxen, but the poor, terror blind
cd creatures plunged straight on, needing
nothing.
There was no timo to escape this now
danger had tho occupants of the sled any
strength to do aught but hold on, and each
face turned toward tho end of tho sled
awaiting tho crash of tho galloping hoofs
upon the sled boards. But when the shock
cnmc 1t almost seemed that Providence in
terfcred to save them, for only ono OK
planted his feet over the end board, while
the other fell with only his big horns and
head inside, where by n miracle they hung,
only to be savagoly shaken off by tho next
stump OF stone.
Tho continually nearing screams of tho
panthers showed that they were still in
hot pursuit, and there was regrctful hope
IN ench mind that the poor oxen might
not be able to rise, thereby becoming u sac
riflce for tho safety of tho load OF human
beings clinging to tho sled
Not so, for in n moment, just as u pam
thcr sprang from u tree across the road,
probably not 80 feet behind tho sled, tho
oxen were In the road again and madden
than ever with fright.
Eddy, who had been obliged to look
ahead, though compromising fully all
that had occurred behind, knew what tho
others did not-that Wnldo's tenn must bs
far ahead. for he had not heard nor seen
anything of him for long time, and they
themselves We're flying past the Boulder
spurs, with the three dangerous lodges less
than half mile beyond.
Turning his face back he shouted hoarse-
ly, For Gods sake, shoot the oxen and
be quick about It, for we are nearing the
ledgcs."
Two shots Instantly answered his com
mand, nnd in the short interval of partial
silence that ensued he heard two sounds,
which, strong, brave man as no was he
never forgot and always remembered with
sense of unforgivon cruelty. 1t was
long nournful loo" pitiful petition
for help, as it We're, from one of the doom
ed oxen, and, "Oh, scc The poor thing is
in, I;..l,
voice. But soon the poor fellow was left
fur behind, and when they heard the next
scream from the panthers an agonized bel
low followed, telling of tho fate Of tho OK
en-.
For awhile all believed themselves free
from the panthcrs, and the oxen which
were drawing them evidently shared their
belief for they showed signs of slnckenng
speed, though 10 minutes before it had
seemed us though nothing could save the
party from being swept over the lodges, If
carried upon them with such fearful speed.
Now all began to hope that the team might
be slowed up sufficiently to allow them to
jump Off They began to take an interest
In young Eddy's efforts to stop his oxen
and even noticed that Waldo was not ahes.d
of them. They saw that Eddy was redou-
bling his efforts to slackcn up, with a Wig
orous use of his thick goad upon the noses
of his oxen. The stick Ind not left his
hand in all that terrible ride down tho
mountain. Then he shouted "Get ready
to jump when l tell you, and jump to the
upper side"
A few more cruelty vigorous blows
Then, jerking the head of his near OK
sharply round, he cried, "Jump!" And
with one wild shout tho whole sled lond
landed in a struggling mass In the deep
soft snow.
Young Eddy, when he saw his sled emp
ty, let go his hold upon his oxen and fell
backward, through sheer exhaustion, but
almost Immediately he sprang to his feet
again In horror. The worst danger they
had been in tonight was upon them, for
eithor one of their former pursuers or an
entirely new conner, had uttered his blood
curdling scream Just over their heads
They were in narrow opening only n
few feet from the first ledge, where there
was sheer descent of so feet, with rise
OF 20 feet Of broken rock above them.
Nothing could save them now from an en-
counter with hungry panther.
Were the poor oxen fatcd that night,
one and all TO perish that their precious
load might be savedY
Tho oxen had made but few stagger
ing bounds away, just to the open ledge,
when they Were checked and sent hud
ulhB ana DncKlnR upon each other again
by the sudden renewal of danger, and the
leaders, in their efforts to get back to their
human friends, turned completely round
upon the other yoke, twisting them until
the sled grated ovc9 the ledge.
Just for Il moment the Mortified young
| people forgot their own danger as they
watched the white stripes In the leaders
faces and listened to the sound Of the sled
runners on the rocky ledge, then another