The Bessemer indicator., 1894-06-30

In their successive fdghts at each
scream from the panthers. boltsd
frIghtfully. adding TO their danger a.
well rs lessenlng their chances Of e.
cape by flight.
1t would seem that the dangers al
ready surrounding the party could not
be increased. but those In the last sled
became suddenly aware that wald5s
abandoned leaders were In the road be-
hind them. They recognized the dan
ger Immediately, and tried. by dingine
out their free arms and shouting, to
change the course of the pursuing oven,
but the poor. tcrror-blinded creatures
plunged straight on, needing nothing.
There was no time to escape this new
danger, had the occupants Of the sled
any strength to do aught but hold ON,
md each face turned toward the end
of the sled awaiting the crash Of tho
galloping hoofs upon the sled boards
But when the shock came, 1t almost
seemed that Providence interfered to
save them, for only one OK planted his
feet over the cndboard, while the other
fell with only his big horns and head
inside, where by n miracle they hung,
only to be savagely shaken OF by tho
next stump or stone.
The continually nearing screams Of
the panthers showed that they were
still in hot pursuit, and there was .
regretful hope In each mind that tho
poor oxen might not be able to rise,
thereby becoming a sacrifice for tho
safety OF the load of human beings
clinging to the sled.
Not so: for in moment, Just A. q
panther sprang from tree across tho
road. probably not fifty feet behind the
sled. the oxen were in the road again
and mndder than ever with fright.
Eddy, who had been obliged to look
ahead, though comprehending fully all
that had occurred behind, knew what
the others did not, that Waldos team
must be far ahead. for he had not heard
nor seen anything of him for . long
time; and they themselves were flying
past the Boulder Spurs" with the
three dangerous lodges less fhnn half
mile beyond.
Turning his face back, he shouted
hoarsely, For Gods sake, shoot tho
oxen and be quick about 1t, for we are
nearing the ledges!"
Two shots instantly answered his
command. and In the short interval of
partial silence that ensued, he heard
two sounds, which, strong, brave man
us he was. he never forgot, and always
remembered with a sense Of unforgiven
cruelty. 1t was long, mournful 'loo,"
q pitiful petition for help, as 1t were.
from one Of the doomed oxen; and,
"Oh, seel The poor thing Is dragging
his mattel" in a sweet. girlish voice.
But noon the fellow was left far be-
hind, and when they heard the next
scream from the panthers an agonixed
below followed, telling Of the fate Of
the oxen. :
For while all believed themselves
free from the pnnthers, and the oxen
which were drawing them evidently
shared their belief. for they showed
signs of slackening speed; though ten
minutes before It had seemed as though
nothing could save the party from being
swept over the Lodges, II 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 of. They began to take an
interest In young Eddy's effort to stop
his oxen, and even noticed that Waldo
was not ahead of them. They saw that
Eddy was redoubling his efforts to
slacken up with n vigorous use of his
thick goad upon the noses of his oxen.
The stick had not left his hand in all
That terrible ride down the mountain.
Then he shouted, Get ready to jump
when tell you, and jump to the upper
side"
A few more cruelty vigorous blows.
Then, Jerking the head Of his near OF
sharply round. he cried. "Jump!" And
with one wild shout the whole sled
load lnnded In q struggling mass in ~
deep, soft snow.
Young Eddy, when he saw his sled
empty, let go his hold on his oxen nnd
fell backward. through sheer exhaus-
tion; but almost Immediately he sprang
to his feet again In horror. The worst
danger they had been In tonight was
upon them, for either one OF the former
pursucrs, Or nm entirely new conner,
had uttered his blood-curdling scream
Just over their heads.
They were in narrow opening only
few feet from the first ledge, where
| there was a cheer descent Of sixty feet,
with rise Of twenty feet Of bro
ken rock above them. Nothing could
save them now from an encounter
with n hungry panther.
Were the poor oxen fated that night,
one and all, to perish that their
precious load might be saved?
The oxen had made but few stag
gering bounds away. Just to the open
ledge, when they were checked and
sent huddling md backing 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 over tho ledge.
Just for a moment the horrincd
young people forgot their own danger
as they watched the white stripes in
the leaders faces and listening to the
sound OF the sled runners on the rocky
ledge; then another death-threatening
scream, and the huge body shot
through the misty mir. There was q
frightful believing. and short scram-
BILE of hoofs; then sled, oxen and pam
ther disappeared, to be heard from
they struck tho rocks below.
| The suppressed feelings of the straw
riders found vent this time in a regu-
lar stampede for their homes; the girls
were crying and sobbing and uncondi-
tionnlly nccented help from the young
men; and all. though 1t was nidwinter,
forgot completely their lost wraps,
caps. hoods and mittens.
All thought for certain that Wnldo's
team must have gone over the ledge,
but only few Of the strongest young
men had breath to express their grief
or pity. Their surprise nnd joy were
about equal, nfter they had recovered
their breath sufficiently to see, count
and remember names, to find in tho
crowd Of settlers coming out to meet
them every individual of the first load.
Waldo and Eddy suffered the most
from the adventure; Eddy had ri,eu.
matte fever. Waldo constituted him.
self doctor and nurse-ln. general TO
him. and they talked over many =
time the fearful incidents Of the ride.
The two placcs where the oxen fell
were made tho common hunting
| grounds of both settlements, md many