News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-07-19


no wise end the chase, for they knew
that by his huge, vaulting springs he
could soon forge ahead to a vantage
ground in another tree.
The road through which these hap
less young people took their fearful
ride is nearly obliterated now by a
sturdy growth of young trees, except
the Three Lodges around which the
road ran. No tress can cover those
cruel rocks. Here was the fearful
climax which must end such a race,
even should they keep together until
they reached the lodges.
In thirty seconds quick witted Wal
do had unhitched his leading oxen
and turned them into the deep snow,
hoping that they might possibly at
tract the panther. Thus he also OBJ
tanned better chance to control the
Others. By this time a second scream
more defiant than the other, rang
through the woods.
This second scream came from be-
hind them over through the notch
and was Immediately answered by
the first, making the poor, trembling
oxen fairly bound with fright, and
this time sending them off on a mad
gallOp. The teamsters instinctively
caught hold of yoke and horn. Young
Waldo shouted back to those in the
sleds, "Hold on for your lives J"
1t was an almost useless warning.
The young men who had risen were
thrown among those who had not,
their extended guns dealing cruel
blows as they fell. But not a word
of fear or complaint was uttered by
the hardy young settlers, and no
sound was heard for a few minutes
except Waldo's and Eddy's shouts
in their endeavors to check the mad
speed of their teams. Yet it seemed
to those in the sleds, as they tossed
and bounded from side to side, catch
ing and losing their hold upon the
stakes, that the next stump or stone
must certainly wreck them.
Even the panther was forgotten in
their efforts to keep their places, I'M
til the chase was freshly announced
by the united screams of the panth
ers, now certainly both behind them.
That the oxen had distanced them in
their first mad run was plain, but
that gave the unfortunate straw rid
ers no hope of ultimate escape, for
they could now count by the screams
the rapidly made jumps of their pur-
suers, which we're fast closing in upon
them.
Waldos team, though much wind
ed, was running fairly well, through
his timely forethought in turning
lose his leaders, while Eddy, who had
barely time to catch the horn of his
near OK, had no control over his
leaders, which in their successive
rights at each scream from the pan
theirs, bolted frightfully, adding to
their danger as well aslessening their
chances of escape by fight.
1t would seem that the dangers
already surrounding the party could
not be increased, but those in the
sled became suddenly aware that
Waldo's abandoned leaders were in
the road behind them. They recog-
nizpd the danger Immediately and
tried by flinging out their free arms
and shouting, to change the course
of the pursuing oxen, but the poor,
terror blinded creatures plunged 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, and each face turned toward
the END of the sled awaiting the crash
of the galloping hoofs upon the sled
boards. But when the shock came
it almost seemed that Providence in
terferred to save them, for only one
OK planted his feet over the end
board, while the other fell with only
his big horns and head inside, where
by miracle they hung, only to be
savagely shaken off by the next
stump or stone.
The continually nearing screams
of the panthers showed that they
were still in hot pursuit, and there
was a regretful hope in each mind
that the poor oxen might not be
able to rise, thereby becoming sac
rifice for the safety of the load of
human beings clinging to the sled.
Not so, for in a moment, just as a
panther sprang from a tree across
the road, probably not fifty feet be-
hind the sled, the oxen were in the
road again and madder 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 Wal
dos team must be far ahead, for he
had not heard nor seen anything Of
him for long time, and they them
selves were flying past The Boulder
spurs, with the three dangerous lodges
less than a half mile beyond.
Turning his face back he shouted
hoarsely. "For Gods sake, shoot the
oxen and be quick about it, for we
are nearing the lodges p
Two shots instantly answered his
command, and in the short interval
of partial silence that ensued he heard
two sounds, which, strong, brave
man as he was, be never forgot and
always remembered with a sense of
unforgiven cruelty. 1t was a long,
mournful "loo," a pitiful petition for
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