Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-06-22

stone must certainty wreck lnell.
Even the panther was forgotten In
their efforts TO keep their places, uutil
the chase was freshly announced by
the united screams of the painters,
now certainly both behind them. That
the oxen had distanced them In their
first mad run was plain, but that gave
the unfortunate straw riders no hope
of an ultimate escape, for they could
now count by the screams the rapidly
made jumps OF their pursuers, which
were fast closing In upon them.
Waldo's team, though much winded,
was running fairly well, through his
timely forethought I'm turning loose his
leaders, while Eddy, who had had bare
~ time to catch the horn of his near OK,
had no control over his leaders, which,
in their successive flights Mt each
scream from the panthers, bolted
frightfully, adding to their danger as
well rs lessening their chances or es-
cape by fight.
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 WaldOs
abandoned leaders We're in the road be-
hind them. They recognized the dan
ger Immediately, and tried, by 1linging
out their free arms and shouting, TO
change the course OF the pursuing oven,
but the poor. terror-blinded creatures
plunged straight on, needing nothing.
There was no time 10 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 interfcred to
save them, for only one OK planted his
feet over the endboard, while the other
! fell with only his big horns and head
inside, where by n miracle they hung,
only to be savagely shaken off by the
next stump or stone.
The continually nearing screams of
| the pantheTS showed that they were
still in hot pursuit, and there was n
regretful hope in each mind that the
poor oxen might not be able TO rise,
thereby becoming Il sacrifice for the
safety Of the load of human beings
clinging 10 the sled.
Not so; for in a moment, just rs n
panther sprang from tree across the
road, probably not fifty feet behind the
sled, the oxen were in the road again
and madden 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 Waldo's team
must be far ahead, for he had not heard
nor seen anything Of him for a long
time; and they themselves were flying
past the Boulder Spurs" with the
i. 1..J.r 4lana 1,n1f
mile beyond.
hoarsely, For Gods sake, shoot the
oxen and be quick about it, for we are
nearing the lodges"
Two shots instantly answered his
command, and I'm the short interval of
partial silence that ensued. he heard
two sounds. which, strong, brave man
as he was, he never forgot, and always
| remembered with Il sense Of unfOrgiven
cruelty. 1t was long, mournful loo"
a pitiful petition for help, as 1t We're,
from one of the doomed oxen; and.
"Oh, sect The poor thing is dragging
his mate" in a sweet, girliSh voice.
But soon the fellow was left far be-
hind, and when they heard the next
scream from the panthers an agonized
below followed, telling OF the fate OF
the oxen.
For n while all believed themselves
free from the panthers, and the oxen
which We're 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, 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 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 1 tell you, and jump to the upper
side"
4 few more cruelty vigorous blows.
Then. Jerking the head of his near OK
sharply round. he cried. Jump And
with one wild shout the whole sled
load landed in n struggling mass in the
deep, soft snow.
/ Young Eddy. when he saw his sled
empty, let 20 his hold on his oxen and
fell backward. through sheer eXhaus-
ton; 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, " 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 Il sheer descent Of sixty feet,
with rise Of twenty-five feet Of bro
ken rock above them. Nothing could
save them now from an encounter
with a 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 budding and backing upon each
other again by the sudden renewal of
danger, and the leaders. in their efforts