The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-01-31

! from the dense shadow Of the wood
The open road was before him, aIli
the log railing that bordered the preds
pice. The path was level here, and N
made better speed, though he turtle
frequently to see II his pursuer waS i
sight.
But what meant this dead stiffness
Had the panther given up the purslai
when it found the bundle and tn
meager lunch 1t contained? Or did thii
silence mean only its fierce determine
ton to give no strength save to mighty
bounds on Uncle Sis track?
The question had scarcely crossed
his mind when it was answered a
frightful yell of savage triumph rang
from the ledge above him. He had been
circumvented. AS he leaped back in
stinctively, the panther threw himself
down into the path--into the very
tracks his victim had left in the snow
as he jumped away.
For an instant they faced each other
silently; the beast crouching low on
its close-set feet, with ears back, and
tail switching violently; the man mo-
tionless, with eyes fixed on the green
spots vaguely luminous in the deep
shadow of the ledge.
Swiftly the remembrance of the
bear and her cubs came back to Uncle
Silas just as the snaky shadow
ceased its motion, and. the spots glowed
steadily, seeming enlarged
boo! Scat, you brute! Rto!
Seattle shouted, fourishing the
umbrella above his head.
A savage snarl answered him; but
the shadow was again in motion; the
spots seemed growing nearer.
Slowly Uncle Silas backed away,
shouting and waving his poor weapon.
The panther followed steadily, creep
ing through the snow without ever taxi
ing it's eyes from the old mans face.
Whenever he stopped shouting or re-
Taxed his threatening demonstrations
for an instant, the fierce eyes seemed
enlarged, and the beast crouched low
for its spring.
Uncle Sis legs touched the railing
as he backed away. He knew the path
turned here. But he dared not turn his
head nor take his eyes from the lu-
minous spots before him. The spring
OF the umbrella unfastened suddenly
as he waved it about; and the stout top,
the wind, almost pulled the
handle from his grasp.
Then strange idea came into Uncle
Silas' head. Leaping forward sudden
" with loud shout, he aimed sweep
ing blow at the creatures head. The
panther, startled, sprang away, spit
ting like huge cat, and jumped upon
ledge, where it turned again
and crouched for spring.
But the moments break had given
Uncle Silas time to act. The instant
The fierce eyes were taken from his he |
leaped over the log railing,
md swapping his umbrella wide open,
brew himself far out over the preci-
,ice,
The old preacher never forgot the
cream Of rage that followed his sud-
len leap. He wondered If his old UNI
,rella would stand the rush without |
urning inside out and dashing him
Town among the rocks. Then he saw
dark form shoot by him with blood
urdling yell, saw tree-tops sweep up
n dark mass to meet him, and heard
crash and thud below.
Meantime he had come down into the
OPP of scrubby hemlock. The UNI
'rella was torn from his grasp, and he
lropped through bending branches
nto the snow, where he lay for long.
ime weak and listless, wondering and
'rateful for his strange escape.
A ccmmotion in the underbrush
ear brought him to his feet. He
roped for stick to defend himself.
tut the noise was stationary. A con-
usion of blows and low growls, and
mapping bushes. With a great throb
thankfulness he realized that it must
his late terrible enemy, wounded to
cath in his last mad spring. II
Feeling about in the darkness.
ncle Silas gathered handful OF dead
wigs. These he kindled by the aid
flint and punk that he always car {
ed in his pocket. By this light he
altered more fuel, and soon bright {
laze was leaping up against the hem I
,c.;.
The noise in the underbrush had $
rown less as he worked. It had almost t
'ased when he parted the bushes eau {
ously and peered in. There lay the j
anther, struggling feebly. I
The force of its wild leap had carried |
well over the tree into which Uncle /
las had fallen. The branches, strik- /
g it's legs, had thrown it off cat L
Se balance and hurled it among the a
'cks. Z
Uncle Silas turned to find his way