Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-02-06
A CLOSE CALL.


"Oh, yes, l would know those kind of
tracks. These are very different, said
Dora breathlessly.
That's a panther's track" said Dan,
after carefully examining tho footmarks
in the soft sand. 'He must have come
down from the bluff for water. You know
all the water holes above us are drying
up"
Dora looked up at the great bluff which
rose like an enormous wall steep, dark
and forbidding, on the opposite of the mar
row river, and shuddered. There was only
one trail which led down from the top of
the bluff Tho children knew that trail
well. The rocks on both sides of it We're
covered with quaint hieroglyphics which
the Indians had painted on them. Dan
used to climb it when he went to hunt the
horses, and they both loved to look from
the top Of the lofty eminenoe far, far away
over the great divide.
Giles Harris, the children's father, was
off on round up miles away, and was not
expected home for days. They were living
on the frontier and Mr.. Harris had not yet
built house, nor were there any neigh
bors within many miles.
Dora had great faith in her mothers
protecting power, ard it was only after
Mrs. Harris had pronounced tho peculiar
tracks to be those of a panther that the
child lost her courage and burst into tears.
"Oh l wish father would come" she Sob
bed, and her mother echoed the wish, for
their situation was indeed a grave one
Dan was IL years old, and being man
ly little fellow might have shot the beast
had he had anything to shoot with, but
unluckily not one cartridge could be found
for the pistol his father had left for him.
They were at a great distance from any
other camp, and the canvas walls of their
tent would afford but poor protection from
savage beast. Knowing the habits of
animals, Mrs. Harris knew that the pan
ther was likely to come down for water
again that night at the same hour at which
he descended before. There was nothing
to be done but to make what slight prep
aration they could to keep off their dread
cd visitor
The children gathered all the wood they
could in order to keep up big fire all
that night 1t was decided to turn out a
calf from the little calf pen at nightfall.
Perhaps, as it was young and tender, the
brute would be satisfied and not come
prowling closer to the tent which was not
even protected by rude fence from any
thing which chose to approach it. Dan
ventured a little way up "a trail and dis
covered some bones of what appeared to
have been a sheep, and the fact that the
panther had devoured this sheep doubtless
explained why he did not disturb them the
previous night.
The night wore on; the old silver watch
told that it was quarter past midnight.
Suddenly loose rock rolled from the high
bluff and fell with sullen splash into the
water below
ooh, mother" said Dora, hiding her
face, "is he coming:?"
II don't think So darling" replied her
mother soothingly, but even as she spoke
in the intense stiffness the slow measured
tread of heavy body coming down the
rocky trail confirmed their fears
In their dread they could almost feel the
fangs Of the cruel brute, and for a mo-
ment the delicate woman nearly tainted
with terror. Then she reused herself and
silently pointed to the pile of wood. Dora
rose and flung on three or four moro pieces
of dry cedar. For moment the fresh fuel
dulled the blaze, then, as the boy poked
and turned the burning pieces, the fame
flashed up with fresh vigor.
They distinctly heard the creature jump
down the last steps of the descent, and
now he was coming across the nearly dry
ridge Of rocks leading through the water
to that side of the river. He would pause
to drink at the favorite watering place;
after that-what?
1t seemed almost that they could hear
him drinking. After his thirst was APP
peased he would seek to satisfy his hun
ger. Their only hope was in tho calf. If
he should get hold of that tirst--but no.
He has come up from the waters edge, and
instead of making his way toward tho pen,
he is coming toward them.
They hear the loose rocks which strew
the ground slipping and crunching be-
meath his weight. Dora was too frightened
to ask questions now, and Mrs. Harris,
feeling the beating of that little heart so
near her own, thinking OF little Dan striy-
ing SO hard to seem brave and manly, de-
termined, if death must come to one Of
them to meet the great cat herself, rather
than see him devour ono of her darlings.
Nearer and nearer the creature comes.
They can see the outline Of his form even
in the darkness now, so close has he APP
preached to their circle of light.
Plainly enough from the surrounding
gloom two glowing eyes gaze at them.
The panther stood still as if waiting be-
fore he made his final spring. Dan seized
one of the largest, brightly blazing sticks
from the fire and br;tndished it over his
head, intending to fling it at the beast If he
moved step farther. There was an in
slant of brcathless suspense, which seemed
an eternity to the little group then the
animal, apparently not liking the fire he
had inspected, uttered low growl of dis
content and turned off in the direction of
the calf pom. The party breathed freely as
he moved away, but shuddered as they
heard the stifled cry of the poor little calf
as the beast seized it in his clutches Dan
piled on the wood, making the blaze
brighter than ever before, and, listening
intently, they were at last assured by the
sounds Of receding footballs that the pam
Their was retiring with his prey.
After an hour Cl intense anxiety they
heard him reascending tho rocky trail,
and rightly judged that he would modest
them no more that night. Dora, fell asleep
exhausted with terror, but Dan and his
mother burned their watch fire until its
light was dimmed in the rosy beams of the
dawning day. Tho suns earliest rays fell
Oh little band Of horsemen approaching
the camp through the mesquite trees.
One of Mr.. Harris best cow ponies had
fallen lame, and some of the men were re-
turning with him to select fresh horses.
1t was not long before they started In pur-
suit Of the panther, which they killed that
very day, and his skin made an unusually
large and handsome rug. Dora and Dan
are living now i'll one of the larger towns
of Texas, and neither of them will ever
forget that dreadful night of suspense and
danger. --Olive B. Gunby In Atlanta Con-
stitution.