The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-05-26

0uh bllhb was LHOAbQS ago Aau
looked up at the distant bluff while
the buglers were blowing retreat, but
be stood ID ''the attitude of soldier
when the flag came down TO the
booming Of She evening gun. That
night he made his bed on the floor
OF the upper porch, and lay there
wondering at the stars till long after
taps. Time and again he caught him
self almost across the border land .
Of dreams and il seemed to him the
tagging midnight must have passed /
whensthe sound for which he waited /
reached his ears. And then The sud I
denness Of st. the savage strength Of |
that panthers cry, startled the cour !
ageous little fellow tin his heart was
still The half human quality OF the
tone added to the terror Of it.
Then his breath came back. and
with it his daring. And the. next tims
the cry was raised he knew the
shingly shelves Of the bluff were then
promenade for the panther
Next night sergt Gore was ON
gpard but the next after he was free
and time and again he wondered
where Tad was in hiding, Tor he had
not seen the boy since dinner call
Lang and Warner were up the
gulch with an eight-mule team and
they came in. at sundown with 3 load
Of wood When they had unharne ssed
the mules Lang found Sergt Gore
stretched on his bunk trying ia fead
| by the afterglow
ooh, Gore, heres q note from the
captains kid" said the teamster,
Lang, carelessly.
Gore peeFed at the peneiled lines:
Dear Sergeant: am up on the blam II
you don't come and get me, maybe the
| panther will. TAD.
A cayuse pony was picketed baoS Of
the quartermaster's store, and sergt
the animals jaw, leaped to che bare
back and galloped to the hills. He
carried his carbine, and belt Of
cartridges was buclzled about him.
And every muscle Of his splendid
frame quivered; for he loved the cap
tain's son.
Tad had calculated the note might
not be delivered until after dark, and
he Crept along the slaty shelves until
he found a little recess where the
loose earth had been worn away by
the wind and the rain and he climbed
down there and backed in. About siE
fact beiaw was bfaad ledge Whiea
reached far around to the right. BJ
lying fat his face just came to the
edge of his narrow shelf, while his
feet were pressed to the farthest
spaces in his little refuge. He pulled
his rifle within easy reaching distance
and then looked out and dared the
panther to come.
Straight before him down the val
ley was the fort. He watched the
twinkling lights go out in the mess
hall, and knew the belated teamster'
had arrived in camp. And his faitt
was so firm in Sergt. Gore that h
never doubted the soldier was coming
Presently he heard the duh beat o
,, hoofs on the long road. But it wa
from unshod feet, and not caValr!
! horse. That chilled his courage lit
tie And just. as he tried to convinc
himself that he was wrong ant
! searched for hope that an army hOrs
and not a pony was galloping towar'
, him, a shrek not so feet away rem
the wonderful silence of the hills.
His little body was positively lifte,
and shaken with the shock of it. AM
then, because he was a captains so1
Tad hammered his bare knuckle
AGAINST the stone and forced his couI
= age to come back.
. He peered over the edge of his shel
4 at the broad ledge below; he locke
. straight down there hundred fee
= to the foot of the bluff, and he cOul
:, not tell for the life of him from wha
: direction that thrilling cry had come
+ Then a pebble was Ioosened and fel
! down the bluff, around somewhere t
the right of Ted's refuge, and he calle
f Sergeant"
He heard something rub gentl
g against the rocks on that ledge below
e and then another pebble bounded ava.
; but no strong word of cheer came
answer.
/ In another moment, though his wild
eyes had been watching ali the tim
the panther lay below him. She keT
- well to the farther edge. She sa
!" him, and seemed gathering for sprini
It was seconds before he thought {
4 the rife. Then he fired, and 81
leaped.
e He felt her claws strike at him, an
catch again and again. But he witt
drew far into the little nook, and thel
70 was no foothold for her
1t He toppled back and he could hef
her breathing plainly. Then she trie
again. As she stood on her hind fee
1t her claws caught in his clothing, bl
IS he fought free; and time and aga
she scratched him, but he did not CT
!" out.
le Once or twice she withdrew her pa
n. stretched very high, and pushed h,
4; black muzzle up till he could see Il
T. two red eyes; and he knew the tv
ot red eyes could very well see him. b
lie when she Struck she Must withdra
ut her head to give the paw a great
I'd reach, and by shifting a little he cou
Id dodge her.
to But all the time, as she tried 70 Ail
ld first with one forepaw and then wi
it the other, her hind feet were clawil