The new enterprise., 1905-06-15

'N'hSSN W NVtic ALoll uu plueT pGEbuu
than her little Mercy.
20 Farley, come in quickl Quick!
o motherw
The door OF the cabin had swung
open, flooding the slab noor with yellow
light. On the broad step outside stood
Farley, one arm putstrctched as If
beckonlng, pleased interest in his
smiling eyes and lips. Mrs. Tyler's
gaze rested on the little fellow, and
somewhat reassureo, sought the rough,
clip-llttered turf beyond.
At the first casual glance she saw
nothing unusual in the pattern of pale
greens and browns. 1t looked prosaic
enough and familiar, only she had for
gotten that Jacob had left that short
log lying in the patch of last years
dead grass, Her eyes returned to it
and remained caught by something
curiously suggestive Of life about it,
something virile and mcnaclng.
1t moved slightly, ever so slightly,
rs she looked, and she saw the play Of
tense muscles ripple over 1t in n kind
of eSpectant quiver. What she had
taken for bark was skin covered with
sleek, brown hair. She distinguished,
all in moment, the outlines of the
long, crouching form, the broad, catlike
head with its square, eager chin frosted
with white,and the two points Of yell
low light fixed on Farley.
The little fellow turned lust then in
obedience to his sisters call, ana
smooth rs oil the crouch!ng thing glid-
ed forward,
The sudden anguish In Mrs. Tyler's
heart strove to express itself in a gasp
ing breath that seemed to tear her
throat, Maternal rage swept aside her
fear, and she fcw round the corner Of
the house prepared, If necessary, to
throw herself upon the creature and
fight it with her bare hands.
Before she could reach the front she
heard the panther scream, the raspy
sudden cry Of a creature alarmed and
in pain. The next moment she saw
its 1.-THE body struggling on the door
step, The head was hidden. The stout
door, directed by some one within, held
the animals neck firmly between its
edge ard that Of the jamh.
20 mother! Quick! Help"
1t was Mercy's voice. Tho brave lit
tic girl had run down from the loft
Just MS the panther thrust his head over
the threshold, and had succeeded in
slamming the door to upon its neck.
"Mother's here" cried Mrs, Tyler
Keep the door shut tight, Mercy,
Tight! Mother'n help
FNntcally she looked about for some
weapon, stick, a stone-anythlng that
might aid her. Mercy was sohhH2
with fright The snarls Of the trapped
beast grew more ferocious. and with
its long claws it ripped white spllnters
from the pine boards.
Animal-like, the panther put IT'S
whole strength into the effort to with
draw its head, thus unknowingly i'm
itself more securely, II could
easily have overcome Mercy's feeble
opposition If it had tried TO force its
way inward; but 1t feared to place its
body farther within what il naturally
believed was q trap.
Mrs. Tyler was at her wits end whom
she noticed the reins still hanging from
the handle of the door. The ends were
close TO the creatures hind quarters
but she dartcd upon them with a thrill
Of hope.
The musky odor Of the beasts heated
skin almost sickened her AZ she caught
up the leather lines. Fortunately they
were long. She ran back until they
were taut in her hands,
Mothers got the door, dear" she
cried, "Now listen. Make Farley 60
up into the loft and then take down
your fathers musket carefully-lts
loaded-and crawl out the back win
dow and bring It to me. DO you under
stand?"
The panther seemed to realize that
his chances for escape were diminish
ing. With legs bgaced against the
doorstep until the sinews showed like
ropes under the skin, he tuggcd fran
tlcally and swung his body from side
to side. Blood appeared on the edge
Of the door, but the animal now seemed
insensible to pain. Its hoarse, choked
growing expressed nothing but rage.
1t seemed to Mrs Tyler as IL Mercy
would never come, but presently the
courageous little girl appeared around
the corner of the house, carrying the
gun.
mercy" said her mother, "do you
think you can shoot him while l hold