The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-04-13

door 20 rpor its rtes
Molhefs here cried Mfs. Tsier. heeT
the door shu, tight, Mercy Tight Moth
er1l help
Fsntcaily she looked sboe, Ter some
wetpop, a stick, siouc-anythiug that
might sid Ter. Mercy vas sobbiog With
fright. TIE fIKrls ~ he uspptd beast
grew moe f,rtcious, ard With iis Iona
claws Il rippel white sp,lntsTs from The
pine boards
A5imal-hke, the psnihsr 10, its whole
strength into the sIrt 10 withdraw ~
he'd, thus uukuoslagy iapFlsonins i'seli
more securely 1, could easily have ever
come Merey's fable oTppsi,ion " e Lad
tried to force IT. way inwsrd; but !, feared
TO place Us bocy farther vi hin Mat u pa
turally believed was trsp,
MIS-. Tyler sss ~ her vie end when
she noticed the rtins still tagging from the
handle Of the door, The elds were close
to the c tatur,'s hind qaarter', but ste
dsrted upon them wi.hs thrill Of hope.
The musk y odor Of TIE b ssl's heated
skin slmos, slekei I'd her she caught up
the leather lihe Prlrtsh ly they we're
long she ran bscs un'il hey were tau,
10 her hands.
Mo htr's so he door, G,s' she cried.
Now listen. Make Psrhy Up ieto the
loft, ard then iBhe down your fathers
musket IT, fully ID. losded and cfsxl
out the b ok siadoS and brIrg T. TO me.
DD you undeisiste?
The psnihsr sc, med TO r,sl a. that his
chances Tor escape we're dimibishing. with
legs brctd gslust the door-s,eps until the
sinews showed Ike rrper u der the sklp he
tugged franticslly and swurg i,bl ldy from
side to side. Blood appeared on the edge
OF the door. but tbe animal now seemed
insensible TO pain. I.s hoarse, choked
growing expressed nothing but rage.
1t seemed TO Mrs. Tyler as if Mercy
would never cone, bat prest ntly the cour-
sgeous little glrlfppeared round the corner
Of the house, carry ing the gun.
Mercy, said her mother, do you think
you can shoot him while bold the doois
Mercy trembled. Nc, no, can't do II !!
she exclaimed, her face growing a shade
paler than before.
Then you must hold these ieins while
do 1t, said Mrs Ty She saw that the
girl was weak from fright, ard she added,
You must be brave, dear. SCe, mothtr's
not afraid.
She forced the reins into the trembling
little hands and took the weapon in her
own. She was afraid, in spite Of what she
had ss Il to Mercy. Her heart beat hotly
as she advanced toward the furious beast
but nevertheless she walked close up to the
lean, painting eide. She intended that one
charge should finish the work.
She held the muzz'e jlst behind the left
fore leg, where the hair was thin, and ired.
The panther made a convulslve leap for
ward, pulling the reirs from Mercy's weak
grasp. and landtd within the cabin. II
di d, probs bly,. 10 mii-air, for az 1t struck
the # lor its legs crumpled under, it, and IL
fell 10 twitching heap.
The ordeal over, Mrs. Tyler behaved In a
truly feminine way. She dropped the gun,
and puttirg z her bar ds to ber eyer, began to
cry Historically.
Why, mother, said Mercy, who. on the
contrary, ,telt quite brave now, IL can't hurt
you LIS dead.
Mrs. Tyler gathered Mercy into her
arms.
know, dear, she said. That's my own
weak self. | ought rather to thank cur
Father, Wbomade me strorg enough for the
moment to meet the danger--and for CIV
ing me such brave. quick gtted little