The leader., 1905-08-19
.wha. s I, Maryg.. he cried, . saa

Wnat Is II Mary3 ne cried, as Gne
came nearer.
The children are gone, and cannot
find them, z she answered. II have gone
all about the clearing, but they are rot
here. / have called to them over and
over again. but received no answer ex-
cept the echoes until l heard your
voice..
Where can they have gone?''
i know not, but fear some harm
has come to them
When did you see them last?"
1T must have been more than an hour
ago. ! was SO busy at work that did
not miss them until short time ago.
What can have become Of them?''
I don't know, but am almost afraid
that they have tried to follow you
He gave great start at these words
OF his wife, for he suddenly remembered
the tracks he had seen in the sand.
What if they had wandered up along the
stream, and the panther should discover
them?
The thought sent thrill Of terror to
his heart, and his limbs trembled from
the agitation that shook his frame. But
1t lasted only for moment, and then
he recovered his self-possession.
Rushing into the cabin, he took down
his rifle and was out again beside his
wife in almost moments time (Which
way shall we go?" she said.
up the branch; they must have gone
that way. Robert wanted to go with me
when started out"
And he wanted to follow you some
time after you had started. It must be
that they have gone that way"
They hurried away toward the bank
of the stream, where the darkness lay
thick beneath the thick branches of the
oyerhanging trees. There upon the
sand they sought for the footprints Of
the missing ones, but the gloom was so
great that they could distinguish noth-
ing. In a little time, however, the moon
would be shining brightly, for it was
already rising above the tree tops.
They called aloud, but the echoes were
the only answer that came back save the
sound of the dashing water.
On they hurried along the rough, un-
even way. At last they saw before them
a patch of bright moonlight lying on
the sand, where it came down through
a rift in the foliage.
Here, alongside of his own, the father
saw the footsteps of his children in the
sand.
They were on the right trail thea.
Would Heaven save them from danger
till they could clasp them in their arms?
Only moment did they stop to exam
inc the footprints, and then they hurried
onward. Even now the panther might
be watching them, catlike, or feasting
off their flesh. The thought filled them
with horror, and faster they went, clam
bering over huge powders or hurrying
along the sand, seeking eagerly for the
lost ones.
More than once they cast troubled
look toward some dark pool, as though
they half expected they might be buried
in it's waters.
At last they were close upon the spot
where he had seen the tracks of the
panther
Before them was ledge of granite,
which came down close to the waters
edge. The moonlight lay along its
face and rested at it's foot, where was
heaped pile of dead forest trees.
Both the parents uttered cry of joy,
for here, nestled in each others arms,
they beheld their lost ones.
Calling them by name, the mother
sprang forward, but suddenly arrested
her steps, with cry of terror upon
her lips. The fierce growl of pan.
ther fell upon their ears.
Glancing toward the summit of the
cliff, they saw the huge brute prepared
to spring upon the helpless children.
There was not an instant to lose.
With the rapidity of thought Elias
Towle brought his rife to his shoulder
and fired.
There was a wild shrek, and the
panther sprang high in the air and
fell at their feet. There was a fierce
struggle for moment, and then he
lay outstretched-de
With a glad cry the mother sprang
forward and cIasped her children in
her arms, with grateful thanks to
Heaven that they were saved.
The panther was skinned and its
hide stuffed, and ever kept after as an
heirloom in the family.-N. Y. Weekly.