Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-09-06


among the snowy spruces. but came
back in Il few moments, and looking
up into our faces, wiiined and ran on
again. He's found sometning!' ex-
claimed Johnny
1--WE hurried in on his track, and
4 few rods farther up saw him stand
ing still shifting at something. and
there, under thin covering of snow
near the water. lay old Brindle torn
and mangled and partially eaten. A
feeling of awe crept over us at the
sight.
Dead! whispered Johnny.
Something's killed fler!' wis
pered back.
There were fresh fox-tracks all
around. and the carcass had been re.
Gently gnewed in several places. Some
transient little Reynard had been i'm.
proving the chance to steal a break.
fast But what. savage beast had
throttled old Brindle and torn her to
pieces? No bear nor lucivee had done
1t. 1t was not their work, we well
knew-some stronger and fiercer un.
known animal.
Not sound. not breath of air
to stir the loaded boug!;s, and the
wild gray face of the precipice tower
ing above us seemed to grow more
terrible in the stiffness.
"But looking more closely, we now
discerned. partially obscured by the
more recent snowflakes, some broad
heavy footprints, larger than o.o
Brtndle's hoof, going off along the
narrow path between the crag ant
the pond. With sort of Fascinated
curiosity we began stealing on tip
toes. from one to another of these
Cub keeping close to us and glancine
up beseechingly in our faces. At the
distance of few rods the tracks
stopped all at once. Beyond a GER
tain point there were no footmarks.
Cub whined. almost getting under
our feet in his efforts TO keep near
us. 1nstinctively our eyes Wandered
up the rock beside us. But ere we had
seen the spectacle there, cry-a
shrill. piercing screech-broke the
stiffness. and 10! on jutting rock,
full twenty feet above us and in the
very attitude of springing. crouched a
large gray creature its claws work.
ing on the bare rock. its ears laid
back and its long tail switching to
and fro with a restless, dangerous
motion. One momentary glance!
Then came another scream; and we
felt, rather than saw. that the fierce
creature had sprung and was in the
air. In that second we also sprang
backward, frenziedly, falling over
each other and sprawling on the snowy
rocks. There was a heavy pounce
down in the path before us, yell Of
agony from Cub and loud growl,
with noise of graphing.
Poor Cub had been the victim.
Scrambling to our feet, we saw the
animal leap upward, back to the top
of the rock. at one spring; where
again graphing and gathering up the
dog in his mouth it bounded up to an.
other rock. Then, going up the crag,
it leaped upon a projecting ledge,
along which it ran to great cleft or
cavern, a hundred feet above the path,
In the mouth of which it disappeared
with its prey. 1t had all been so sud.
den and SO appalling that for some
moments we stood bewildered and
staring at the spot. Then remember.
ing our danger, caught up our unused
guns and turned 10 run from the fear.
ful place. when another wild scream
rooted us. to the path, and looking up
we beheld the catamount glaring
down at us from the mouth of its
den, and running along the ledge to
the point where it had sprung up.
Frightened as we were, we still
had sense enough to know that it was
of no use to run. From his lofty
perch the panther crouched, switching
his tail and cycling lis much as cat
might watch couple of mice. For
some moments we stood perfectly mo.
tionless. AS long as we kept still
the monster remained watching. but
the moment we started, he would rise
and poise himself to spring down,
growing fretfully at the least move.
ment If we ran, he would bound
down and overtake us in no time. If
we fired our old guns at him he would
spring instantly. and unless fatally
wounded make short work of us.
ooh, what can we do.' whispered
Johnny, as we sflrank, shivered there
beneath those savage eyes, which
never for moment left lis.
eve had but one hope. il we did
MT move. he might go back to eat
Cub in his den.
But no, he liked the looks Of us
too well for that. One or both of us
he was bound to have, and like all
cat creatures. he loved to watch his
prey. I don't know how. long we
stood there. but it seemed hours. and
we grew desperate and fairly reck-
less in our terror.
"I am going to fire-may as well,
muttered Johnny at last. was com.
ing to think so too. Slowly we rails
ed our rusty old flnt-shot. They
were we'll charged with buck-shot-
if they woull only go on. The pan.
Their growled, seeing the movement.
and started up but we pulled the trig-
gers. They both went off. There was
a loud scream Of pain or rage. We
sprang away down the path. but
glancing over our shoulders. beheld
him struggling and clinging to low
err rock, upon which he had jumped
or fallen from the ledge above.
"'He is hit! we did hit him. ex
claimed Johnny. and pausing in our
headlong flight we turned to watch
him. For long time he chung there
writhing up and falling back, and
tearing at his wounds. Shrek after
Shrek echoed on the black mountain
across the pond. and we could SEE
the blood trickling down over the
edge of the rock. Oh! it was fear
full sight. But he grew weaker a
length, and by and by fell down t.