Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-08-10

between US. Inc platform was little
higher than the bench on which was
lying, and as the panther crept noise
lessly forward to the edge for closer
look at me, her long, powerful body
was brought full into the moonlight in
all its terrible beauty.
Perhaps 1t was more than fascina-
ton; it may have been fear from the
1re 40 numbing 1Ae that hardly knov
! ~ afraid. BW Wen tho wicked
had began 70 sink between the Nigh
sAoulders, when DE eyes commenced
to change color, and the long tail
Quickened and tw1tched as it moved
from side to ode. understood my
danger. A quick, sure shot would save
me-but where was my rifle? l was
afraid to move. too terrified to think
Then from beneath the huge paws the
moon glinted on the dark steel BARREL
But my fingers closed about the
handle Of my hunting knife. and az she
twitched and swayed for the spring,
Belt that my chances were worth the
trial. Every muscle in the sinewy
body suddenly grew tense. Her head
dropped till it just cleared the floor.
There was culver through the long,
lean frame, a scream-and then an
answering scream; such yell a. that
eat never heard before. I uttered i 10
Unexpectedly, % hiShtfully, that the
beast Was startled In her leap. md
went of an instant sooner than she
Intended, with such a twist that she
rose high In the air and swerved In:
her aim. landing across the back Of the
bench instead Of upon me. She made
q vicious grab at me In passing, but it
fell short, and a. she struck the back
Of the bench her weight and tho w.
locity Of her spring overturned It with
q crash, and came down on the floor,
underneath, shut in between the back
and the seat, az though under an up
turned trough.
Her lightning swiftness had saved
me. As the bench turned she sprang
away, else she might have caught me
@ It turned and dragged me with her
to the floor. Before I knew exactly
what had happened she bounded back
upon the bench. growing and clawing
on my wooden shell as she might have
claWed huge turtle. The solid ends
of the bench prevented her getting at
my feet or head; but at tho same in
slant, it seemed, We discovered q large
crack between the edge of the seat
and the floor. The panther pushed her
bare yellow teeth under, close to my
face. greeted her with another yell
that set her back upon her launches.
Again she threw herself upon the
bench, and like a flash thrust a paw
beneath and buried the claws in my
arm. In moment l would have been
dragged from my shell; but I was
watching for that paw, and met it with
my knife. I must have driven the
blade nearly through 1t, for with a
yelp Of pain and fright she lsaped
away.
Again and again abe made at me,
and struck at the crack. but could not
bring herself to risk another paw be-
meath. In trying to get my wounded
arm from under me moved the bench.
/ ne panther snarled and retreated.
moved It toward her and called. At
every move she backed further of,
splitting and snarling, until heard her
leap past the end, run along the wall
and spring. There was a crash of
glass, two or three long leaps on the
turf outside, then all was still.
She had gone; bur I did not follow
and shoot her. was content to lie
there till daylight lent me more
strength. When at last / craWled out