Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-03-14
A Royal Feline
Continued from page 3

N~O't''''''NN 81
could time with precision I knew it by
heart. | believe | could have told the
exact moment Of her leaping if had kept
my eyes shut. As it was, let my eyes
wander wondering why the panther was
not in the game this time = and | found
that he was.
Ills movements were keeping time with
those of the cat Whether it was from
habit or not I shall never be able quite to
make up my mind, but the main thing
about which no doubt was left me was his
purpose to spring when the cat should do
SO. He had all the appearance OF having
game in view at the same time, and my
next thought was to see what the game
might be. Following the aim of his attcn-
ton, my eyes fell upon Wildwood.
tried to locate some other object in the
line Of his attack, but the ground was all
open between. And when | looked for
the purpose in his cleaning eyes [ saw
it to be the man before them as plainly
as | saw the mountain ahead of me.
There could no longer be any mistake OF
his intention - the beast was about to
make his master the victim OF the game
suddenly grew cold with fear. Three
more stealthy glides, and the spring would
come Either a certain tragedy or a
disastrous turn to the bit of intended sport
was imminent. | took another swift look
at the panther's eyes and decided that it
was to be a certain tragedy if Providence
did not put me in the way of averting it
altogether
If | could speak naturally to Wildwood
the panther would not notice it. | COM
posed myself as best I could, for my
shaking nerves, and said:
"The panther is almost upon you. Pc
prepared for him. I'll 60 for the gun"
Wildwood never finched. He did not
so much as look around, a movement that
would have been fatal.
"Thank you," he said quietly. Don't
make disturbance; if I move a moment
too soon, or if you move, all is lost"
At this | came near giving way alto
gether, at first not understanding his
meaning. Then in an instant his dcs-
perate plan of escape, which he had con-
ceived as an inspiration of the moment,
struck me-
The vilIainous brute had taken another
stride forward and was in the act OF taking
his next when l turned my glance to the
cat. She 7Uas doing precisely the same
hing! The key to the panther's move
ments was the action Of the cat, and Mill
woods gaze was riveted upon the cat
She was his index = in her he could see
the reflection of his foe and could accurately
count his moments of grace before thl
spring ] knew with an exultant surety
what he would do. l kept desperately
still and waited, watching the cat all the
while as intentiy as Wildwood did.
With a switch the cat leapt upon he
prey At exactly the same instant Mill
wood slipped out OF lis chair to the floor
As he went down the back of the chat
was struck by four wicked black fee
and hurled against the side of the house
the panther across it.
For a second the beast remained as hi
had landed, painting from the shock anc
disconnected at his blunder; then HI
sprang up with a growl, in time to receive
the contents of NIillwood's revolver be
tween the eyes.
When I got down stairs the panthe
lay stretched upon the back porch where