The Washington herald., 1911-09-03
A Night With the Panthers
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could not be told for at that instant the pack
of hounds rushed in, and, long before the
panther had chance to fecover. if there was
yet any life left in it, they had torn it into
pieces in their fury
Again Wilse turned his attention to his
father, and now saw that consciousness was
returning and that his worst fears were
groundess.
Whne he was rubbing his fathers hands
and face, Wilse had time to notice that, with
the exception OF big rent in his coat, a very
ugly brulse on his forehead and a much torn
ON him.
While noting these things. Wilse did not
hear the noise OF approaching men above the
loud barking Of the dogs still worrying at the
panther's carcass until Abe Tittlebrew, Wild
Amerine and Nick Smith suddenly appeared
upon the scene, with glad cries Of recognition.
wall, III be plagued" Abe began. Mis-
Bushheld didn't say as how yo' was up hyar
ON the mountains, with yo' father, Wise.
My son Josh said how he seed yo' down
at the valley, along o Squire Patton's boys,
Yesterday"
'Thet's so, Abe; but come up home this
eXenin', after my chores was done" WlIse re-
"Then how in creation" Nick Smith broke
tS0t that yG b. Is up hySF5 y5s now
but he lowed that was a plumb fool and
was a-wanderin' in my talk"
Then, in the peculiar Language. Of that
mountain region, Wilse explained. in as few
and how he came TO seek his father here.
To his account the men listened with the
greatest interest and with very evident show
OF admiration for the boys pluck, interrupt
ing him at every point with exciamatlons OF
astonshment or words OF praise.
AT tho end Of tho narration Aha broke
forth:
"Shucks, boy! but yo' is yo' father, right
plumb over ag'in. When he was yo' age, he
war the bravest and right-down grittiest lad
in all these hyar mountlngs; and it's mighty
plain to be seen that yo' air goin to make
jes' sich another Why, thar warnt one o
weuns was willin' to start up hyar to-
night, till we got company 'nough to keep up
each others courage; and yo cum up alone,
Wall, it do beat all!
Then Wise questioned them as TO how it
came that they we're out here after his father,
and he soon learned that the latter had start
ed out the day before for a short deer hunt.
expecting to be home before nightfall.
When he did not return his wife grew wor-
ried for his safety and when he had not
appeared the next morning she had set of to
hunt him
Not knowing the trails, she had failed to
find any trace Of him. but once she thought
she heard Nose barking in the distance. The
wind was then blowing so hard, however; that
she had to give up the attempt to call the
dog, and had returned to the cabin thor
oughly frightened.
From there she went over the ridge TO the
neighbors, the Tttlebrews. and there she was
able to get the three men together, and after
supper they had started forth.
Having nothing but their knowledge of
Jake Bushfeld's haunts to guide them, they
had very naturally been much longer IN ind
ing him than had Wilse. who was led so near
to his father by faithful old Nose. And, had
it not been for Wilse's whisthng and 4el
lows answering barking. they might have
searched all night without finding the lost
hunter.
While these mutual explanations were be-
ing made Wild Amerine had succeeded in SO
far restoring Jake Bushheld that he was now
sitting up and looking around in a dazed
sort OF way.
Then, on putting his hand to his head, and
at the same moment noticing the dead pan
ther near by with the dogs still growing over
it, his memory quickly returned, and he be-
gan to question his rescuers.
already told each other, he explained to them
how It came that such an old and expert;
enced hunter as he had been the cause OF all
this anxiety.
On his way home, late in the afternoon be;
fore he had shot a deer, the first he had
seen that day, and after hanging up such
parts as ne could not carry, 80 that animals
could not get it over night, he had started
home .,
Taking the ridge as a short cut, he noticed
as he came to the rock that wildcat, no
doubt attracted by the smell Of the venlson
over his shouldere, was following him at
safe distance.
Making a roundabout cut through the un-
derbrush' ne suddenly came back into the
trail right in front of the animal, and it
quickly took to a beech tree overhanglng the
In this it was easy for him to shoot the
animal: but, instead of falling to the ground
its body caught in the forks OF limb some
distance from the base of the tree, and Jake
at once started to climb the beech after his
When he had gotten about fifteen feet from
4 aY,I in