The Washington herald., 1915-08-15

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1t affected them strangely. Their dog
| began to tremble. and show fear that he
had never shown before, even before Q
bear. The hunters jumped to their feet,
kfndled the fire. which threw a ruddy
glare all around.
The thing, which they knew perfectly
well. came nearer. uttering now and then
that awful cry. They sat with their guns
on their knees. speaking in whispers: but
it did not attack them. and when day
light came it withdrew. When the sun
rose they broke camp and made for the
settlement.
Small wonder. then. that there was q
stir in the settlement. for the men were
known to be bold. fearless hunters, and,
moreover, this was the first panther ths4
had come near enough to bother therns
for whatever the men in the timber
camps might have to tell, such things
did not greatly trouble the settlers along
the river.
December came. and nothing moro was
heard Of the panther. There was snow
enough to make good hauling Rash and
his brother Howard, who was two years
| younger. had twenty cords Of wood to
get in from back. One dark cloudy day
| the young fellows were hurrying to get
in another load before darkness shut
down. The oxen were swung around,
head homeward. alongside a pile Of wood.
A quarter Of the load was on when
the oxen began to act queerly They
commenced to sniff. putting their noses
into the air. and looking all around.
Raisch had never seen them so behave,
but he went on loading. Presently one
of the steers put his head down and
gave a long. low moan. at the same time
paving the snow.
Rash spoke to them yet a curious feel.
ing began to take possession Of him,
when. without warning more than that.
a cry rose upon the still air Of the woods,
and that same instant the oxen threw
themselves against the yoke. There fol-
lowed a crash of falling cord-wood az
the sled started. and hardly slower the
boys sprang aboard. seizins hold Of a
sled stake. and as Rash rolled over
again he heard that cry and something
eaped into the middle of the road be-
hind them.
But that was not ALL The oxen plunged
nadly forward. end at every lurch their
bellows mingled with the clansor Of
chains and the pounding Of the sled.
What power guided them along that road
Bounding over the cradle knobs. crash-
ing now into this side, now into that
strewing the road behind them with thu
cord-wood sticks. it was a wild run.
A quarter Of a mile was passed,
There was no looking back, and nd
looking forward for the pelting of ioa
from flying hoofs. The clearing in
reached. Wild with fright. on the
steers go. The house. the wood-pile,
as in swim. fash by. and then there
is a crash.
When Raish's memory gathered UP
the thread of swiftly passing events.
he was lying on the floor of the cow
stable on the straw. and his brother
pale from fright, was bending over
him. and there were some other fright-
ened people crowded around and a
pair of steers were at the far end of
the Cow-std ole. RalSh was aware or
some blood from an ugly cut He
lay stunned, they say. for some mo-
ments. Howard escaped without a
hurt.
The oxen, guided by instinct. made
straight for the stable. and seeing the
open door. made straight for refuge.
The sled had struck the corner of the
log barn, the tongue had snapped of,
and the boys had been thrown for
ward: Raish's forehead struck, 1t was
believed. either a sled-stake or one OF
the oxen's hoofs The wonder was
that both were not killed from the
force with which they must have
struck.
But all this time where was tho
panther? 1t came. so some persons
at the house said. to the edge of the
timber and a little beyond. where it
stood some while, hesitating. and then
turned back to the woods. where, in
stead of taking the road, 1t gave q
mighty spring to the limb of a tres
and disappeared from view. no one
venturing to follow.
Before the winter was over, how
ever, some men with a small dog
drove it to tree and shot 1t. after it
had killed a hne heifer. no great way1
from there Out of curiosity the height
Of the panther's leap was measured
and II was said to be nearly eighteen
feet.
Copyright By the Associated Htrary Prssal