Year: 1868

my only chance was to reach a carol


tree which stood all alone out on the des


ert toward the town. Perhaps the iAgual


would not follow me there


Tne screaming was now distinctly au


diole, and was no longer in doubt. Throw


ing on everything that could cumber me


began to run.


| am good runner / never saw


many men that could run with me. Bui


10 out-run jaguar | never had any


idea of doing it. Still l thought I might


reach the carob tree.


| The roars became more frequent and


louder as | ran, and at last, looking back


when was about half way to the tree, /


saw the murderer springing over the


ground, gaining on me at every bound.
Excuse me, sir, there's the manager


calling me; III have to &C" said the gym


mast.


But how did you escape ?" asked.
III tell you another time" said he,


hurrying away.
81 reached the carob tree" said the
gymnast, resumiDg his story tho next time


met him, reached 1t in ample time, for


the jaguar was still a long distance eff,


as could tell by his roars. The ground


was so uneven that l could not see him,


but heard him often enough.


The tree was tall and slim therein


lay its value, You comprehend. There


was only nest of branches away up at
the top, and none but trained climber
could ever have got up. But climbing is
part OF my trade, you know. went up
in that tree lively, l can tell you 1t was
far from strong tree, and my climbing it
made 1t shake and sway; but it was of
tough wood, and 1 managed to get into
the top.


i" Did you ever see bird light on hol-
lyhock stalk Then if you have you
know how the stalk will sway and culver
under the birds weight. Well, what that
bird was to the hollyhock, / was to that
carob tree 1t swayed and shook under
my weight just like that hollyhock under
that bird, But l knew the tree was
tough, and didn't feel afraid-not of that
my thoughts were on something else
very much more dangerous.


" Yonder the jaguar came bounding
along on my track, smelling of the ground
every now and then, like a pointer dog,
and then setting up that appalling roar
that no man can hear without his
flesh creeping That's fact, sir--whether
the man is afraid or not, it's curious and
well known effect of the jaguar's roar that
1T makes the nerves tingle in that way that
we call flesh-creeping.


when he had got within about fifty
rods of the tree he seemed to lose the
track. He got off to one side, and paused,
uncertain. He put his nose to the ground,
shifting eagerly, and dashing around at
last in fierce fury Of rage at having lost
my trail. He lashed his body with his
long tail he bounded about he rent the
air with his screams of anger; and alto
gether he would have been splendid
sight to look at if l could have felt safe.
But knew he would presently get on my
track, and then-well, would not have
bid very high on the chance of getting off,
assure you.


He was in fine passion by this time;
and in his circling about kept drawing
neaIer to me in the tree, though he had
lost my trail. He was a magnificent spe-
cimen of his kind-about two feet and
half high, and six feet long, without meas
uring his tail; his hide fierce yellow,
spotted all over with dark rings. So
much could see while he was quite a
ways off.


"At last he got the trail again, and
being by this time perfectly furious from
being so long baked OF his prey, he set
up wild screech that made me shiver
and no mistake. On he came, with great
bounds, by the side of which runaway
horse wouldn't stand the least show.


A minute more an1 he saw me.


"The next instant he had sprung for.
ward and grabbed the tree with his huge
paws, and was standing on his hind legs,
staring up at me with his fierce, red eyes.
The little tree trembled under the infu-
ence of the beasts weight; and if ever
you are up in tree, with hungry man.
eating jaguar standing up against it, his
fore paws good eight feet up on the slen-
der trunk, giving it a convulsive trembling
that makes it seem to be a part of the
jaguar's own body, quivering with rage
and bloodthirstiness- well, hope you
never will be, but if you are, you'll know
what mean when l say that 1 felt like
fainting and falling out of the tree to be
eatenGp.


FINDING he couldn't climb such slen-
der trunk, the jaguar got down, drew back
a little, and gave one great leap at me.
be couldn't Jump to where was, though
But he struck the tree high up, and for an
instant clung to it, bearing it over with
his weight till I thought: 'Ah, may the
saints save us! my time has Gomez


"But it was only for moment. He fell
uOWn IN neap TO Jne ground.


"Then began q scene which never to his
dying day will old Jorl forget. l lived
years in the two hours of horrible sus-
pense that followed.


down under me the jaguar ragged. He
swept around and around the tree, his red
eyes fixed on me with an unrelaxing vigi-
lance. Tired at last with this, he crouched
down under the tree, roaring with fury at
being thus tantalized, fixed his eyes on
mine and sat there, his red mouth gaping
vide, showing his jagged rows of teeth,
and his tail beating the ground.


My attitude in the branches of the tree |
was such one that it began at last to tell |
On my oVerstrained muscles. | felt my
self growing weaker and weaker. The |
aguar's eyes were exerting a sort of fas- |
cination over me, You see, as a serpent does |
over bird. couldn't take my eyes off |
of his; couldn't change my position. with |
out great danger of falling and began |
% mutter to myself, like man who is go |
ng crazy.


AN Of a sudden began to pray; and |
Is prayed my strength seemed to return
20 me, and the film that was gathering |
over my eyes TO break away.


40 Father in Heaven breathed, save |
me from the jaws of the terrible man-eater;
save me save met 1t was all that |
could muttsr, for was like man who is |
sinking into dream.


sand all the time there sat the jaguar, |
his gaze riveted on mine-his eyes seemed |
absolutely red with gore-blind to every |
hing in the w0rld but the man whose |
blood he thirsted for, deaf to every sound, |
conscious only of his prey and his rage at
being taftled so long.


:, An, my prayer is heard


Lnere came the swish of a lasso, |
when went over the beasts neck suddenly, |
md was drawn tight


swish Another from the other side
drawn tight.


Then for the first time tore NV oaze |
away from the tigers blood-red eyes, and
Deheld my deliverers.


Juan Pedrop screamed aloud, and /
ell TO laughing immodeTately.


Jorl came the answer. Saved, com
,ade, saved Climb down, Jorl, and slay |
gour enemy.