Year: 1877

felt but the jar Of the earth, nothing


heard but the sound Of thunder rs i


were under the ground; and then th,
rush and the roar died away altogether
and knew that the avalanche of SANE
and stones had .: last found . resting


place far down in the valley At the foo
of the mountain, and that its cour -
had been directly over my head Hat
l gone forth as intended. shoult


have been swept away IN the food o
rocks and sand as though had been I
feather. To the shining eyes of tl,
panther owed my life. aud coult
At that momen, have hugged the bess
In my arms had he been but willing 4
submit to my embraces.


listened for the aound Of the tenn
pest. but all was as still rs death. 4
moment before had heard it roaring
above the crashing Of the slide. Hst
it subsidized all at once. Thst WAS hard
ly possible; still not sound came from
the outside world. or . CLEAN of light
snch as had come in from the darkness
when l had lain down to sleep. Whal
can it mean ? was the question l asked
myself, but conld get no answer.


could not see the eyes Of the pan
ther now. but knew that be was still
in the cave. for l could hear him NOV
ing round war:ly. wondered that be
did not 60 out and see what the storm
bad done. ~ he must be possessed oi
some curiosity as we'll a. myself. Per
hsps, if i advanced. he would 90 out
or ut least he would turn his eyes upon
me: aud did not fear him if he did
for l had my trusty rifle. Yet I did
not wish to harm him, for he had been
my companion through the moments OF
terror that had passed.


The panther was moving about the
entrance Of the cave, and % advanced
a step forward. the brute turned its
cleaning eyes upon me; still it made
no sign that it was offended At my
movements. Iadvanced another step.
with my rifle sighted upon those eyes,
with the same result; another. and the
eyes we're behind me, with no hostile
movement on the part of their owner.


With my back toward the entrance.
l moved onward, and two steps more
brought me against msss of sand and
rock; and, with horror that l cannot
express, l found how it was that the
sound OF tho storm would not come to
me. The avalanche had buried the en-
trance to the cave in such . manner ~
to keep out all sound; the mass Of earth
might be twenty feet in thickness, and
aud the panther were entombed alive.


For few minntes this discovery ren-
dered ms incapable of action, and I
leaned against the side Of the cave in
mute despair But in . short time. by
u powerful effort, came back to my.
self, and, laying down my rifle. oil un-
mindful OF tho presence of my savage
companion. tried the firmness % the
mass Of earth that shut me in from the
outer world. The loose earth could
readily remove with my hands. and /
set about my task with will. For an
hour l labored with all my might until
my hands were bleeding from tho con-
tact with the rocks and gravel. and
then my progress was stayed by that
which was more than the power Of man
unaided to remove A huge rock had
fallen so that it had completely filled
up the mouth Of the cave, being wedged
in between the cliffs that formed the
sides in such manner - to completely
ALI up every nook Of the entrance. rem
dering escape impossible. Human
hands unaided could never move it from
the place where it had fallen Tho
door Of our tomb was sealed so that it
could never be opened!


While was laboring to effect my es-
cape st the entrance. the panther had
remained quiet at the back of the cave,
with its eyes fixed upon me every mo.
ment Of the time. ~ il it knew l was
working for rs both. and meant no harm.
When l found that all my efforts were
useless. came back to my old bed and
threw myself down in despair. Then
the panther moved to the entrance. -
if to see what had done, and to do bis
part Of the work whereby We could
effect our escape


could hear him scratching with his
sharp claws against the sides OF the
rocks. as lay abandoning myself odes-
pair. wondered how long l could
live in nay tomb; how long the panther
would last mo for food il l should kill
it when the pangs Of hunger became so
great that could not bear them; If my
friends would search for me. and, if
they did, if there would be any prospect
Of their finding my prison. That they
could l hAd no hope, for without doubt,
should they ever pass above my head,
oil sisns Of the cave had been destroyed
by the slide No: there was no hope
And SO l abandoned myself TO utter dss-
pair.


Willis filled with these thoughts Of
my terrible situation. ! WAS not uu-
mindful of the motions OF the panther.
At last. apparently -, we'll satisfied as l
had been myself that escape was quite
impossible in that direction. he came
toward me. aud grasped my rifle: for,
although thought | mast die. l did
not wish to be killed by Wild beast.
Ye, did no; want 10 harm the brute
until | WAS convinced that he meant
mischief. which as We. he bad shown no
disposition to DO.


With its fiery eyes turned upon me.
the panther passed by ME. and went to
the farther part Of the cave; and there
| could hear it work again. For All
hour. i, must have been, il kept intent
iy on This gave me new hope Night
there not he an outlet to the cave in
,hs, direction. which the panther by
instinct had discovered This hope
alone brought back eli the old affection
that | bad felt for my companion,


Sud,i.uly | became conscious that the