Year: 1870




been accustomed to danger and toi
from his infancy-and he was well ac
quainted with the turmoils and troubles
of life in the west. His old rife and
his dog were his constant companions
and Wallace never ventured into the
forest without one or both Of them. The
stay Of Fanny Grey at the cabin of his
father. through brief, had queer effect
upon Wallace. lie had very rarely met
with women in that lonely country.
and though he could not account for it
after she left the humble dwelling which
had sheltered them temporarily. he had
strange and longing desise to visit her
fathers cabin


There was daily something he could
do for old Mr.. Grey, some advice he
could give, some handiwork he could
perform, some help, he could render to
the novice in the woods, which he deem
ed would prove acceptable to her father,
and at almost any time for weeks you
might have found Wallace a. Mr.. Grey S
settlement. He met Fanny there; he
showed her thousand novelties which
she never dreamed Of in the vicinity
He played with her brother Frank
whom she dearly loved in short he
found occasion to pass a great deal of
the time at Mr.. Grey's where he per-
formed many good Office for the father,
while he enjoyed rapturous pleasure in
the society of his pretty and afrectionate
daughter.


On bright afternoon, it had been their
custom oftentimes to wander away togeth-
er in the woods, or to the margin Of the
river. Fanny was a dear lover of the
picturesque, and in the towering, massive
forests-by the rim of the gentle stream
abroad upon the hillocks-she constant
ly met with some new feature, some
brighter spot in nature, than she had
hitherto seen, to reward her search and
crafty her fondness for the sublime and
beautiful; until. at last familiar with the
neighborhood, she would saunter away
alone. or in company only with her lit
tie brother-though she had often been
cautioned never to leave the cabin out of
sight in her roamings.


But autumn came. Eight months had
elapsed since Roger Grey came to reside
in the spot where he had now located
himself; and, as the day was fine, Fam
ny ventured forth rather later in the after
noon than was her wont, and, with her
brother clinging on her arm, she tottered
away toward small hill some quarter of
mile distant-a favOrite haunt of hers
latterly, and quite within the bound of
her parents restriction, for from its sum-
nit, which she frequently climbed, she
could always see the smoke which curl
ed from the chimney of her fathers hut
With a light step and merry heart, she
FASTENED to the wood close by, and in a
few minutes the children were out of
sight.


Scarcely had they disappeared when
Wallace made his appearance rifle in hand
before the entrance to Grey's dwelling


Come in,' said Rogers kindly.


"Not now, thank you


"Why not!"


"Nothing. Where's Miss Fanny p


"She has just gone flower hunting" "


Il only wanted to say that che had
better avoid the mound yonder, where
she loves to sit so often


whats the matter, Wallace ?"


"Not much," continued the Youth y
al passed there yesterday evening. and
at the east side of the hill, you remember
there is a narrow cleft between the two
rocks which form the bluff"


"Yes l recolect-a sort of a cave"


$50 it seems, though ! never knew it
before


well what of the cleft, Wallace p


"Nothing sir, particular. That is. you
see, l have been through these grounds
good many years, and 1 know pan
ther when see him."


a WHAT" exclaimed Grey, starting to
his feet


"a panther sir, can tell him, even
though see nothing but his tall


"Well, Wallace T. continued Grey
anxiously.


"Well, then, coming home last even
ming, I saw a panther's tail-the pointed
end of it-projecting from the crevise of
that cleft, and I've come to caution Miss
Fanny to stay at home this afternoon,
while l go and get shot at him, if can
quit Belch !" continued Wallace,
turning to the fine dog that had accompa-
MED bis master along, but whose quick
ear had detected noise in the distance,
which neither Roger Grey nor Wallace
had heared


Down l say, Belch T. continued Wal
lace, as the dog set forth sharp growl.


"My God what's that - exclaimed
Roger Grey, an instant afterwards, turn
ing deadly pale and springing to the door
wav. But Wallace had heard it too.