ranches over his head. Looking up, he discovered,
lying upon a large limb about ten feet above him, a panther. The animal
was preparing to spring; and, in an instant, like a flash, it sprang
towards him.

"Almost as quick as thought itself, Cadette dropped from the limb into
the water beneath, just as the panther landed upon the spot he had so
recently vacated.

"Once in the water, the Indian swam silently and expeditiously beneath
the surface, until he was some distance down the stream and out of sight
of the tree, when he landed under the shelter of the bank.

"Just then a slight noise attracted his attention, and he discovered his
enemy, partially concealed in the tall bottom grass, and evidently
determined that his prey should not escape so easily.

"Cadette was brave, but he fully realized that an unarmed Apache,
courageous as he might be, was no match for a panther; and the wary
Indian began to look about him for some means of retreat from his
unpleasant situation. While he was doing this, the creature worked
himself into a position between the Indian and the river, thus
effectually cutting off his only hope of escape.

"What should he do? The panther was not twenty feet away from him: he
well knew that the animal could reach him at a single bound. Keeping his
eye fixed steadily upon the crouching form, the Indian began to slowly
retreat backwards.

"While he was retreating before the stealthy, cat-like approach of the
panther, the most piercing cries, as of some human being in terrible
agony, filled the air, startling the Indian, and causing the panther to
rise from its crouching position, and listen intently for a moment with
well-erected ears, and tail gently lashing the earth. The cries were
repeated. The next moment the great creature turned, and slowly moved
away in the direction from whence the noise came, while Cadette hastily
returned to the foot of the tree where he had left his spear.

"After securing his weapon, he started for the place where he had left
his pony; but, to his surprise, the animal was not there. Following its
trail, he soon came upon bear tracks, and concluded that his horse had
been attacked by the bear, and in his agony had uttered the cries that
had so startled him, and attracted the attention of the panther.

"Continuing his search, he found the dead body of his pony upon the
ground. Near it was the panther, crouched, as though about to make a
spring; while, at a short dist