as that far dim ancestor of his must have leaped and danced
when he was glowing with a sudden and mighty triumph. The spirit of the
ages had descended upon him too and as he bounded back and forth in the
light of the flames he roared forth bitter taunts in a voice worthy of
Long Jim himself. He told the owl to be up and away, and, rising on
heavy wings and uttering a dismal hoot, it obeyed. Its big body was
outlined for a moment or two against the red, and then it flew away over
the forest. The eagle uttered a hoarse cry, drawn from its frightened
throat, and followed the owl.

Then came another shriek, singularly like that of a human being, and the
huge panther, driven from its covert by the intense heat, leaped madly
forth and raced down the ravine before the pillar of flame. That panther
was in a sorely troubled state even before the fire began, and now the
collapse of its small intellect was complete. It saw the advancing
Indian warriors, but, in its madness, was reckless of them. It advanced
with great bounds straight at the line, cannoned against Braxton Wyatt
himself, knocking him senseless into a thicket, and, magnified to twice
its usual size before the amazed eyes of the Indians, disappeared at
last in a yellowish streak down the ravine.

Terror tore at the hearts of the Indians themselves, brave warriors
though they were. The strange cries of the night, of such varying
character and coming from so many points, had depressed their spirits
and filled them with superstitious awe. There was more in this than the
human mind could account for and the sudden upspringing of the fire,
bringing on its front the monstrous panther, if, in truth, it was a
panther and not some huge and legendary beast, sent them to the verge of
panic.

Their white leader, who might have restored their courage, lay senseless
in the bush, and as the second in command, the big warrior, seized him
to drag him away from the fire, the wall of flame emitted something even
more terrifying than the magnificent figure of the mad panther. Out of
the red glare shot a huge gaunt figure with long white teeth and
slavering jaws, the king wolf, to the warriors the demon wolf. After him
came a full score or more of wolves, almost as large, and howling their
terror to the moon. Behind them was the gigantic figure of a phantom
black bear, rushing with all its might, and through the red wall itself
came the sound of threatening and awful cries.

The Shawn