Trapped by the Beast in Eden Valley

We learned recently that Mr. Billings, who lives near Ash Swamp, in Eden Valley, had quite an exciting encounter with a panther about four weeks ago. It seems that Mr. Billings has a ranch in Eden and raises cattle and some hogs. Panthers are quite numerous in that section, and after snow had fallen their tracks were to be seen almost any morning around the barns. From the size of the tracks, Mr. Billings thought one of the animals must be exceptionally large, so he thought he would try to capture it. Two good-sized steel traps were set one evening in a driveway between some buildings and during the night a light snow covered them from sight. In the morning Mr. Billings went to look for his traps and found them gone. He put his dogs on the trail and started out to locate his game. The trail led down along the river where a steep bank on the mountain side left only a narrow path along the river, which at that point was cut down quite deep. Mr. Billings had not gone far along this path until he heard a noise above him, and, looking up, saw the panther crouching on the high bank just about to spring down upon him. He fired at the brute as quickly as possible, but it did not stop him, and the next instant Mr. Billings felt the sharp claws tearing his flesh as the panther alighted on his back and shoulders. The beast had two of its feet fastened in the trap which undoubtedly saved Mr. Billings' life. During the scuffle both of the combatants fell over the bluff into the river, which was running quite high, and Mr. Billings, after diving twice, managed to break the panther's hold and swam to the shore. The animal went down stream for a short distance and then was drawn under by an eddy and drowned. After the freshet had abated, Mr. Billings went back to see if he could find anything of his game and found the animal caught in the branches of a large tree, which had fallen across the river. He will have the panther skin stuffed, as it is an unusually large one, measuring 9 feet 7 inches.