midnight
His pose was admirable , and even in that thrilling moment compelled the admiration of the single spectator , who was strongly of the opinion that the puma , to put it mildly , was committing an error of judgment . There may have been some strange , instinctive knowledge which penetrated the brain of the beast before he reached the assailing point , and which compelled him to stop . The individual whom he had selected as his victim was not to be crushed at a single effort , as he was accustomed to bring down the llamas , antelope , and other animals of the wilderness . No ; there was something in that pose , the demeanor and the flash of the midnight eyes which forced the fierce creature to pause , when on the very death line , as it may be termed . But if the native was defiant , the puma had no purpose of retreating from before such a powerful enemy . In his blind ferocity , he would have assailed him , could it have been impressed upon him that his own destruction would be the inevitable result . The lank jaws were still parted and dripped foam , as the lion continued his cavernous growls , while his ears lying flat on his head in the manner peculiar to the feline species , the bristling spine and the lashing of the tail gave the beast the appearance of a bundle of concentrated fury , as indeed he was .