"The Eyes of the Panther" is a short story by American Civil War soldier, wit, and writer Ambrose Bierce featuring a female werepanther.
Jenner Brading, a young rural attorney, finds himself dumbfounded when Irene Marlowe refuses his marriage proposal.
Long ago when Irene was in her mother's womb, her parents lived in cabin in a more rustic area with their firstborn, a daughter.
One day as Marlowe prepares to leave, his wife portends something horrible will happen and beseeches him to stay.
When Marlowe returns, he finds his wife emotionally traumatised and the baby accidentally smothered to death in her embrace.
Bierce anticipates the surprise ending by highlighting Irene's "feline beauty" which made her so desirable to the attorney.
In 1930, Val Lewton was inspired by reading Bierce to write his own story about a panther woman, "The Bagheeta".