The Republican journal., 1870-08-11

I'll 90 on her - and he Walked mpetuouSly
from the room.
Two minutes later lovely face peeped
through fhe folds of the heavy curtain that
separated the music-roonl-an alcove that
could only be entered from the larger apart
ment-and Kate Sandiland, her face strug-
Cling between bushes and laughter, and yet
with the suspicion of a tear in the sweet gray
ewes, fed lightly across the soft mating, and
sought refuge in her own pretty morning
room. where she sat for an hour, silently
gazing over the rich blue of the strait heed
less of tie flashing glitter Of the sun upon the
water. the simmer of the leaves in the dis
tant palm groves, or the wild chorus of the
native boatmcn as they pulled their cargoes
of cocoa-nnts and plantans past toward Pen
ang.
At last a bright smile lit upon the sweet
firm outlines of her mouth, and rising she
drew down with an imperative motion the
dark Venetian of the windows
Eversley closed his last letter. and threw it
npon the table.
Il have only to say good bye now. and
then another leaf in my life is turned"
He stood for moment with his arms rest
ing upon the back of his chair, while men,
Dry poured a flood of rccollections upon his
mind-Kate, their rides, their walks, the
echo of her songs, the tlutter of her dress
amid the iessamines, her happy laugh. all
came back to him with such painful distinct
ness.
''Pshaw! IIuIoo thcrei !" he exclaimed,
going to the door. '.Chitta. tell Banda l
want him."
Banda" he said, when the shikarru ap-
pearcd, 'has the sea breeze sprung up vet ?'
''Yes, Sahib, it is cool now"
"Well, then, get my gun, and we will have
another turn among the snipes By-he-way,
did you find any more signs Of the tiger this
morning?"
No Sahib; he has gone back TO his own
Jungle"
',Wcll, bring Grouse with YOU; the old
dog is the steadiest retriever, and meet me in
4 quarter of an hour on the front verandah."
As Eversley appeared where Banda was
already waiting for him, he caught the last
glimpse of a dress disappearing down one Of
the native paths.
"Who is that, Banda? Has Miss Sandi-
land gone out to Walk?'
'Misscc Kate, Sahib'
EvcrSley thought for 4 moment. then re-
entered the house, and returned with a
double-barrelcd rifle, which he gave to the
shikarru.
eve may come across some large game"
he said and, taking up his own gun, walked
rapidly away in the direction Kate had gone
followed by Banda
An hour and y half was spent working up
the edge Of a swamp mile from Soonda
and Grouse had been kept busy when 4 snipe
arose some distance Off With long shot,
Eversley brought it down; but the bird tow
cred and pitched dead a hundred yards fur
thcr, on the edge of a strip of a Jungle. The
old dog was sent to retrieve it. As they
drew near the spot, and We're feathering ca
gerly along the brush, the dog, with a yelp
and n growl, came running back to his mas
ter, tail between his legs. and every hair on
his body erect and quivcrng with rage and
fear.
"What's up now, Grouse?" said Eversley.
''Go on, old dog Seek deak'''
But the old dog refused to move, replying
with deep Growl, and gazing intently nj
the Jungle
EvcrSlcy walked TO the spot, with a view
to recovering the bird and ascertaining the
object of Grouse's terror. Something on the
ground attracted his attention. STOPPING,
he examined it intcntly, and then, rising,
called TO the shikarru:
''Banda. no wondar poor Grouse is in such
a funk. Here are the tracks of our friend the
tiger, and not half an hour old and good
God. Miss Sandiland is out and alone!''
Eversley was a man Of great GOODNESS and
nerve, but for 4 moment terrible feeling of
fear came over him. But for moment only;
the next, he was again the man of prompt
and decided action.
''Draw the charges of my gun, Banda, and
load with ball; then follow up the track;
am going 10 search for Miss Sandiland."
And, seizing the rifle from the shkarru's
hand he struck across the low Jungle toward
the path taken by Kate crashing through the
tall grass and brush at pace that would
have distanced any but a sportsman.
Miss Sandlland pursued her way forward
to a spot the frequent termination ct her
evening walks. Once Il mere bridle-track,
broherat her wish, lad caused it to be opened
and enlarged. To-day lost in though. she had
followed it carelessly. until she found her
self upon the gray, sandy beach OF the strait.
The sun was sitting behind the blue line OF
mountains, and the water blazed with vivid
streaks of red, the sky broken into heavy
masses OF clouds, was glorious in gold and
purple, and all the wonderful blendings Of
an Indian sunset
Kate stood for q while, watching with
eager eyes the rapid transformations of shape
and color; and then, tempted by the firm.
smooth sand, strolled along the beach, and
seated herself upon q low ledge of rocks.
She sat long, absorbed by the sunset and
ht' li'"SHtS, Interviewing tHc lltI iAutS VI
the one with the varying lights and shadows
Of the other, and the palmg clouds warning
her that it was time to return.
But, rs she rose from her seat, her eyes
grew suddenly glazed and fixed; the round
ed, graceful lines Of the fair form appeared
to stitfcn into marble, and she stood breath
less, almost lifeless with terror, half blinded
with the horror of her first glance. She
rather felt than saw that she stood face to
face with tiger.
Crouching. motionless, upon the edge of
the Jungle, not thirty yards from where she
stood, with its haggard cowardly eyes glar-
ing at her, lay the gaunt form of the huge
beast. Flashing through the girls brain
came score of mad, wild impulses, with
rapiditv. But she remember
ed-she had heard Eversly say and the pain
at her heart grew greater as She thought of
him-that the only chance Of safety was to
face, with a steady eye, the trcacherous brute
before her Her eyes had been fastened up
on it with helpless sort of fascination; but
now she reused herself to fix them sternly on
the fierce, great orbs, that thrilled her with
their cruel glare
Her courage rose and sank, as hope and
fear alternatcd; but at last even her brave
nature began to fail. She felt that her breath
came i'm lonp p,Sninr SObS. tha lirht haran