Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-03-08

passage, anu tnoreOy nOluiuS VnO
lantern high and we'll in front of
me as 1 paused amid the com
plete silence that reigLed an i'm
mense tiger slowly crossed the
path OF light, turning on me two
burning yellow eyes cleaning like
vivid topazes-I stood there in
stiffened terror and heard my heart
beat-lts mouth was loosely parted
and running with saliva so wide
was il hanging open at the corners
that the serrated edges OF the
lower lips were plainly visible. IL
yazed with a steadfast look of such
grinuing cruelty, such conscious
malignity, that it frore my blood
aud turned my limbs to stone. This
description of sight and feeling
was of course the impression OF
one vivid conception condensed by
a minutes agony.
Tne tiger crossed the India mat
ting of the room with a noiseless,
swinging gait as it appeared to
have come from the obscurlty near
the piano, so it vanished to obscur-
lty beyond-that is outside the
pathway of the lantern light. l
stood perfectly immovable, still
clutching the books with my lett
arm, still holding the lantern be-
fore me, still gazing at the place
where it had crossed, and appar-
emily forever seeing that awful look
upon the tigers broad face. 1t
seemed as it my eyes saw that face,
though my mind had rapidly sug-
gested the frighttul probability
that the tiger was behind me. At
the same time by some dual mental
process it was holding out hope
that the animal had passed through
the great folding doors into the
dark room beyond. I have no re-
memhrance at all of my mind die
tating the next action 1 pursued
| il seemed Just an instinct INDUCED
10 by the body upon its own ac-
count and tor its own immediate
preservation.
| laid the books very carefully
down without making the slightest
noise or disturbing the hand that
l,eld the lantern, and then raising
" ith slow effort one of the heavy
little chairs that had blocked my
pa sssge, silently SWING it on to
nv shoulders and held it so that 1t
GOV cred my head, then turned
slowly sideways with my mind i'm
pres sed with the necessity of keep
ing he lantern as far behind me
as D ossiple. This struck me as
cleye and of unquestionable I'M
portal ice in saving my life. l man.
aged to walk gently ont of the
room. 1 suppose I'd been in five
mlnntt q, bat it seemed like awesry
hour.
As | closed the door and locked
it my brother Unexpectedly came
down tho passage and passed me
on the Ii ttte stairs he ives rather
in a hurry.
"Godirey," | called after him,
"do you mind pulling the front
door to in the large drawing room
as you 60 byT 1t seems strange
now, but / could think of nothing
else to ray then, and [ said 1t
slowly and quite naturally.
He asseuted and disappeared,
and 1 Wit hout noticing it at the
time, took up the chair again and
with my autern assembled the short
fight of st airs, and proceeded along
the passage to my own room, walk
ing slowly and guardedly The
mind had evidently been so shock
ed that it had not recovered its
dominant sway over the body
Upon reaching my own room | put
the char carefully down and sat
upon it. The lantern l had placed
on the table at the same time. |
sat there Q few seconds feebly Won
dering which room the tiger was
in. Then I got up with a sudden
alacrlty, took from its case large
revolver, and turned into the pas
sage again. In minute or SO
was in Godfrey's room. He was
half undressed. "What's the mat
ter n he demanded, with startled
eyes. Wnen had told him he
took my hand and wrung it, "You
may thank God that you're alive
old fellow" Then he dressed hur
riedly, took a heavy rifle from &
rack, filed his pockets with car
tridges. "Come along stay, le
me 60 first ; your nerves are Oi'
shaky YETI
We crept out and awakened th'
! puOkahwaIlah, an old aud iaith
fol Hindu, wnOm my brother ono
nursed during dangerous Hines
"a brave, reliable, aud trustworth,
man, who would have laid his III
dewn for Godfrey.
"It IS the man eater !" said I'd
Hindu after my recital. "Wi
. the sahib let his servant advIs
him 20
y ayes, Rance tell me you
!, plan."
AS the Hindu rapidly uDioIde
it my brother smiled obviously