Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-01-16
THE STRANGE STORY
OF
Allan guatermain'S Wife
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD,
AUTHOR or "SHE,n liking SoLoMoN's
Miles," " JESS, F." CLEO
PATRA," Ere.
A NEW AFRICAN ROMANCE.

Accordingly we started at dawn, l, In
daba-zimbi and three men; the rest
left with the wagons. ! was on horseback,
and SO was my driver, good rider and
skillful shot for a Kafiir, but Indaba-
zimbi and the others walked. From dawn
till midday we followed the trail Of the
herd, which was as plain as a high road.
Then we off-saddled to let the horses
rest and feed. and about three O'Clock
started on again. Another hour or so
passed, and still there was no sign of
elephants. Evidently the herd had
travelled fast and far and l began to
think that we should have to give 1t up
when suddenly | caught sight OF
brown mass moving through the thorn
trees on the side of slope about quar-
ter of a mile away. My heart seemed to
Jump into my mouth. Where is the
hunter who has not felt like this at the
sight of his fist elephant? | called
halt, and then, the wind being right,
we set TO work to stalk the bull. Very
quietly rode down the hither side of the
slope till we came to the bottom, which
was densely covered with bush. Here l
saw the elephants had been feeding, for
broken branches and upturned trees lay
all about. did not take much notice,
however, for all my thoughts were fixed
upon the bull was stalking, when sud
denly my horse made a violent start that
nearly threw me from my saddle, and
there came mighty rush and upheaval
of something in front of me. / looked.
There was the hinder part of second
bull elephant not four yards off, | could
just catch sight of his outstretched ears
projecting on either side. | had dis
turbed it sleeping, and it was running
away. Obviously the best thing to do
would have been to let it run, but was
young in those days and foolish, and in
the exitementof the moment lifted my
''roer" or elephant gun ana fired at the
brute over my horses head. The recoil
of the heavy gun nearly knocked me of
the horse. | recovered myself, how
ever, and as | did SO saw the bull lurch
forward, for the impact Of a three-ounce
bullet in the TANKS will quicken the
movements even Of an elephant. BY this
time had realized the folly Of the shot.
and devoutly hoped that the bull would
take no further notice of it. But he had
different view of the matter. Pulling
himself up in a series of plunges, he
spun round and came for me with out
stretched ears and uplifted trunk,
screaming terribly. Twas quite defense
less, for my gun was empty, and my
first thought was of escape. dug my
heels into the sides of my horse, but he
would not move an inch. The poor ami
NAL was paralyzed with terror, and he
simply stood still, his fore legs OUT
stretched, and quivering all over like a
leaf
On rushed the elephant. awful to see;
! made one more vain effort TO stir the
horse. Now the trunk Of the great bull
swung aloft above my head. A thought
flashed through my brain. Quick as
light rolled from the saddle BY the
side Of the horse lay a fallen tree, as
thick through as a mans body. The
tree was lifted little off the ground by
the broken boughs, which took its
weight, and with single movement, so
active is one in such necessities, I flung
myself beneath it. AS did so l heard
the trunk of the elephant descend with
a mighty thud on the back of my poor
horse, and the next instant l was almost
in darkness, for the horse, whose back
was broken, fell over across the tree
under which lay ensconsed. But he did
not stop there long. In ten seconds
more the bull had got his trunk round
my dead nag's neck, and, with mighty
effort, hurled him clear of the tree.
wriggled backwards as far as could
towards the roots of the tree, for knew
what he was after. Presently | saw the
red tip of the bulls trunk stretching
itself towards me- If he could manage
to hook it round any part of me was
lost But in the position | occupied
that was just what De could not do, al