The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-02

and was by this time. perhaps, almost quite
under the great slab of granite where we
rested.
was about 20 whisper the fact in her
ear when | fancied | felt the whole tomb
tremblel Then it seemed TO shake, or
rather rumble again. Then again it rum
bled, Then again! Then there was roar
that literally shook the sand; l
heard the sand slit and rattle down
like drops of rain from where it lay
whether or not he was moving forward
toward the place by which We had assembled
He was surely moving forward. L felt
rather than heard him move. / asSert-and
| must content myself for the present with
merely asserting that you can feel the
cumStances. AMI | assert further than an
animal. especially wild beast, can feel
your movements under almost any circun-
stances. The uGdeveloped senses deserve
book by themselves. But just now, with the
largest lion | ever saw coming straight upon
me. is hardly the time or place to write such
a treatise.
Pistol in hand, sprung to the steep and
rugged passage: and not second too soGn.
His mighty head was almost on 4 level with
the granite slab, and he was crouching for
bound and spring upward which would,
perhaps, land him in our faces | could see
or sid feel ?-that his huge hinder feet were
spread wide out and sunken i'll the sand.
with preparation to bend all their force
toward bearing him upward in one mighty
bound.
1 fred-fred right into his big red mouth,
between two hideous picketS of ugly yellow
teeth. He fell back, and then. gathering his
ferocious strength, he bounded up ana for
ward again, this time striking his left
shoulder heavily against a projecting corner
was slightly curying, so that the distance
could not be made at single bound without
collision, else had we both surely been de-
stroyed.
Again the supple and comely beast dis
dainine to creep or crawl, made mighty
leap upward. but only to strike the rounding
corner of the great granite slab and fall
back as before.
But L knew he would reach us in time!
And if ever man did wish for fitting arms
to fight with and defend woman it was | at
that time. True. had FIVE shots left; but
what were they in the face of this furious
king OF beasts? | began to fear they would
only serve TO enrage him
Sill, he should have all l had to give.
Death is has been and will be. The best
we can make of it all is to try and see that
we shall not die ingloriouslv.
The woman had been by my side all this
time, And now, as the lion paused as If to
gather UP the broken thunder-bolts OF his
strength, she laid hand on my arm, never
so gently, and said:
| face. think he will not harm me-"
MADAM, | exclaimed, impetuOusy, you
win meet him up here. and face to face, soon
| enough, think"
No, that will not do. You must trust
the lion, as Daniel did,
] pushed her back, as she tried to pass
down. almost violently.
''There." | cried. as | wheeled about and
forced her before me for an instant 'if YOU
have real courage leap to the head of yonder
column, then on 10 the next. Quick; be
brave enough to save yourself, and -
NO, l will not go away and leave you to
de-
For Gods sake you will run away and
save me-"
~ will Join you there, go. Quick, or it
Another leap Of the lion. Bang, bangI
This time he did not fall back, but held on
by sheer force of his powerful arms; his
terrible claws tearing at the granite slab as
they hung and hooked over its outer edge
Bang. Bang. Bangi The last shot. I
hurled my revolver in his face for he had
not finched or given back single grain.
His breath and my breath were mingled
there in the smoke of my pistol. l heard
Or.did | feel?-his great hinder feet fasten-
ing in the steep earth under him for his final
struggle to the top.
turned. saw that she had reached the
farther column. and with three leaps and
bound had crossed the granite slabs and
stood erect on the nearer one Not mo-
ment bad left The lion, with great noise
of claws on the granite, came tearing to the
surface. L crouched down out of breath on
the outer edge of my column, so as to be
surely out of reach of his ponderous paws.
| expected him TO decide the matter Mt once,
to reach US or give it up instantly. But he
seemed in no haste now. He scarcely ad-
yanced at all for what seemed to me to be
long time Finally Jerking his tail like tha
swift movement of a serpent, he strobe
along the farthest edge of the granite slab
and seemed to take no notice OF us what
ever. Blood was dripping from his mouth,
but he did not seem to heed 1t.
Once more he strobe with his old majesty,
and seemed ashamed that he should have
descended to the indgnity of struggle to
gain the place where be now stood. Sullan