The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1891-04-09

past The spot by this time. and elspcint
round sv The eensed isthss Of the fan
ily bounding over the ties IN puruit My
revolver had slipped from my hand mo
meni before. and ~ leaned down to react
my rife. I lost my balance sad stumbled
forward 90 the nsrou step. very nearly
rolling out 90 ihs track. The tiger usi
coming closer. roaring Of svery step
A sudden idea A,shed isto my miod
snd without sn ins,sois hesitation crcpl
ader the sect. and crouchsd 10 the rsct
close beside The wbirrios sheels. which
were nov moving fsstsr than ever. foi
the iroily had reached the commencement
Of the long slope and was gaining speed
~ith every second.
From nndcr the tsst l bad . briel
glilopse Of the brute's striped hide, and
then the whole trolly shook ~ though
about to leap from the track. l knew 10
stantIy what had occurred The tiger had
gained possession Of the sest and oil that
separated us was that frail plank over
head
As the irolIy swept on dowo the slope
al dizzy speed the brute growlsd feroci
ously. aud thrust great paw into the
rack from one side while bis tail dsngled
from the other.
l had to suuggle together pretty closely
to get out Of reach, aud when turned
the rife round toward the front OF the troll
" | realized wbst . fx wss 10.
The brute was ~ secure from my fire %
though he were miles away 10 the jungle.
could point the muzzle Of the rifle down
the track and that was sll. By and BY,
when the trolly reached the end OF the
slope. and its momentum was spent on the
level stretch that lay beyond II would
come to . stsudstill aud the msddened tig
er would speedily maks an end OF me.
These pleasant ref ,ctions we're sudden
ly interrupted by another vicious dig from
my unwelcome fellow passenger. and this
time the sharp claws sctually caught my
sleeve. and had l not jerked il quickly
loose, | might have been dragged ont on
the track.
/ crept to the ,Itrene edge Of the rack
until my head was almost pressing g
against the wheels and parried the brute's
blows with the riff barrel.
! could easily have put rifle ball
through his foreleg, but did not care to
Increase his feroci.y to any grestey degree
He was quite savage enough already.
Mesnwhlle the trolIy was spinning down
the slope at the rate OF half q mile per
minute. and he level stretch that ] justly
dreaded was close vt hand.
Glancing down the long. shining OK
panse OF track, saw in the distance the
slight curve that marked the commence
meut OF tn level. My attention was di
vcrted at this moment by d roar from the
tiger, and when looked sgsin was right
At the curve.
The trolly swept round the angle With
jerk that scrsped my head against the
wheels. vnd then I saw. oulysyArd or two
ahead, q big tree lying PROSTATE across the
track
Instantly there came tremendous
crash, the trolly went right up into the
air like u balloon, and the next thing !
knew l was tangled up in clump OF jun.
gle grass with my face jammed an inch
deep into the mire.
rose unsteadily and shook myself No
bones we're broken, I thankfully discover.
ed, and was in the act Of looking round
for the tiger when savage yell broke on
my esr. and ! was horri6ed to see half .
dozen fierce looking junglemen advancing
on me with spears and bows.
believed my last moment had come.
for was totally unsrmed, end knew my
savage foes would show no mercy. II was
no doubt they who had placed the tree on
the track.
Bot help WAS to come from su uuexpect
ed quarter.
Ont Of cump Of bushes by the side OF
the track sprsng my late fellow passenger.
90 parently none the worse for the colli'
sion. He landed with sssvsge roar right
in the midst of the junglemen.
/ heard their cries OF fright and agony
and, without waiting TO see the outcome
Of the fray. took advantage Of the diver
sion TO bolt iuto the forest.
Han for half an hour, expecting every
TO hear the sound OF pursuit. but,
as oil continued quiet, ventured TO take
10 the track. aud uotted briskly over the
ties toward Wadi.
Two hours later. when l was ready to
drop from fatigue, whistle echoed
through the jur gle, and presently small
engine with 3 passenger car attached
rounded the bend ahead.
On board were Captain Kennedy and d
company Of native troops. They had left
Wsdi that morning as soon ss the cut
ting Of the telegraph wires Was discover
ID.
Tbey took me on board, and We we're
soon at the scene Of my late accident The
troliy, smashed beyond rrpsir. Was lying
near the track. aud close by it was the
body OF one Of the juogIsmen.
No trace Of his companions or Of the tiger
could be found