Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-06-05
A DAINTY CROCODILE.

Il say, my boys, have you heard the
news? Those blessed crocodiles have
snapped up another native girl at the
village yOnder.n
What, another? BY Jove, this is
too bad that's five already since the
first OF the month"
at is too bad, and no mistake; some
thing ought to be done about il.
I'm tell you what ought to be done,
old follow: we ought 10 get up croco-
die hunt, and polish oil lot of the
brutes, for they're getting too cheeky
for anything. The tigers seem to have
all emigrated, and its no fun killing
deer and Jungle fowl; so even battue
of crocodiles would be better than
nothing"
This suggestion was greeted with
general applause by its hearers, u
group Of young civilians belonging TO
an up-country station in Bengal, stand
ing close to the junction of IA small
river with the Lower Ganges.
just opposite the Hindoo village
(Which lay few hundred yards below
the station), the smaller stream wild
ened into n broad smooth bay, the
level banks OF which were shaded by
thick clumps OF trees. This was the
favorite bathing place OF the native
peasants, and il was here that so many
Of the village girls had successfully
fallen victims to the vo 'acity OF the
Bengalea's worst enemy, the ever
greedy crocodile,
How did it happen?" asked some
one.
We'll, it was just the same story as
all the rest. The poor creature had
got right out into the middle of the
stream. and was just turning to head
back towards the shore when, all of IA
sudden, she set up a terrible scream
and disappeared under water"
See. There goes Marston 10 in
quire into the mysterious affair,
called out the first speaker, pointing To
a tall figure at little distance from
them, which seemed to be making for
the native village. That fellow
certainly has the most amazing gift Of
seeing mysteries where everything's rs
clear as daylight; l believe he'd
manage to discover some deep mean
ing in the white OF new-laid egg if he
gave his mind to it. Ten TO one he
finds special political significance
in the swapping up of that poor girl. "
He's a sharp fellow though for all
that, said another man; II shouldn't
wonder if he made himself heard Of
one day"
Sharp echoed third; do you
think so? Well | don't see much
sharpness about him. myself He's a
rattling good shot and no mistake;
but that's all you can say of him"
The man about whom these conflict
ing opinions were expressed was the
resident magistrates official secretary
Walter Marston, who had come TO the
station about a year before. His silent.
studious habits and solitary way Of
life made him anything but a favorite
with these ralicking, harum-scarum
young fellows; and had it not been for
his wonderful powers of shooting. they
would probably set him down as an alb
solute milllsog.
Marston remained a good while at
the village, though without seeming to
question any one about what had hap
pened, or, indeed appearing TO do any
thing but listen attentively To the talk
of the inhabitants.
But any one who had happened to
watch his proceedings would have
noticed that he examined the bank of
the river with peculiar care all around
the scene of the recent accident, and
even took the trouble 10 plough his
way through the masses of the weeds
and wild grass that fringed the waters
edge, with his eyes bent upon the
ground like one of Fennimore Cooper's
Indians following trail. Nay more
than this. he actually crossed the rude
plank bridge which spanned the little
river just above the village and
made an equally close and careful sur
vey of the opposite shore.
Whatever he might be looking for,
he seemed to have found it; for, when
he turned homeward, his face was
lighted up with visible CLEAN of salts
faction.
That's how it has been done" NUT
tered he, as he re-crossed the bridge;
1.-THE whole things as plain as print
now. That crocodile isn't so clever
as he thought himself, after all. It's
odd, now, that it should never have
occurred TO any one that crocodiles
are not generally so dainty in their
eating as TO snap up only young girls
who have great many silver bangles
on; but, if I'm not much mistaken,
I'll turn that fact to good account be-
fore many days are over"
Four days had passed since tho
crocodile catastrophc without any fur
ther event of Importance. The set
ting sun was pouring flood of golden
glory over the broad sweep OF the
Gauges, and the same group Of young
men who had been so eager for VEN
geance upon the destroying crocodiles
were strolling along the bank Of its
smaller tributary in the cool oil the
evening.