Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-06-05
.Hepr cried the other; ..whv he

Hasn't he reallyp" reioined his
friend, with an air of pretended aston
ishment ''Well, If he hasn't, I'm sure
it's no fault Of his; for ever since that
last girl was snapped up, he's gone and
perched himself up in n tree on the
bank regularly every evening, to try
t. get pop mt them"
as he there now, do you thinlS?'
asked several voices at once.
81 haven't the least doubt he Is; and,
in fact, he passed me only half an hour
ago with his rifle on his shoulder.
seemingly going towards the village"
"Koll. FL tell you what, my boys;
wen just go down therein n body and
see what Marston's up to. If he's hav-
ing any sport we may just as well
have QUE share of it too
This suggestion was hailed with n
burst Of approving shouts and laughter
by his comrades, and away troopod
the whole party at brisk pace in the
direction of the Bazaar Gas the native
quarter of the station was calledJ,S
where they arrived just in tiine to
witness strange and startling spec
tacle. go
As evening approached. a number of
the Hindoo women had waded into the
river as usual to bathe. wash their
clothes, or scour out their cooking pots
and stewpans; and among the rest was
Lukshmoe, q young girl, profusely
adorned with massive silver bangles,
whi,h glittered like stars upon her
slender wrist and ankles in the last
rays Of the sinking sun.
Forgetting, or disregarding tho risk
of being seized by the Unsuitable croc-
odiles. Lukshmee had already ven
tured boldly out into the middle Of the
stream, when she suddenly uttered
wild cry, seemed TO struggle violently
for moment. and then vanished be-
meath the dark waters.
At the same moment, report like
the crack of II whip echoed through
the still evening cir puff OF BLUSH
white smoke icttod forth from tho thick
foliage Of tall tree close 60 the wa
tors edge, and Il dark figure, spring
ing up from among the reeds on the
bank, threw its arms convulsively
above It's head, and fell heavily for
ward upon its face. Curiously enough.
just rs it fell, the seeming drowned
girl reappeared above the surface OF
the stream, and began to paG\ feobly
towards the shore.
At that instant sudden swaying
and trembling stirred the tall grass on
the opposite bank. as il some heavy
body was creeping cautiously through
ii. There came a second report--a
lash-another puff of smoke--and the
movement instantly ceased, while a
man (who was seen 10 bo no other
than Walter Marston himsolN, slid
down the big tree like an acrobat.
and ran at full speed across the bridge,
while tho others hurried after him as
fast as thoir feet could carry them.
There, amid the trampled grass. lay
PROSTATE tall, gaunt sinister-l0Oking
Hindoo. shot through the body, but
still living; and beside him was the
end of stout rope, which ran down
to the bank and disappeared under the
water
you see the dodge now. don'tyou?"
said Marston to his wondering follow
ers. These two rascals are the
'crocodiles' that have been doing all
this mischief The one that / shot
over there Is a noted dacoit (highway
robbery. and this fellow is evidently
his accomplice. They've been lying
in ambush here and dragging these
poor girls under water by entangling
their feet with noosed ropes. in order
TO drown them and then steal their
silver ornaments; but I've stopped that
game this time any how"
Marston's statement was fully borne
out by tho confession OF the second
rObber, who, although mortally wound
ed. lived for two days afterwards. The
afTair-which made considerable noise
at the time-sent the daring secretary
up the steep ladder of official promo
ton with unusual rapidity; and to this
day his name is connected in the stories
of dinner tables with the oft-repeated
! legend of the dainty crocodile Of
HutteepOre.