The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1891-03-27

neuu, tnen turned SLOWLY slueWloo WlVuulJ
mind impressed with the necessity Of keep
ing my lantern as far as possible behind
me. This struck me at the time as clever
and OF unquestionable Importance in saw
ing my life. / managed to walk gently
out OF the room. suppose had been In
five minutes, but it seemed like weary
hour.
AS closed the door and locked it my
brother Unexpectedly came down the pas
sage and passed me on the little stairs; he
was rather in hurry.
Godfrey called after him, ''do you
mind pulling the front door to IN the large
Arawing-room as you go byl" 1t seems
strange now, but could think of nothing
else to say then, and i saldit slowly and
| quite naturally.
He assented and disappeared, and !, with
out noticing it at the time, took in the chair
again and with my lantern assembled the
short fight Of stairs, and proceeded along
! the passage to my own room, walking slow
| ly and guardedly. The mind had evidently
been 30 shocked that it had not recovered
its dominant sway over the body. Upon
reaching my own room / put the chair
carefully down and sat upon 1t. The Ian
tern had placed on the table at the same
time I sat there a few seconds feebly
wondering which room the tiger was in.
Then got up with sudden alacrity, took
from its case large revolver, and turned
into the passage again. In minute so
/ was in Godfrey's room. He was half
dressed. "What's the matterl" he demand
ed, with startled eyes. When had told
him he took my hand and wrung it. "You
may thank God that you are alive, old fell
low" Then he dressed hurriedly, took
heavy rife from a rack, filed his pock-
cts with artridges. "Come along; stay,
let me go frst;. your nerves are bit shaky
yet"
We crept out and awakened the punkah-
wallah, an old and faithful Hindu, whom my
brother once nursed during dangerous
illness-a brave, reliable and trustworthy
man, who would have laid his life down for
Godfrey. y
ut is the man eaterl" said the Hindu,
after my recital. "Will the sahib let his
servant advise himl" n
ayes, Rance; tell me yourplan."
AS the Hindu rapidly unfolded it my
brother smiled obviously at the strange
idea.
"Cunning must be met with cunning"
said the Hindu.
"Itn take three hours to arrange" re-
marked.
"Three hours will bring the dawn; now,
who can see in the dark, not the Sahih, but
yes, the tiger"
Every welI,'' said Godfrey. Let's set
about it at once" From the gardeners
clubhouse we brought roll Of wire netting
that had been put there for fencing in a
paddock few days previously. Together
we collected armsful Of shavings thework-
men had not cleared away, quantities OF
dried leaves, rags, every thing we could
find soft and pliable; and having cut the
wire into three square lengths firmly lashed
them together, one over the other. When
completed it was the shape, but rather
larger than the window in the room in
which the tiger lay hidden and the doors Of
, which had been locked. Our operations so
| FAR had been conducted upon the verandah
outside, near the gardeners room; we then
rolled up the wire netti-g and carried II
round the corner of the house to within a
, few yardsof the big window; here twas
unrolled again and flattened out, then upon
its surface we poured all the shavings,
/
collected. and upon this mass smeared
! and spread quantity OF lime left by
the workmen for the morrow. This we
| smoothed down as well as we were able till
} the whole mass assumed some consistency
} and chung to the interstices OF the netting
, Rance next took some stout Irvine and I'm
provised a rough kind of needle from q
} bamboo cane. With this implement be
) sewed all over the mass OF stuff, thus max
; ing string netting that helped to keep the
/ composition in its place. So far. Sc
) good; the most difficult operation yet re
) manned.
| ''Take my gum" said Godfrey to me-
! 4'and give me the revolver"
z He pushed the revolver in his belt, laid
; hold of one end of the netting, and threw
1 on his shoes. With slow and noiselesB steI
1 the netting, looking very like alarge mat
: tress, was carried exactly opposite the
window and laid gently down then both
! retired as silentlyas they had advanced.
J Rance then brought from the outhouses
9 ladder, and with a gesture Of entreaty
Q signed to my brother to stand aside and
Q take his rifle IN his hand. With bare feei
t the Hindu crept up to the window agalI
: and reared the ladder against the wall
4 Taking coil of rope from his neck, hi
a deity fastened it to the highest wall staple O
+ the outside shutter. Descending, he quick
" enlaced the short strand in the netting
placed the ladder on theother side, and raj
4 the thong through the other staple. Fo
5 the first time he made noise, but 1t wal
: unavoidable, and was caused by the net
, ting being drawn upward till it hung like
+ great curtain covering the shutter and hid
r ing the window from US.
8 Godfrey and Istood ready to fire.
q The Hindu, perspiring at every pore, de
q scended the ladder, which he lowered AM
6 placed horizontally on the window sill, ami
}. dashed it to the bottom of the netting, AM
}, again fastened that the two lower staple
o on either side
: The thing was done; far away in the cas-
i the dawn was breaking, above which th
Q morning star was slowly paling his silve
Q fire