The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-06-13
A DAINTY CROCODILE.

AAiVHO UtilrTtd ti0&RAAARo A@fN
snapped up another native girl at the
village yonder."
What anotherp BY Jove, this Is
too bad; that's FIVE already since the
first Of the month";"
lit Is too bad. and no mistake; some
thing ought 10 be done about H."
.'rll tell you what ought 10 be done,
old fellow: we ought to get up "A croco-
ollie hunt and polish Oft a lot OF the
brutes, for they're getting too cheeky
for anything. The tigers q TO have
all emigrated. and it's no fun killing
deer and Jungle fowl; so eyen a battue
OF crocodiles would be better than
nothing
This suggestion was greeted with
general applause by It's hearers, a
group OF young civilians belonging TO
an u%p-country station in Bengal, stand
ing close 10 the junction OF a small
river with the Lower Gauges.
just opposite the Hindoo village
(Which lay a few hundred yards below
the s~tationl. the smaller stream wild
ened into a broad smooth bay. the
level banks OF which were shaded by
thick clumps OF trees. This vas the
favorite bathing place OF the native
peasants. and IL vas here that SO many
OF the village girls had successfully
fallen victims To the voraclty OF the
Bengalee's worst enemy. the ever
greedy crocodile.
How did it happcn'" asked some
one.
We'll. IL "a just the same story as
all the rest Tho poor creature had
got right ont into the middle OF the
stream, and was just turning 20 head
back towards the shore. when. all OF n
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 10
a tall figure at a little distance from
them. which seemed To be making for
the native village. THAT fellow
certainly has the most amazing gift OF
seeing mysteries whore everything's as
clear ms daylight; l believe he'd
manage TO discover some deep mean
ing In the white OF a new-laid egg II he
gave his mind 10 IL. Ten 10 one he
finds a 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 II be made himself heard OF
one day
'Sharp!' echoed a third; do you
think so? Well. | don't see much
sharpness about him, myself. He's a
rafting good shot, and no mistake;
but that's all you a say OF him"
The mar 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 r%olicking. harum-scarum
Young fellows; and had IL not been for
Ills wonderful powers OF shooting. they
would probably SGT him down as an alb
Solute milksop.
Marston remained n good while at
tho village. though without seeming 20
question any n about what had hap
penod, or, indeed appearing TO do any
thing but listen attentively 10 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 tho masses OF the weeds
and Wild grass that fringed the waters
edge. with his eyes bent upon the
ground like one Of Fcnnimore Cooper's
Indians following "A trail. Nay. more
than this. he actually crossed the rude
plank bridge which spanned the little
river just above the village. and
mace an equally close and careful SUR
voy Of the opposite shore.
Whatever he might be looking for.
he seemed 10 have found Il; for. when
he turned homeward. his fuce was
lighted zap with a visible CLEAN OF salts
faction.
That's how Il has been donc.n NUT
tered he, as he ~re-crossed the bridge;
tho whole things as plain rs print
nov. That crocodile isn't so clever
as he thought himself. after all. It's
odd. now. that Il should never havc
occurred 10 any one that c~rocodiles
are not generally q dainty In their
eating ~ 10 snap up only young girls
who have a great many silver bangles
on; but n I'm not much mistaken.
Tn turn that fact to good gccouni be-
fore many days are over.
Four days hal passed since the
crocodile catastrophe. without any fur
Their event % importance. The set
tlns sun was pouring a food Of golden