The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-07-23

Pablo would have his day OF grief, but
that would pass away, and things
would then be as they were in the be-
ginning before the snake came from
far down the hot valley.
While Manuel thought these Thoughts
the two wild things in the path moved
back and forth, as though sparring for
an opening. The snake was alert with
sullen ugliness, his glistening head
darting here and there like flashes Of
lightning. The tiger was not so vindie-
lively ugly, but his spotted hide quiv-
cred with wave upon wave of rising
anger. 1t was plain that although the
tiger was not afraid, he was more than
usually cautious. He was not &C
customed to fight with snakes, and he
probably knew we'll from observation
the nature of his enemy. The snake
also seemed to realize very clearly that
he had provoked battle with dan
gerous beast.
At length the tiger, unable to re-
strain his rage, leaped at the serpent's
swaying head like a dazzle Of light,
but the snakes head was not there.
The tiger landed in the path on the
other side of the snake, but almost be-
fore he had touched the ground glis-
tening coil had been thrown over him.
He gave thrilling cry and leaped
fully dozen feet in the air. He landed
safe and unharmed on his own side of
the path, a little shaken up perhaps,
but still full of good fighting blood.
The snake was back in an instant,
coiled ready for defense.
The tiger crouched in the path, as
if about to spring. The snake quiv-
cred with nervous preparation. The
hunter caught his breath in quick an
ticipation. This was the critical
moment.
Furious beyond all control, the two
wild creatures sprang upon each other
in the same instant. For scant hall
a second there was poised in the air a
yellow blur wrapped about with great
glistening coils like the trunk of a
small tree, and then snake and tiger
rolled in the dust together.
1t was a grand battle, and righ,
nobly was it fought. The serpent's
coils were Tightening about the tiger
with strained, convulsive movement:
of the shining skin, but the tiger:
sharp teeth and long claws were buried
deep in the serpent's neck and body
In that terrible embrace there coulc
be no result other than death. Th.
hunter watched like one facinated by
| some strange and awful sight. Never
in his life had he seen such a sight
perhaps never would he see it again.
Tighter grew the great coils; the
tigers bones we're cracking one BY
one. Deeper sank the long teeth
the serpent's life blood was forming ir
little pools in the dust. The hunter
was almost gasping with emotion, Sc
, strange, so terrible, was the tragic duel
Convulsively the fighters rolled il
the path, but weaker, weaker, grew
their struggles. The end was coming
Perhaps foreseeing it, the tiger mad.
one frantic, desperate effort to fret
himself from the deadly embrace, bu
the blood -streaked coils only frightened
the more. Then the forest king agar
sank his teeth and claws into the ser
pent's neck and body. He would dit
as he had lived, thing of unshakabls
; courage. The serpent, in a spasm o
! pain and dying rage, tried once for al
to crush his enemy into a shapeles
mass, but his flesh and muscles hae
been sadly torn away, and his necl
was breaking under the tigers teeth
l The bunter caught his breath hard anc
/ stepped from the shelter of the cactu
bush. The end was at hand.
Death was glazing the eyes of th'
tiger the serpent's head fell helplessl,
to one side. There was feeble strug
gle in the shoulders Of the tiger, gal
vanic shudder in the coils of the ser
) pent, and then all was still. 1t wa
over.
The hunter looked up from the tw'
dead things in the path to meet tn
: gaze of his son.
"You saw it alp" said the son. Th'
father mutely nodded.
"You did not save the serpentl'
alt was all as lightning" explained
the father, unable to bear the search
ing reproof in his sons eyes.
The son drew a long, deep breath
! , while his glance searched his father
! face. Then he turned without wort
l and strobe away.