The morning call., 1893-10-08

w Ould shine through the foliage on 10
ManuePs face; he would awake, move,
and then the deathblow would be struck.
| dared not call to him, for that would
have the same result. There was only one
chance to save the Portuguese, and run
ming back to the house routed out Fred,
whom / knew to be splendid shot,
Almost dragging him into the yard and
carrying his rifle at the same time.
pointed out the hideous sight. Its head
still swaying slowly backward and for
ward, the reptile seemed to be waitin 6
until its victim showed signs of life.
II can't fire until the head is still. whis-
pered Fred, who was by this time lying
fiat on the ground, his rifle resting upon a
stone. So we waited. In few minutes
a bright ray of sunlight cleaned in at the
doorway and slowly Travelled toward Man.
uel's face. 1t must have been five minutes
before it reached him, but finally he raised
ore arm-he was awakening. Up went
the cObra's head, the neck stiffened, the
fangs opened. 1t was poised for moment
ready to strike. Fred's rifle rang out, the
snake fell on MaDuePs face, and with a
yell the Portuguese Jumped from his bed
clean out doors and plunged into the for
est. We could hear him screaming and
tearing the unuerbrush for several min
utes.
Fred and ran forward believing he had
been bitten but the cobra's head had been
mashed by the rifle bullet, and we knew
the man had not been hurt. Several hours
later he emerged from the forest bleeding
from thorn tkrusts, but not otherwise TO-
jured.
The cobra measured ten feet six inches
from tip to tip. Lesson No. was learned,
and Manuel slept with closed doors after
that.
Fred received an invitation to visit a
friend in Petropolis fortnight later and
laft ofip To hp
morning of the second Albeit asked for
twenty-four hours leave of absence, so
when | rode up the hill late that night it
was 10 a lonely house. Perhaps that was
why had remained in the city later than
usual, at any rate it was o'clock when
reached the stables. aud L had TO rouse
Manuel from a sound sleep. For a quarter
of an hour | helped him with the horses.
then bidding shim goodnight walked
toward the house.
Strange, the side door was open! What
could Manuel have been doing in the house
and why had he not closed up after him ?
l knew the man to be perfe ctly honest and
only blamed him for carelessness. IL was
pitch dark outside and / had stumbled
over the doorstep. Not match to be
found! So l closed and bolted the door
and CROPPED my way down the narrow hall
TO my room.
That door also openI 1 said something
emphatic under my breath and something
still more so when l couldn't find match.
There was something uncanny about say
ing those things out loud there all alone in
the tropical forest of pitch-dark night. l
undressed without the light, then turned
to close the door. but struck q chair. The
room was large and l was turned
around" Then my shins grazed the bed
and / gave up my original idea and rolled
in between the sheets. l don't know
whether | fell asleep or not. don't know
how long a time elapsed, but of sudden
every muscle in my body became rigid and
cold chiIls crept over me.
Pit-a-pat, plt-a-pat came steps down the
hall. 1t sounded like two barefoot chill
dren. Something pushed the door wider
open. / could hear 1t rub against the side.
There it stood in the middle of the room,
breathing heavily and shifting at my
clothes. There was spring and the ami
NAL was upon me. tried to shrek. but
could not; tried to grapple with the un-'
seen beast, but my arms would not move.
But it did not seize me, this nocturnal visi-
tor; it sat croucbed on the foot OF the bed,
and l could tell it was of great weight for
the springs were bent down from under
me- My feet at the time had been drawn
I'D so it had ROOM 1t was facing me,
could feel its hot breath. Any moment it
might spring, but it did not and after what
seemed an hour it laid down. [ could tell
from the way the springs were bent that
it covered the entire width of the bed and
for few minutes its tail struck again st
the side of the post.
At last it was asleep. / could tell from
the regular breathing A little clock in
the dining-room struck 2. My legs were
aching; my pillow was wet with perspira-
ton. Another hour passed and the brute
lay still. My senses became benumbe ;
one OF my legs grew cold in its cramped
position; the bed was clammy. There lay
the immense animal, yet asleep, breathing
heavily.
From o'clock until O'Clock 1 remained
in a semi-unconscious state. l remember
wishing that the beast would awake and
attack me. 1t seemed as if the pain of
being torn limb from limb would be well
come relief from the torture l was under
going.
Then, strange to say, L thought of home
and Of Christmas day. 1t seemed as If
could hear the sleig bells outside and the
merry voices OF my brothers and sisters al
the presents were being distributed by
grandfather from the evergreen tree. [
moved slightly for the first time and was
called to the agonzlng present by the
beast doing the same. Its head turned
over. 1t was just touching my foot. Yes.
l could feel its long teeth.
In few minutes dawn would steal
through the window. the brute would
awake and my end would come. | must
do something. How watched the point
of the room where the window was! Soon
/ could make it out, the open space looked
grayer than the black of the walls, for
there was only mosquito netting over
it. A few moments more AMI the faint
light rendered large objects visible. and
then | saw the huge, shaggy mass at the
foot of the bed. Painfully [ moved an
inch; it did not stir. l moved another.
still it remained quiet. Gradually l
worked to the edge of the bed, leaned over
and got my hands ON the floor; first one
leg. then another slowly followed. The
brute still slept. l crawled to the door
and slowly dragged it shut after me. /
was safe in the hallway and not sound
from within.
fastening as fast as my stiffened limbs
would allow me / got into Fred's room and
seized his rifle. believe l kissed the cold
steel of the barrel. Then l crept down
the hall. opened the door and clad only in
my nightshirt went around to the side of
the house. The window of my loom was
high, so l rolled up barrel, then mount
ing it. carefully tore away the netting.
There was just enough light to allow me
to see the animal on my bed
1t was an enormous creature. l brought
my rifle to bear and waited for little
more light so as to make sure Of my work.
In contrast with the moments of the night