The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-10
THE JHOOT DEMON.
The Death OF Blind Terror Who Had a
Monkey for a Guido.

The great Jhoot demon described by
Colonel Downing in his narrative Of ad-
ventures in India was a tiger whose ways
were as mysterious as his ravages were
terrible. lie could never be bagged He
killed every shikari, native or European
who tried It. This truculent beast had
never even been seen. and as he never
mangled a body, but only sucked the
blood through an orifce made over the
Jugular vein, the terror the great Jhoot
demon inspired is not surprising. He
never forced a door. yet he got into
house after house. Two subalterns went
out after him, and the next day were
found dead like the rest.
one with mis- last strength had man
aged 10 scratch the words: Look out
for q L." But no amount OF conjec-
ture could solve the riddle OF these
words. A famous shot, who once for
wager shot 100 tigers in twelve months,
met the same fate. He, too. left a
creepy and mysterious message-the
letters "A. NJ" Then the colonel goes.
lie built himself an ambush and watch
ed
Just as the full light Of the moon fell
upon the stream and Illuminated the
surroundings there was an almost In
audible rustic Of leaves close behind me,
and. turning on the instant, | saw a
little gray-brown paw very cautiously
putting aside the twigs Of my shelter
and behind the paw l could discern two
small green eyes attentiyely regarding
me.
A lungoor,' l said TO myself az II
vanished from view-a monkey. That's
what the lads and Dick Culverton
meant 10 tell us, and, by George there's
r.sChief here Moved by a sudden in
spiration, for which / cannot 20 this day
account, l FASTENED from the shelter
ard assembled the adjoining tree. ! had
scarcely time 10 seat myself comforta-
bly, upon one OF the lower branches when
/ saw the lungoor returning. followed by
the most repusiye looking monster my
eyes have ever beheld
you talk, Snapper. OF your tiger being
NANCY; this one was absolutely naked
nude as a nut, bald as a bottle. not a
hair anywhere huge. CHASTITY, glabrous
monstrc sty--a very Caliban OF tigers,
as big as a bison, and as long as a croco-
die.
LAS the CHASTITY creature crept after
the monkey ne followed the slightest
curve and deviation OF his guide with
the delicate alacrlty OF a needle under
the influence OF a magnet. The adroit-
ness displayed by the tiger was suddenly
converted into a subject OF horrihed
wonder as the brute approached the
ambush, for he turned his hdeOus face
70 the moon, and / could see that his
eyes were OF a dull, dead white without
light, Intelligence, or movement. The
creature was stone blind. For all that,
he evidently knew. or thought he knew.
what lay before him, for the saliva OF
anticipation was clinging to his wrinkled
Jaws like a mass Of cleaning icicles.
THE monkey. when ne had come with
in jumping distance. gave low signal
cry, made one vigorous spring into my
late shelter. alighted upon my camp
stool and sprang out again on the other
side He was instantly followed by the
tiger. who fell like an avalanche upon
the stool, crushing IT 90 match wood.
and at once began 70 feel about on all
sides for his expected victim.
Now was my chance. Beneath me In
the broad light Of the full moon lay the
demon OF the JhoOt. I aimed steadily
az a deep furrow between the shoulder
blades and held my breath Tor the shot.
At that moment the keen eyes Of the
monkey caught sight OF me and the little
animal uttered a shrill note Of warning;
but n was too late nv finger was upon
the trigger and I fired both barrels In
quick succession. London Truth.