The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-09


Once, Just before daylight, was out
with my shotgun in a thinly woof q
Jungle a mile from camp upon ti4s
shore of small lake, waiting for birds
It was just my luck. Because / can
prepared for birds, there was not one IL
sight, but three beautiful antelope came
down to drink within hundred feet oi
us. / looked at the shotgun in disgust.
Then looked again at the antelope. IL
was exasperating. was determined q
have a shot, at any rate, and in the hope
that might stun ono of them or at least
bewilder him for an instant. / whisper
ed to Salad to be ready with his knife
and make dash the moment fired.
Cautiously ] raised the gun to my
shoulder and was pressing tho trigger,
when Salad touched me and whispered:
"Wait, sahibl Look therel"
looked, and my shotgun fell. At a
slight angle, but little more than half
way between us and the antelope, there
crouched royal Bengal tiger. A single
glance was sufficient He was surely )
man eater. Evidently he had been on
the point of satisfying his hunger with
an antelope when he caught sight OF u.s.
He was within an easy leap of the deer,
but was deliberately turning away and
facing us. The motion startled the deer,
and they bounded off, but the tiger paid
them no further attention. The hugo
creature opened his great jaws till his
head seemed nothing but rod, yawI-
ing gullet bordered by long, ragged,
glistening teeth, and with a savage
snarl he began to approach US.
There was no need Of looking about
for place of safety. The jungle was
sparsely wooded at the best, and the
largest tree we had passed in coming
from camp would not have borne even
Salads weight 10 feet from the
ground. Salad had only his hunting
knife, I nothing but my shotgun.
lone of us must go, sahib," Salad
muttered, without taking his eyes from
the tiger. IF VIC run together,Hwe shall
both go. He will overtake us in mo-
ment. Let Allah decide as it is written
in our foreheads Run that way for
your life, sahib will run this way.
Be quick, before he comes nearerW
There was no time for thought 10
seemed fair proposition, and even as
no spoke the Hindoo started at the top
of his speed away. 1t was useless stand
ing still OF following him, and acting
upon his suggestion ] started in the OPP
posite direction.
After running rod or two ! looked
over my shoulder The tiger had made
leap and was just landing, already
crouched for another spring. He was
following me!
/ will nos admit that / hoped Eo
would follow Salad, but did hope thas
he would not cheese mo. 1t amounted
to the same thing.
/ started on for cre mere desperate
struggle. was doomed. I knew it per-
fectly well, yet while there is life there
is hope, and ran as never ran be-
fore. / resolved to go as far as could
and then whirl about and give tho tiger
q charge of fine shot full in the face. 1t
might put out his eyes. There was at
least that possibility to hang o desperate
hope upon, and throwing my gun to my
shoulder turned. The tiger was not
therel Looking farther back, saw his
tawny hide in the underbrush. Instant
ly it rose. He was making leap, bur
1t was not toward me. One thrill Of
gratitude shot through my veins, when
my heart stood still with horror. There
was one sharp yelp as the huge form
swept through the mir, and crushing the
leaves and branches as it fell landed up
on the PROSTATE figure of Salad, silently
waiting fer the blow.
I stood there petrifisd the cold per-
spiration dripping from my forehead.
There was not a sound from Salad.
There was only one fierce howl from the
tiger; then oil was still.
1t was only an instant, but in that in
slant we two, my Hindoo servant and
], stood out before mo in very bold re-
lief. [ had run for my life, knowing
that the chances lay between us two and
hoping at least that the tiger might not
follow me. He had run, too, knowing
that the chance lay between us, and be-
cause the tiger did not follow him he
had come back again and tempted him
called him away from me and given
his life for mine.
He was poor benighted heathen
and only an average sample Of his kind
He could not help stealing pretty
things He could not stop telling lies.
But surely he was a truer, Drawer, no
bier man than I, and If the image OF
God can be found today in any Of his
creatures it would require no very deep
theologian to decide which of us two
betrayed it least profaned. Henry VIII
| lurd French in Romance.