St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-05-10

| whISkey. The moment that II
touched his lips, he struggled away,
clutched his lips with his hand and
shook his head.
1 believe the very fear that 1 should
succeed in giving him whiskey kept
| him alive till the poison began to
| lose its power. At all events he did
not die.
l. Many a time we two slipped
away from camp in the gray of early
morning. Once, just before daylight,
I was out with my shotgun IN a
thinly- wooded jungle, a mile from
camp, upon the shore of small lake,
waiting for birds.
1t was just my luck Because l
came prepared for birds, there was
not one in sight, but three beautiful
antelope came down to drink, with
in a hundred feet of US. l looked at
the shotgun in disgust; then looked
again at the antelope. 1t was ex-
asperating. [ was determined to
have a shot, at any rate, and, in the
hope that l might stun one of them
or at least bewilder him for an in
slant, l whispered to Salad to be
ready with his knife and make a dash
the moment fired.
Cautiously l raised the gun to my
shoulder and was pressing the trig-
ger, when Salad touched me and
whispered: Wait, sahib! Look
there"
Hooked and my shotgun fell. At
a slight angle, but little more than
halfway between US and the anti
lopes, there crouched a Royal Bengal
tiger. A single glance was sufficient.
He was surely man-eater. Evident
" he had been on the point of salts
flying his hunger with an antelope
when he caught sight of US. He was
within an easy leap of the antelope,
but was deliberately turning away
and facing US. The motion startled
the deer and they bounded off, but
the tiger paid them no further at
tention. The huge creature opened
his jaws till his head seemed nothing
but red, yawning 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 a 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
ten feet from the ground. Salad had
only his hunting-knife, | nothing but
my shotgun.
"One of US must 60, sahib," Salad
81, L.
from the tiger. If we run together,
we shall both go. He will overtake US
in a moment. 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 nearer!'
There was no time for thought. |
1t seemed a fair proposition, and |
even as he spoke the Hindoo started |
at the top of his speed away. 1t
was useless standing still or follow
ing him, and acting upon his sugges-
ton started in the opposite direc-
ton.
After running rod or two, 1
looked over my shoulder. The tiger |
had made a leap and was just land
ing, already crouched for another |
spring. He was following mel
l will not admit that l hoped he |
he would follow Salad, but 1 did
hope that he would not choose me. |
1t amounted to the same thing.
l started on for one more desperate
struggle. l was doomed. l knew it
perfectly well yet while there is life,
there is hope, and 1 ran as never
ran before. l resolved to go as far
as could, and then whirl about and
give the tiger a charge of fine shot
full in the face. 1t might put out his
eyes. There was at least that posi-
bility to hang a desperate hope up
on, and throwing my gun on my
shoulder, l turned. The tiger was
not there Looking farther back, l
saw his tawny hide in the under
brush. Instantly it rose. He was
making a leap, but it 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 air and, crushing
the leaves and branches as it fell,
landed upon the PROSTATE figure of
Salad, silently waiting for the blow.
1 stood there petrifed, the cold
perspiration dripping from my fore
head. There was not a sound from
Salad. There was only one fierce
howl from the tiger. Then all was
still.
It was only an instant; but il
that instant we two, my Hindoo SER
want and I, stood out before me in
very bold relief. l had run for my
life, knowing that the chances lay
between US two, and hoping tleast,
that the tiger might not follow me-
He had run, too, knowing that the
chance lay between US, and because