Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-11

Then looked again at the antelope. It was exasperating. I was determined to have shot, at any rate, and in tho hope that might stun one of them or at least bewilder him for an instant l whisper ed to Sajad to be ready with his knife and make dash the moment I fired
 Cautiously l raised the gun to my shoulder and was pressing the trigger, when Sajad touched me and whispered: Wait, sahib! Look therer'
 I looked, and my shotgun fell At Q slight angle, but little more than half way between US and the antelope. there crouched a royal Bengal tiger A single glance was sufficient He was surely a man cater. Evidently he had been on an antelope when he caught sight of us. 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 of. but the tiger paid them no further attention The huge creature opened his great jaws till his head seemed nothing but a red, yawn- 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 Sajad's weight 10 feet from the ground. Salad had only his hunting knife, l nothing but my shotgun
 "One of us must go, sahib." Salad muttered, without taking his eyes from the tiger If we run together, we shall both go He will overtake us in a mo- ment Let Allah decide as it is written in our foreheads Run that way for your life, sahih will run this way Be quick, before he comes nearcrp'
 There was no time for thought It seemed fair proposition, and even as he spoke the Hindoo started at the top of his speed away. It was useless stand ing still or following him, and acting upon his suggestion I started in the op posite direction
 After running a rod or two looked over my shoulder The tiger had made q leap and was just landing, already crouched for another spring. He was following mel
 will not admit that I hoped he would follow Sajad. but did hope that he would not choose me It amounted to the same thing
 started on for one more desperate struggle l was doomed I knew it per fectly well. yet while there Is life there is hope, and l ran as l never ran be- fore. resolved to 20 as far as I could and then whirl about and give the tiger a charge of fine shot full in the facc. IL might put out his eyes There was at least that possibility to hang n desperate hope upon. and throwing my gun to my shoulder l turned The tiger was not therel Looking farther back. saw his tawny hide in the underbrush- Instant ly it rose. He was making n leap. but 1t was not toward me One thrill Oi gratitude skot 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 Hs it fell landed up on the prostrate figure of Sajad. silently waiting for the blow.
 stood there pctrificd. tho cold per spiration dripping from my forehead There was not q sound from Sajad. There wGs only one fierce howl from thC tiger; then all was still
 It was only an instant, but in that ill stant We two. my HindOo servant anC I, stood out before mo in very bold re lief. had run for my life, knowing that the chances lay between Cs two anC hoping at least that the tig,- might no follow me. He had run, too. knowing that the chance lay between Us. and be cause the tiger did not follow him h, had come hack again and tempted hin -called him away from me and giveI his life for mine.
 He was n poor beniShted heather and only an average sample of his kind He could not help stealing brett! things He could not stop telling lies But surely he was a truer. brnver. no bier man than I, and if the image O God can be found today in any of hi creatures it would require no very decI theologian to decide which of us tw' betrayed it least profaned. Henry Vii lard French in Romance