The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-07-15

oaths. lie turned in his fury towards
the Vizier; but was only in time to
see the snowy robes of that high func.
tionary disappearing into q culvert,
and the confused mob of his court
running helter-skelter across the
sward. Butyet another object caught
the princes eye, and chilled him with
horror; it was the vast bulk of Shere
Bahadur moving rapidly and nois-
lessly towards him.
Sri Ranabir was q Raipoot of the
bluost blood, and his heart was big
but this awful sight, this swift, silent
advance of hideous death, paralyzed
him with fear. Already the long
shadow of the elephant had moved
near his feet, already he seemed Inn
paled on those cruel white tusks, when
there was o swapping bark, and the
fox terrier flew at Shere Bahadur and
| danced around him in tempest of
rage. The elephant turned and made
a savage dash at the dog, who skipped
nimbly between his legs, and renewed
the assault in the rear. But this mo-
ment of reprieve reused His Higbness.
The prince became a man, and the
Maharaj turned and fed, darting like
a star across tho soft green.
Shero Bahadur saw the flash of the
ieweled aigrette, the sheen of the or
der; and, giving up the dog, curled
his trunk and started in pursuit. 1t
was a desperate race. The Maharaj
was out of training; but the time he
"A ful nj Il 20 nd
buckles on his shoes formed shreak
of light as he fled. But, fast as he
ran, the race would have ended in q
few seconds if il had not been for Bull
ly, the little whito fox-terrier. Bully
thoroughly grasped the situation, and
acted accordingly. He ran around
the elephant, now skipped between
his legs. and the next moment snapped
at him behind; and Bully had re.
markably fine set of teeth.
The Maharai sighted a small hut,
the door of which stood invitingly
open; it was poor hut, made of
grass and sticks {; but it seemed o royal
palace to him. With desperate squirt,
he reached the door and dashed in.
But Shere Bahadur was not to be
denied, He stood for moment, and
then, putting forward his forefoot,
STAYED in the side OF the frail shelter
and brought down the house. Sri
Ranabir hoped out like rat, and it
was well for him that, in the cloud of
dust and thatch flying about, he was
unobserved, for Shere Bahadur, now
careless of Bully's assault and certain
of his imam, WAS diligently searching
the debris. But he found nothing
but q brass vessel, which he snvagely
flung at the dog; then he carefully
stamped on the hut and reduced every.
thing to chaos. In the meantime Sri
Rauabir, unconscious that the pursuit
had ceased, ran on as il he was wound
up like q clock-ran until his foot
slipped, and the Maharai Adhirai
rolled into q soft bed of mullah, and
lay there with his eyes clos ed, utterly
beaten, and careless whether the death
he had striven so hard to avoid came
or not
Then there was q buzzing in his
ears, and everything became blank.
blessed be Vishnul He iveth"-
and the Vizier helped his fallen master
to rise, aided by the heir apparent, in
whose heart, however, thero were
thoughts far different from those which
found expression on the lips of the
Nawah JuggGn Jung, Prime Minister
of Kalesar. The sympathetic, If some-
what excited, court lcrowded round
their king; and little in the distance
was the whole population OF Kalesar,
armed with every conceivable weapon,
and keeping up their courage by beat.
ing on m.toms. blowing horns and
shouting until the confusion of sound
was indescribable.
''Come baok to the palace, my lord.
They will drive the evil one out of
him and the Vizier waved his hand
in tho direction of tho crowd, and
pointed to where, In the distance,
iShere Bahadur was making slowly and
steadily for the hills. But the Ma
haraj Adhirai would do no such thing.
"Ryful lao," he roared In his vernac.
ular; "Gimme my gum" he shrieked
in English There was no refusing.
A -barreled gun was thrust into
his hands; he scrambled on to the
back OF the first horse he saw, and,
followed by his cheering subjects and
the whole court, dashed after the ele-
phant.
"Mirror OF the Universe, destroy
him not" advised the Vizier, who
rode at tho princes bride hand.
"lhe boast is worth 5000 rupees, and
cannot DO replaced; the treasury is
almost empty, and We shall want him
when the Lat Shaib comes"
The Maharaj was prudent IL he was
brave, and the empty treasury was q
strong argument; besides, they were
getting rather close to Shere Bahadur,
and outpaoing tho faithful people.
But he gave iu slowly.
"What is to be done?" he asked.
taking a pull at the reius.
"The people will drive him back, :"
replied the Vizier, "and we will chain
him up securely. He is but must,
and in q month or so all will pass
away,
Shere Bahadur had now reached an
open plain, where he stopped, aud,
turning round, faced his pursuers.
"Go on, brave menl" shouted the
Vizier; ga thousand rupees to him who
links the first chain on that Shaitan.
Drive him back Drive him back |"
There is the courage of numbers,
and this tho people OF India possess.
nm n