The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-19

l petter drop hlm,' but the major | shook his head.
 l Nearer and nearer, closer and closer he crawled, almost on his belly, and | then, with an angry snarl, the long White body shot through the air straight toward them. At the same time the sergeant clubbed his rifle, and then they heard it strike against Nav sons head with a dull thud. He straightenedup bodily, threw his arms up wildly once ortwice, and dropped to the ground like dead. l When they came to examine him, the blood was flowing from the wound in l the back of his head, made by the ser- | geant's rifle, but his breathing seemed strong and regular.
 He's only stunned" said the major, 'sand the bleeding will do him good"
 His naked body was feverishly hot and scratched from crawling through the brush-but otherwise he seemed un- | injured.
 For a long time he lay in a sort of stupor, while they bathed his wound and kept wet rags to his head.
 Suddenly he began to speak, and then the men stared at one another in open | utterly strange to them.
 What's his nationality" asked the major
 American, sir" answered one of the men, who was a walking encyclodaedia on all company matters; born in the mountains of Tennessee, sir
 The sergeant, who had been some dis tance away now approached, and as soon as he heard Mawsons mutterings, turned to the major with a queer look in his face.
 He's talking Indian, sir he said, excitedly; Ines talking the lingo ofthe Tiger people, know it we'll
 Listen to him now, sir" he contin- ued, as Mawson broke into weird sort of chant, 'do you know what he's say ing?
 "'When the moon is red-the tiger kills.
 When the moon is red-the tiger kills When the moon is red-the tiger
 Kills"
 Mes mad" said the major, but the sergeant shook his head and drew away. He's a tiger man. he whis- pered.
 All through the long night they watched and cared for him, and list- ened to his one weffd cry:
 "When the moon is red--the tiger kills When the moon is red--the tiger
 kills
 | When the moon is red--the tiger kills.'
 When the morning breeze broke the | 1av,fr t,I, moon dropped to rest, Mawson sudden ly sat up, rubbed his eyes, and then, looking at one of the men he was fond of, said, in his usual lazy, gentle man. ner of speech:
 Hello, Don, ain't reveille gone yet?"
 When the sergeant reported to the paymaster for instruction prior to breaking camp, that officer said: How does Mawson act now?'
 Much as usual, sir except that he complains of being very tired; doesn't seem to have any recollection whatever of last nights proceedings"
 He's shamming," said the major.
 T think not sir; I've questioned him very closely about India, but he doesn't even know where it is. Hes very igno- rant, like most mountaineers. I even repeated in Indian When the moon is red the tiger kills but after gazing at me in amazement for a few minutes he burst out laughing. Whats that, ser geant-Dutch? he asked, when I re- peated it. Considered 1t a huge joke"
 How does he account for the wound on his head?" continued the major.
 Thinks he must have walked in his sleep and fallen against rock. I real ly believe he's in earnest, sir and doesn't remember anything"
 But the major was far from satisfied. Keep close to him, sergeant" he cau- toned. land see he doesn't get hold of a rife'
 When they got into Newgate the ma- ior reported the circumstance to the commanding officer and the post sur- geon, and Mawson was immediately taken into the post hospital for obser- vation.
 "A mild sunstroke probably said the doctor, some few days later; Ines per- fectly sane and well now.''
 But how about his talking Indian?'' persisted the major; "a sunstroke can't make a man a linguist, can it?"
 The doctor smiled in superior man ner. "I don't think it was Indian" he said; "the sergeant was evidently over excited and only imagined he under stood it. Why, my dear fellow" notic- ing the paymaster's rising wrath you're a sensible man and bright one; now, how in the name of common sense, could a man speak language l he didn't even know of? The day of miracles Is over, and you don't believe in the supernatural? Well--I've stud jed the matter most carefully; toe much sun, old fellow, that's all-toe much sun; you all had a little touch oi 1 it, guess. What'n you have?'' 1 This is what the doctor said, anG } what was generally accepted as ths 1 true solution. But the men of the es. cort knew better.
 , Perhaps the queerest part of all i: that when Mawson was discharged from the hospital, he returned to tht } company, and served the remaining three years of his enlistment faithfully and honestly. Sergeant Calson, who l himself told me the story, and in whose word have implicit confidence, point ed Mawson out to me on a number O occasions. but as he was not in my company, I never learned to know him The madness, Or whatever you may set fit to call it, never occurred again. H. | was oentIe in speech and manner eaSN