The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-18

81.
IN with q 'tigertorNe leopard. X y. MI
had ordered him to walk ahead,
which command he oheyed s,flkiiy. He
was Walking about thirty feet in ad !
vance OF me when he turned suddenly
round Just as nay foot tripped against
y Tree root, sending me sprawIing TO
the ground. As1ifell something WIKI
zed above my held and I heard leaves
and twiss falling far back OF me down
me road. II was Nagho's tulwllr, and
put Tor my luckyStumble It would have
split mn Skull as neatly as you please.
The Hindoo ran as soon as he saw that
ms Knife had)missed, taking the 81 tchsi
with him. sent three shots after him
from the ground, then got up and start
ca on at an easy pact, for there was no.
nope OF my overtuking the Hindoo. for,
leaving the darkness out OF the ques-
lon, he could have outstrlpped me on
such road two 10. one. My only HOPE
or recovering the satchel and money
and bringing him TO punishment was In
ssttns TO Baghra and Setting the ma
tive police on his trail. sll;l
IT soon became clear to me that
should not get 10 Baghra that night.
Tho air was horribly hot and humid
ana the road got worse as went on. I
could feel the jungle fever clutchlng at
me In the mlasma that rose from the
moist ground, but II was better to
chance that than risk failing from heat
anu fatigue. had rested myself under
tree by the roadside and had begun
10 nod with drowslnessi when the roar
or a tiger somewhere on In the jungle
gave a new turn to my thoughts and i
got up and stumbled on. Just MS the
tiger roared again saw smoudering
ffe In clearing of TO the right. 1t was
an even chance whether It meant a
camp OF wood cutters or q rendezvous
or decoits, but turned off the road and
approached It. Only one man was by
the fire-an Old white-beardcd man
seated cross-legged on, O mat-and I
saw that 1t was the fakir who had been
at Redvon's bungalow the day before.
Here In the jungle be was sitting, alb
sorbed In contemplation, as calmly as
X such things as tigers'or Jungle fever
did not exist. Two cobras In a basket
by his side reared their heads and hiss
ed as came near, but the fakir did not
raise his eyes until ! stood before him.
Then he looked at me without the
slightest sign OF surprise and motioEed
that should seat myself opposite him.
i expected you.' he said. In Hindoo-
stance. You will remain here until the
morrow -
He, returned to his contcmplations
and spoke not another word through
the night. The tigers roar came near
er, and I clutched my revolver as 1t
changed into the low, eager. purrirg
cry that tells he has scented his prey
but the old man gave no sign that he
had SO much as heard it'll watched
the misty darkness around for an hour
or more but there was no more roaring
and no tiger appeared. and I laid my
pistol across my lap and prepared to
pass the night as comfortably as
could. In searching my pockets for
cigars I found a package. of qutnine. I
took fifty! grains of 1t before morning
and thus saved myself from jungle fe-
yer. Hour after hour I sat on the
ground smoking cheroots, with the old
man sitting opposite me.
Part OF the time his eyes were closed,
but he did not nod or change bis posi-
tion, and whether he slept or not, I
could not tell. From time TO time he
fed the FIRE from a little heap OF dry
branches at his side. and two or three
times he lighted his hubble bubble, but
he did not once rise to his feet or leave
the mat. Toward morning sleep over
came me. and woke to flnd myself on
my back on the ground with the beams
OF the rising sun streaming into my
face and one OF the cobras crawling
across my legs. kept still and the
snake crept away In the grass hunting
his breakfast. n $780,
THE old fallr, who was smoking,
presently laid aside his pipe. collected
his snakes and other luggage together
and told me with q look that we were
to move, and We left the clearing and
turned into the road toward Baghra. In
the dust and more plainly In the miry
places, we could see the tracks OF Nag
no. Presently there were other foot
prints above tho mans and taking the
same course-the tracks OF q tiger
which had come Into the road from the
Jungle. had not said a word to the
fakir OF what had occurred the night
before, but he pointed to the tigers
tracks and said Sravely, the first words
he had spoken that morning:
These are bringing you to your
property
1--WE kept along the road until we
came to q place where the tracks show
ed that the-swinging trot OF the tiger
had changed 10 q succession OF long
bounds. which ended at q spot where
the dust had been stirred by marks OF
struggle, and caked with drops OF red
The bushes and long grass crushed and
bent to left and right, showed where
the tiger lcaped back Into the jungle,
and there was no track OF man or beast
In the road beyond. But.in the tigers
path at few PAGES from the roadside,
strung along the bushes was the I'M
wound turban OF Nagho with long
smear of,red upon Its white. s,g
1t was SO appointed said the ia
klr. He was weaving the plan OF his
own death when he thought ne was
comprising yours. Now, take your own,
restored to you. and we will SO on Into
Baghra.' r. & Tf-'. s!
He pointed to my satchel. which
mad not seen, In the grass bT the road
side. 1t was unopened and all Its con-
tents were safe. We went on Into Bag
hra, where the fakir left me NJ the out
skirts OF the town, taking his way,
suppose, to the house OF some person OF
his rellg!ous order. gave him . bag OF
rupees at parting, which he accepted
without thanks or comment-to him X
came by appointment OF the gods. and
I feel sure that he would have received
sentence OF immediate execution With
the same calm .fatallsm. saw him
once more. when he was called before
the magistrate to give his testimony as
to the manner OF N0gho's death, but he
gave me no sign of recognition. To ono
like him, wrapped In communion with
deity, n mere man. whatever his degree
was worthy Of nothing, more, than a
passing notice. - .i.
"My story !0f the faklr Is told.sand!ynu
may explanl It II you can TO your Ent-
sIsfactIon. His tricks at the bungalow
were Incomprehensible to the western