Evening star., 1898-07-30

Singh's abrupt retirement from the show,
had spread among the audience. AS the
three Englishmen rode past the arena and
turned into the broad, white thoroughfare
leading away from the palace, they looked
back and saw the crowd pouring out.
It's a good thingIswe loft when we did"
said Quin. The few minutes we have
gained may mean everything to US"
Il won't return without Silva Calcraft
asserted. ri
Fortunately. the fugitfte's elephant was
likely to leave visible footprints wherever
it went. At first the traff kept for quar-
ter OF mile to the road. then turned
southwest across the open country. The
course was comparatively straight, except
sional village. The pursuers followed at
a rapid pace, over fields of grain, through
oelts OF forest and jungle, and across
patches OF swamp land and tall grass
Three hours slipped by. The borders of
hoiat mad been passed and Runjeet Singh's
palace was many miles behind. The ele-
phant, obeying it's mahout tramped on
rapidly and steadily, showing signs of
fatigue. But as yet there was no trace of
the fugitive, though 1t was evident from
the appearance of the trail, and from in
formation furnished by natives encountered
along the way, that they were gaining a
little
Toward o'clock in the afternoon all
evidence of civilization faded in the rear.
and the pursuers entered desolate ex
panse of jungle, which grew wider and
more tangled during the next hours. But
they continued to make good progress,
since their elephant could easily force his
way through the thickets and reeds. And
to the mahouts cunning eye the course of
Silva's animal was always in view.
We ought to be getting near the rascal
said Calcraft.
Yes assented Captain Norris. Il
thought he would come this way. The
railway line is somewhere close ahead, If
l am not mistaken, and beyond that the
jungle stretches on to the Ghauts. So, you
BY Jove!'' Quin interrupted, sharply.
"Look'
All saw thrilling sight. They had sud
denly reached a bit of rising ground, and
barely fifty yards in front was the quarry
they were after-Rao Khan's elephant,wtth
Silva in the howdah and the mahout on
the animals neck. The Portuguese looked
around, waved a pistol menacingly and
then turned it on the mahout. who i'm
mediately urged the elephant to it's top
speed. The pursuers followed as rapidly,
and the chase commenced in earnest
Don't shoot; we must take him alive
cried Quin. He can't get away from u.s."
But he is gaining!' said Calcraft. =.
Yes, you are right exlaimed Captain
Norris.
Evidently such was the case. The pur-
suers saw with alarm that the distance
was widening little. But Just then when
the situation was dsheartening, fate took
a hand in the game. The straps of the fu-
gitive's howdah either broke or came loose,
and instantly the structure slipped to one
side. The fugitive was thrown out on his
head and the elephant continued its head
long course, taking the mahout with 1t.
"Hurrahi' cried Quin.
We've got him!'' shouted Calcraft.
They swiftly neared the spot, and as
they came within thirty feet of it the
grass AS quickly he leveled his pistol and
fired. With the report the elephant ut
tered a shriH scream. He swerved to the
left, trembled, and came down heavily on
Sii he hul
and killed him.
Quin was the first to scramble from the
broken howdah, and then he helped Cal
craft and Captain Norris to climb out.
They seemed to be bruised and stunned.
and could scarcely speak. The mahout
was lying unconscious on, the ground, but
Silva had disappeared.
Where is the seoundrel?' Culcraft
asked. weakly. Don't let him escape"
IN overhaul him if can" replied Quin.
who was unhurt. Follow me as soon as
you able
With that he dashed to the spot where
the Portuguese had vanished. He saw
couple of footprints in the soft earth, and
heard the bushes rustling in the distance
He plunged In the direction of the sound,
determined that the fugitive should not go
free. No obstacle checked him; he tore
through grass and bushes, tripped among
stones and vines
At last, when he had been running for
five minutes, he stopped the rising
ground to gain breath and listen. He could
Eear nothing, and as, he was about 20 push
On he made yexatious. discovery. His
pistol was gone; it must have fallen from
his belt.
And just then, from a tangled copse a
dozen feet in front rose the slim figure of
Antonio Silva ferocious, cruel smile
his swarthy face, and In his right
hand was leveled pistol Quin, taken by
surprise, was speechless for an instant.
I've got you this time snarled the Por-
tuguese. keeping a steady aim al his en-
emy. You've spoilt a good many games
for me In the past but you won't trouble
me again. I'm going to make sure of
that"
Quin felt a cold shiver run down his back
Brave man as he was, he could hardly face
the prospect of certain death with equa-
nimity. In the flash of second he review
ed the situation, and that but one
chance-and that almost a hopeless one
remained.
Would you murder me like a dog you
coward? he asked, with view to gaining
timo.
Yes. like the sneaking cur you are"
was the savage reply. Here goes for
wiping out old scores"
The ruffian's finger was on the trigger,
ana there was not a second to lose. Duck
ing his head, Qun dashed forward with
report. and the whistle Of bullet by his
ear. Then he saw Silva looming out Of the
smoke, and the next instant he was upon
him like a tiger.
The two men grappled, clutched each
other f1ercely, and swayed to and fro for
several moments. They knew it was a
struggle to the death, and neither wasted
breath in words. Finally they tripped and
fell, and as they floundered in the grass
a dull, rumbltng noise was heard. The
meaning Of it was unmistakable The rail-
way line was close by, and a train was
&C ming.
Over and oyer the antagonists rolled now
one uppermost, now the other Quin got A
grip of his enemy's throat, but lost it as his
own windpipe was tightly pressed Sud
denly they tumbled, locked tightly to-
sether, into a dense clump Of bushes.
Something gave way. ana Quin felt himself
falling. They rolled down low embank
mt, bounced over a hard substance. and
stopped between the metals Of the railway
line. The rumbling noise was not vibrat-
Ing roar, and to his horror Quin saw a
train swing round the curve to the left.
Let go!" he cried. I'VE are on the liner,
Silva grpped him the tighter.
Wen die together, curse you!' he
snarled
BY a hard effort Quin released one hand
and struck the Portuguese a violent blow
IN the face. Then he wrested himself loose.
scrambled off the track and fell exhausted
at the foot of the embankment
Silva sprang up as quickly, but his peril
confused him. The train-the fast express
rom Bellary to Madras-was within dozen
feet. He ran straight down the line, and
4