Evening journal., 1899-06-15
A DUEL WITH SNAKES.
gage in n DIood-Curd-
ling Scene.

On the morrow (Which was the third
dsy) there was a long delay; the pro-
iogre was spun out and spun out. Each
Of the masters was in a very keen anxi-
Gty as to the snake the other had been
reserving for the great effort At last
Souter came to the end Of his patience,
and bade them peremptorily play or
pay. Thereupon Anant Ram set a small
cloth on the ground very gently and
called loudly TO have the first 60. The
Lord of Devils" did not stand upon
the order OF his going; agreed on the
instant; and his two pupils turned up a
large basket in the middle of the ring
and shook out Of it about nine feet Of
that poisonous constructor, the great
hamadryad, or King Cobra. 1t is the
only snake India that attacks of it,
self at all times. It's ferceness and
courage are only equaled by the bright
ness Of its coloring and the strength
Of its coils. 1t can poison as mortally
ard strangle as surely as any snake in
the world. The Egyptian cerastes at
taclSs and bites; the fer-de-lance of St.
Lucia drops from the tree, vicious and
fatal, on the horseman. But they are
not constructors. The greathamadryad
rcars its green length Of active, two
fold, ferocious death In unparalleled
L dreadfulness.
Anant Ram threw up his arms over
his head as the double horror rushed
Kissing at him; in a breath its coils were
around him, its fangs tearing his arms
He flung himself down at the pain; and,
put about by this sudden act, the snake
stopped biting n moment to tighten its
coils. Then it reared a quarter of its
body above his head, and as quickly as
It could bend and strike bit him horri.
bly, in the neck under the left ear. On
the instant it jer1ed out its fangs with
shrlll whistle and fell oil slack about
= him; he had bitten clear through its
back and was tearing its body asundei
b with frenzied hands. He rose, bleeding
4 dusty,wild-eyed and ghastly; staggered
|. to the cloth that hid his snake ant
y yelled, "QuicSl to the traili All three
r of you'll Quickl"
= The "Lord of Devils" and his pupil
p hustled round him; he whipped awe.
+ the cloth and barred TO their eyes little
crooked, gray-brown stick. They stare'
at it, they stared at one another; ant
- slowly knowledge came to them. The,
knew how Anant Ram had conquered
q the hamadryad; that he had won III
X devils TO fight for him. They move'
. around the little stick with out
Il stretched twitching hands, their start
n ing eyes glued 10 IL, striving to bea
y down their dread, TO force themselve
l. 10 touch it, TO awake it to malignan
) life. Slowly their dread mastered them
y their faces grew gray and then green
one man gave back a step, then another
Y ere by one they tore away their eye
! from the dormant horror; glared at on
" another in the agony of utter fear
- turned with one accord and fled-iled q
q men flee with the fear OF death at the
"a backs. and the devils of the lone nigl
and the waste on their heels. But Anar
,r Ram lay. needless Of the screaming jo
n Of the victorious panjab, sucking Il
a bleed OF the dead hanadryad for de'
IS lie wlEle his pupils, in fevered hast
er plea him with remedy on remedy.
ss the confusion Souter secured yet mo-
= material to make surer his discoveri
!" w and TO render this mystery Of the ca
q working medicine against the terri
Of the serpent. Anant Ram came o.
OF IL alive and rich; but he swears th
49, ia winning his great fight he lost Il
~ secret Of ages. He breads Souter as
NJ dreads nothing else; and to him aloi
me- win he reveal the mysteries OF bis crat
he Pail Mall Magazine.
al ----