The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-10-10
[4l0W @IE WAS s~
w AVENGED |'s
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
A Young Hunter Aston
By c. w. ishes a Native by His
n Bravery and the 40
DOyie' curacy of His Aim.
AYounR Hnntar 1

The travellers from beyond Morada-
bad having reached Kaladoongie were
discovered to be men of consequence
by the thanadar and were invited by
him to join the circle of the great
round his fire on the evening of their
arrival. 1t was very warm, and the
dismal silence was only accented by the
distant howl of a lonely jackal The
sheet lightning f1ickered fitfully over
the foothills, hooking the gasping TIE
raj with its faint promise of COM
ing change.
The conversation round the fire flag
ged, and the hookah passed languidly
from hand to hand. Those present
would have retired to sleep had sleep
been possible, but as that was a con-
summation not easily attained at this
season of the year they preferred their
present miseries to those that come in
the wakeful night watches when the
Terai Is athirst. Ram Deems arrival
was nightly boon to those who were
wont to assemble round the thana-
OARS fire. There was always the pos
sibility of his having news, and, be-
sides, men seemed to acquire fresh
vitality from contact with his vigorous
personality. The strangers were es-
pecially grateful for his arrival and
when he had taken his usual place be-
side the fire the hookah was at once
passed to him.
ANY tidings coach wan ji?' inQuir-
ed the thanadar.
"None, sahib, save that the great
frog in the well at Lal Kooah-who is
as old as the well and wiser than most
men-gave voice just ere started, and
the bunnia said it was a sure sign of
rain within two days, as the frogs
warning had never been known to
fail"
mana Debi send it be So" exclaimed
the little carrier, 'for my bullocks be
starved for the lack of green food, and
bhoosa (chaff) is past my MEANS"
Thou shouldst not complain, Goor
Dutt," said Ram Deem, with smile.
Their very leanness is thy passport
through the jungle. Fatter kline had
them long ere this"
Hint of danger that might be en-
countered in the jungle having thus
been given, one Of the strangers was
moved to ask concerning the lame
tiger of Huldwani, part of whose
biography they had heard from Ram
Deem at Lal Kooah on the previous
day.
Coach wan il, vast thou not afraid
to carry the mail after the Staying of
thy .hostler, Nandha"
Those who carry the queens mail
may not stop for fear Nevertheless
fear rode with me a day and a night
after the death of Nandha."
st is great telling" said the little
carrier, nodding at the wayfarers,
while Ram Deem 'tdrank tobacco"
When Ram Deem had passed the
hookah to his neighbor, he went on:
Brothers, on the day that Nandha
was carried off by the tiger l sent
word to the postmaster of Naini Tai
concerning the killing, and the outgo-
ing mail brought me word that the
sircar government would send me
help. Ye know that a tiger kills not
two days in succession. So l had no
fear when l traversed the road to and
from Lal Kooah till the second day
after the Staying of Nandha. Ere
started on that morning the munshi
tolu me to drive to the OAK bungalow
for sahib who had been sent to slay
the slayer of men. Brothers, when /
went to the dak bungalow there came
forth to me a man child-a Faringi-
whose chin was as smooth as the palm
of my hand.
Il would have laughed, but that
thought of the tiger that knew would
be waiting for us, and, taking pity on
him, said: THE jungle hereabouts is
full of wild fowl, sahib, and 'twere
pity, when shikar is so plentiful, you
should waste this morning looking for
budmash tiger who will not come
forth for two days as yet He answer
ed me never word, but went into the
dak bungalow for something he had
forgotten, and while he was gone his
butler spake to me, saying: Coach
wan, make no mistake; thy life de-
ponds upon thy doing the sahib's bid
ding. He is very Rustum, and he
knoweth not fear, for all he is so
young He is man after my own
heart. then. sirdar; but, mashallah, l
world he had a beardp replied.
Presently the young sahib came
forth with an empty bottle in one
hand and gun in the other. Throw
ing the bottle into the air, he shattered
1t with bullet ere it reached the
ground. Startled by the report, a
jackal fled from the rear of the cook
house toward the jungle, and the sahib
stopped its flight with another bullet.
Then, replenishing his gun, he took his
seat beside me on the mail cart, say
ing, Blow on thy bugle, coach wan,
and announce our coming to Shere
Bahadoor, his majesty the tiger
ut was brave jawan youth,
brothers, but he was very young, and
belize he had mother, so l swore In
my beard to save him whatever might
befall. AS we proceeded he questioned
me concerning the killing OF Nandha,
speaking lightly as one who goeth to
shoot black partridge
He is lame, coach wan, and will
doubtless be waiting for us by the
Bore bridge said the sahib. AS soon
as he appears stay the horses for an
instant while l get off the mail cart,
and then return when your horses will
let you
"'Bethink thee, sahib,' 1 answered;
the lame one of Huldwani is old and
cunning. 1t is no fawn thou seekest
this morning. Perchance the sircar
will dispatch some great shikari to
help thee In this hunting Gunga send
we may not meet the tiger, but If we
should, shame befall me If l permit
thee to leave the mail cart while the
horses are able to rum
"For answer, my brothers, the sahib
flushed red and, calling me coward,
be drove bis elbow into my stomach
with such force that the reins fell from
nv hands. Taking them up, the while
l fought for my breath, he turned the
horses round, saying: "A jackal may
not hunt tiger! have need Of man