The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-09-28

ed me never a word, but went into tn,
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 sahibs bid
ding He is a very Rustum. and he
knoweth not fear, for all he Is so
young He Is n man after my own
heart. then sirdar; but, mashallah, |
would he had beardr | 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, n
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
at was a brave jawan youth,
brothers. but he was very young, and
belize he had mother so | 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 | get off the mail cart,
and then return when your horses will
let you
"'Bethink thee, sahib,' | answered;
the lame one of Huldwanl is old and
cunning. 1t is no fawn thou seekest
this morning Perchance the sircar
will dispatch some great shikar to
help thee in this hunting. Gunga send
we may not meet the tiger, but If we
should, shame befall me IL 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,
he drove his elbow into my stomach
with such force that the reins fell from
my hands. Taking them up the while
| fought for my breath, he turned the
horses round. saying: "A jackal may
not hunt tiger! have need of man
with me this morning, and GOor Deem.
my butler. shall take thy place
"'The sahib. being a man, will not
blacken my face in the eyes of Kala-
doongie.' said. 4 spake for thy sake.
sahib. but | will drive thee to Jehan-
dun an thou wilt, for no man hath
ever ca ed me coward before Then
the sahib looked in my face, as tuck
ed the ends of my beard under my
puggri and. seeing that my eyes met
his four square, he gave up the reins
to me- saying. IF thou playest me
false, will kill thee like dog and he
showed me the hilt of pistol that he
had in his pocket. We spake no more
together. but when we came to the
Bore bridge shook the jungle with
blast from my bugle.
Shabash. coach want exclaimed
the sahib. Thou art a man indeed and
shalt have Shere Bahadoors skin as
recompense for the hurt to thy
stomach. Bid him come again
"Half a mile beyond the bridge as
we sped along the level road above the
river, again blew upon the bugle.
The sound had scarcely ceased when
we heard the angry roar of a charging
tiger.
"'Stopv exclaimed the sahib. and
threw the frightened horses on their
launches, while he leaped to the
ground. Then. while the horses flew
along the road l looked back over my
shoulder and behe1d the Lame One
bound to the middle of the road and
the sahib blew on his fingers as one
would whistle to a dog. The great
beast stopped on the instant and
crouched to the ground. ready to spring
on the sahib as he advanced toward it.
and prayed to Mana Debi to befriend
the young fool.
"When he was within 80 PAGES or so
from the tiger, the sahib halted and
brought the gun to his shoulder. The
next instant there was the crack Of
rifle, and the Lame One leaped straight
into the air.
81 knew the tiger was dead, and I'm
mediately thereafter the mail cart ran
into the bank and spilled me on the
road. Leaving the stunned horses tied
to tree, proceeded to seek the sa-
hib Wah j.. wah. brothers, we must
pay taxes to the Faringis until we can
raise SONS like theirs. When | Joined
the boy sahib, he was smoking and
taking the measure OF the tiger with
tape His bullet had struck the
beast between the eyes, and the Lame
One had died at the hands of man"
Speaker