The Press., 1900-06-28

.sThese be the. spoor Of a, tiger lame
in it's left hind foot I said to Nandha.
'See,l here It crouched on it's belly and
wiped away the wheel tracks made by
the mail cart this morning
'Tiss the lame tiger of Huldwani,
coach-wan.r He is old, and he hunteth
man. Gunga send he is hunting else
where tonight replied Nandha.
"When we came within mile OF the
Bore bridge that night, the horses
stopped suddenly. They were wild
with fear, and refused to move. The
night was as dark as the inside of a
gourd, and beyond the circle Of light
made by our lanterns we could discern
In the middle of the road two balls of
FIRE close to the ground.
Bag (tiger),' said Nandha, as he
climbed over into the back seat. we
be dead men, Ram Deem
"'Blow! I commanded, giving him
the bugle, and he startled the jungle
with blast, / gathered up the reins,
and, adding my voice to the terrors of
Nandha's music, / urged the horses
with whip and yell to fury of speed,
and the lighted lanterns showed the
great beast leaping into the darkness
to escape our onset.
"Nandha ceased not from blowing
ON the bugle till took 1t from him by
force at the door of the postofice at
Kaladoongie.
'They gave him bhang to smoke
and arrack to drink ere he slept that
night, for his great fear had deprived
him of reason for awhile, and he look.
ed round him as though he expected to
see the tigers eyes everywhere.
"tThe bag followed me to the hithel
side of the Bore BRIDGE he said to
me next morning as we prepared te
return to Lal Kooah. But laughed
at his fears, to give him his courage.
"'It Is devil he whispered. look
ing cautiously round him, and saw
that the light of his reason flickered.
"When we came to the Bore bridge
Nandha leaped to the ground, and II
the dim light of the morning / could
see the tracks of a great beast on the
ground, to which he pointed, and ever
as we looked there came the roar of 6
tiger. l could scarce hold the horses
while Nandha, whose limbs were stiff
with fear, scrambled into the bach
seat of the mail cart.
when tiger puts it's mouth to thu
tell whence the sound comes, SO
staid not to see, If might, where thu
danger lay, but gave the horses fre'
rein.
"As we cleared the end of the bridge
Nandha screamed, Bag, bag! ant
CHANGING back / saw the tiger in full
pursuit of us, and within 100 PAGES.
"'Blowy commanded, handing thu
bugle to Nandha; but, though he tool
1t from me, he appeared not to under
stand what he was required to do.
'Blowv said l once mores shaking
him, but he took no heed of me, ant
was as a man who walks in his sleep
| So put my arm round him and liftet
! him on to the front seat beside me, ant
| even as l pulled him to me his heat
was drawn over his shoulder by thu
spell of fear. There was foam on hi
| lips and on his beard, and he shook s,
| that feared he would fall off the mai
| cart.
"'Be brave, Nandhay l shouted t,
him. The beast is lame, and we shall
soon leave it behind For answer, h.
turned his face to me for one instant
and his lips framed the word bag
but no sound came therefrom.
suddenly he laughed like a chill
that is pleased with toy, babbline
and saying: How beautiful is my lord
Soft be the road to his feet! But look
my lord limpeth; belize he hath
thorn in his footv AS he rose, put al
arm round him and forced him dow
again, and at that instant the tige
uttered another roar. The horse
swerved and would have left the roa'
full strength of both my arms, and a
soon as Nandha felt himself free h
leaped to the ground and advanced to
ward the tiger. He walked joyously
as a loyal servant who goes to NEE
his lord.
| Looking over my shoulder for nov
the horses were in the middle of tn
road, which here stretched straigh
ahead Of us), ! beheld Nandha process
toward the tiger, which now crouche
in the road, waiting for him, it's tai
waving from side to side. When h
was within five PAGES of the beast, h
salaamed to the ground and as b
stopped the tiger sprang on him wit
another roar and. throwing him owe
it's shoulder IT hOundod with him int
the jungle. "-Westminster Budget.