The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-30

He had a curious unreasonng dread Of
| him. Here in region where law did not
exist. North. from his knowledge of the
native dialects and his influence with the
people. might do pretty well what he
! liked.
St. Maur by this time was nearly speech
| less from fatigue and crushing sense of
| discomfort. Sleep soon stole upon them.
| Forester oeing the last to yield to its
st othing effect.
! The gray dawn was stealing through the
! toImost branches of the trees when
cautious pressure on his shoulder reused
Forester TO sudden consciousness, and his
| ears caught the sound of spouting and
/ splashing water
What" he began aloud. flush"
! whispered North. Speak low. Look
! there to the left"
| Forester did look and sprang up nois-
! les sly. lie beheld two huge elephants
which looked ike great towers standing In
the water, which they HNrc drawing up
! into their trunks and spoutlng over them
! selves with much deliberation.
! "Put your hand over St Maur's mouth
when you wake him." whispered North.
| "If he calls out we are doner'
! Forester crept to where the Honorable
| Tom reposed. and taking the precaution
advised. woke up his charge ''Do you
]
! To-" suffered St. Maur.
Silence | say! Elephants" in an en-
eigetic whisper.
"No. really-my gun" scrambllng to his
feet and carefully suppr essing his voice.
! I he head man put st. Maur's rifle into
! his hand. Both Forester and North had
| theirs beside them.
They are nearly broadside on-couldn't
| be better. mark the
! Before he could complete his sentence
St Maur blazed away. hitting the smaller
of the formidable beasts on the head. The
elephant uttered loud cry. and both
stumbling through the pool disappeared
i'm different directions.
There" cried St. Maur triumphantly.
"I hit It at the first go off"
and lost a fine pair OF tusks," returned
North.
"And now?" put in Forester.
| I'VE must mount and ride" said North
! beginning to take the shackles off his
steed.
Their attendants brought st. Maur and
Forrester's steeds and they started in pur-
| suit.
1t was rough riding and needed sure
| footed mounts. The elephant paths led
| i'm all directions from the fountain, like
| the sticks of fan. At last they reached
| a space where the forest swept back into
their JOY small herd of mother ele-
plants with their talves browsing on the
| young branchlets f the nearest trees.
"Ah, now we IAN have our choice"
cried ST. Maur. singing his reins over
his arm and gettilg ready his rife.
Patience. patieice!" said North "See
! the dogs are charging In among the trees:
something is lurking there"
AS he spoke the sound of barking and
| ~ r1
out from among he foliage came three
bull elephants of normous size.
st. Maurs horst grew frightened and
| ddgetv. He was MT a bad horseman, but
he could not hold he animal steady.
Here" called rorth, you can't man.
age that brute: here. take mine" lie
swiftly dlsmountel and changed horses
with ST. Maur. wo with delight at once
discharged his rife almost without taxi
ing aim and all It shooting one of the
native attendants.
keep COOL Forester; aim behind tho
shoulder; you mint well fire at the
side of an ironclat as at the head"
Forester tried . obey, but he felt his
hand was unstead and though he hit the
mighty beast it Ierely gave a loud dis
cordant cry and ii went off at brisk,
shambling pace.
''Follow, boys" cried North, who evil
IDENTIFY felt the eNitement Of the chase,
and he started at gallop. They kept the
quarry in sight.
The elephant. vnich had been ineffec-
tual,y hit. turnedaround now and again
to charge the dos, to whom he seemed
to attribute the lttack. North's horse
was by far the bet of the five, and gain
ed upon the retrdting leviathan of the
forest, who suddnly and unexpectedly
turned on st. Mau and would have over
whelmed him hat not North, who was
watching intently, ent a well-directed bull
let in behind Is shoulder, and he
fell. but scramble6to his feet again. For
roster sent a secnd bullet through his
fore leg; still he toved on. but soon fell
to rise no more. North rode up hastily
and shot him in tp nape Of the neck and
the huge creaturerolled over dead.
"A waste of pwder and shot, said
Forester. "He yas gone coon al
ready"
'I always like tonake assurance doubly
sure" returned NTH. reloading. 1T Is
too cruel to Jet poor brute linger In
agony"