The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-02-27

cried Carruthers, land the ball seems
to have glanced off his skull"
"Then he has a chance. Do what
you can for him-take my flask of
brandy. I'm going after the scoun-
drel who did this"
"You won't catch him." exclaimed
Carruthers "Better be careful"
But Quin was already out of hear
| ing. There was method in his SEEM
ing madness, and he soon proved his
| theory to be right. For as he struck
into the narrow winding path that
led southwark from the village the
swapping of a twig fell on his ear
| from no great distance ahead The
fugitive also was following the path.
He was afraid, as Quin had surmised,
| to plunge into the dark Businesses of
the jungle.
For 200 or 300 yards the silent,
crafty chase continued. and the pur-
suer gained on his quarry. There
was a rustling of dry reeds, and the
| form of a man--doubtless the officers
treacherous Hindoo servant-crossed
"a par or moonlight that had pene-
trated the matted foliage.
Now the moon shone broad and
clear on the parched bed of nullah
and Quin discreetly halted by the
trunk OF a tree. Seeing or hearing
nothing of the fugitive, he concluded
that the fellow had gained by a squirt,
so he waited for few seconds and
then crept down the path, fully ex-
posed in the silvery glare.
He had crossed the bottom of the
nullah and was mounting the farther
slope, when the unexpected happened.
From behind rock 20 feet ahead,
that lay just where bright moonlight
and deep shadow merged, a man rose
with gun at his shoulder. And he
was not a Hindoo-that much was
certain.
Glands up!" snarled a strangely fa-
miliar voice. Drop your weapon,
quick"
Caught unawares, Quin realized his
helplessness, knew that certain and
immediate death would be the penal
ty of disobedience. With a smothered
curse he let his rifle slip to the
ground, and the next instant, as he
slowly elevated his arms, the tables
were turned in most startling man
ner.
There was stir in the dense cop
pice to the left of the path, and out
sprang a monstrous tiger, who
pounced with a roar upon Quin's en-
envy and bore him down. For a mo-
ment or two snarls and cries made
blood curdling din. Then the tiger,
having picked up the man in it's jaws
as lightly as cat lifts a rat, sud-
denly discovered the spectator stand.
ing in the radiance of the moon. 1t
dropped it's limp burden and leaped
forward.
Quin, meanwhile, had promptly
seized his rifle. He was in a tight
place, and his life depended on cool
nerve and immediate action. Within
ten feet of him the great brute, a pic
ture of fury, crouched for a second
spring.
GUMS heart almost failed him as
he sighted along the barrel Of the
weapon and pulled the trigger. The
gun roared. AS quickly he fired again.
and then Jumped to one side. There
was a dull crash ON the spot he had
Just vacated and when the smoke
, lifted the tiger was seen kicking
feebly.
Having made sure that the animal
was dead-both balls had reached a
: vital part-Quin ran TO the dark, still
object that lay in the shadow of the
rock. He bent down and gazed at the
] 60
"By heaven, It's Daventry!" he
cried aloud.
He was right. The manager Of the
.. Cachar plantation lay there dead, his
| throat bitten and mangled. Nemesis,
in the shape of the hungry man-eater,
had lain in wait to punish him for his
evil deeds,
A goat-sl5in bag, embroidered with
beads and patches of blue cloth in the
Maya fashion, was tied to his belt
Quin cut it loose, opened the mouth
and drew out handful of gold coini
mixed with rubes that glittered with q
dull, fiery luster.
"What does it all mean3" he asked
himself in bewilderment. How came
Daventry in the hills-in company with
the officer? And this Maya bagl ~
Jove it's more than / can fathoml"
: He hurried back to the village will
his prize, and there he found the solu
tion of the mystery. For the young of
s fcer, thanks to the stimulating eff
! fects of the brandy and to Carruthers
treatment, had pulled out of his swoon
The bullet wound was not serious
j though the nature of the knife thrus
o was as yet uncertain.
1t was brief but thrilling narrative
+ that was told by Lieut.. West of the
: Fifth Bedfordshire regiment, after h,
had listened to the account of Daven
try's death.
1.-THE day after the Nagas burnet
= Hardy's place, and carried the manager
y off a prisoner" he said, "a cooli'
o hrouUht the news IN Darrunp canton