The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-25
THE CUNNING OF
BIN MAH0MMED.
A Leaf From the Notebook of Mat
thew Quin, Wild Beast Agent.
IL WlIIIam Murray Graydon.

leathery negro. who said mis- name was
Saadu, and that he was NE headman OF
village that lay some twenty miles to
the west. The neighboring forest, ne DC
cIared. was infested with lions, leopards
and other beasts.
Tell the fellow" said Quin, that We
shall probably pay him visit"
He wishes to know when it VIII De-
interpreted the Zanzibar.
Quin reflected for a moment; there was
no reason why he should not commence
work at once. wen come Tomorrow ne
replied.
The old headmsn grunted his approval
and when he had been presented with a
couple Of silver dollars-a chest fun OF
them was opened before his eyes-he
shouldered his musket and trudged away.
"Nigger tell lies, sir" cried Selim, the
Zanzibar. from the tent door. His name
not Saadu-we know him
1.-THE deuce" exclaimed Quin. who
is her
Very bad Arab. slr-right-hand man Of
Bin Mahommed."
"of Bin Mahommed? Well. by Jove-"
What the game, wonder" said Car
ruthers.
They knew Bin Mahommed by reputa-
ton, and the same thought struck
both Of them simultaneously. They ex-
changed meaning glances. discussed the
matter hurried3y, and then sent Seiim
off at once with instructions TO follow the
spurious headman, II possible, to his des-
tination.
1t was nearly dark when the Zanzi-
bari returned. He had lost the Arab five
o. six miles north of the camp, and while
searching for the trail he had stumbled on
leopard den-a cave under the brow Of
hill. The male leopard sprang upon aim
at close quarters. but he fortunately stun
ned the beast by blow from the butt
Of his rife, and then beat it to death.
He had heard the mewling Of young ones
in the cave. but for fear of encountering
the dam he did not linger.
You shall guide us there tomorrow,
said Quin, dismissing the Zanzibari.
At earliest dawn next morning, after
a trying journey of several hours through
the dense. unbroken forest. Quin and car
ruthers reached the scene Of the Zanzi-
barfs adventure on the previous day. 1t
was the lair Of the fierce beasts.
Just outside the mouth Of the cave was
a heap Of moist earth. scared with num-
erous Impressions Of big paws; these the
Zanzioari read with the skill OF an Indian
shikaree.
1T is WELL master" he whispered.
''The dam went forth a short time ago.
and has not returned. The cubs are
there" he added.
"I'A finish the business as quickly as
possible" said Quin, for / want to get
back to camp before noon. Don't stir
from this spot, Selm. Remember, that
my life depends on your vigilance. II
mother leopard should show up put a
bullet into her heart or brain"
Me no miss her, MASTER" said 5elim,
confidently.
The next moment he was alone. Quin
had vanished within the yawning mouth
of the cave, and was creeping forward
on hands and knees
The cavern narrowed more and more
IT was as dark as midnight, and impreg-
mated with the peculiar, pungent odor Of
wild animals. By dint of hard wriggling
and scratching. Quin AT length wormed
through a tortuous tunnel that barely ad-
mitted his body. and merged in a space
that enabled him to stand nearly upright.
A faint grey glimmer. some distance
ahead, indicated another exit to the den.
He scraped wax vesta, and the fame
revealed a sight that amply rewarded him
for his pains. Close to one side, on a bed,
scooped out from the soil, lay two leopard
cubs. about the size Of cats.
by Jove, what a brace of beautiesl'
Quin muttered aloud.
He struck another match, placed II on
q shelf Of rock and unwrapped from about
his waist a stout sack. The cubs were
splitting at him savagely, arching their
backs, and mewling and growing in a
low key, but he quickly caught one of the
little creatures by the scrun Of the neck
and thrust it into the bag. He was en-
deavoring to seize the other. which hal
retreated into a recess of the wall. when
he suddenly heard. muffied by distance. a
shrill, rasping cry. 1t was followed by
hoarse shout of warning. second and
q third.
by heavens. that spells troubler'
thought Quin.
1t was a horrible plight to be ina tee-
rible death that threatened him. He
could only suTmse what had happened
outside, but he had no doubt whatever,
from the nearness of the cries, that the
Infatuated she leopard was already with
IN the cave. In the flash Of a second he re-
allied his danger; as quickly he decided
how to grapple with the emergency
Throwing the sack with the cubs ove-
his shoulder, he ran toward the streak
of light. on which his one hope depended.
In this direction the cavern mounted up
ward pretty steeply, and twice he was
compelled to drop on his hands and knees
1n order to squeeze through narrow
places. Then the passage turned, and tha
exit was directly In front Of hlm--a good
sized hole. by which he scrambled quick
1y and easily to che open air. He could
hear the blood-curdling screams of tn,
pursuing beast, and at once he partly
blocked the cave mouth with big stone
that fortunately lay nearby
So far so good. But II was certain that
the stone would prove only a temporary
obstacle to the leopardess II she chose tc
attack It, A glance showed Quin thai
he had emerged on the very top of tn,
hill Several times he called Selim's name
but no answer came back
Quin had covered a quarter OF mile
and was beginning 10 feel pretty safe
when a rasping screech from the rea1
warned him that the she leopard was OF
his track. The incessant whmpering tn.
cub dinned In his ears, and at length
though with great reluctance. he droppe,
the sick and turnesd the little creatur,
cut of Il.
THAT will surely draw the mother OF
the chase" he thought.
IL was a vain hope. There was brie
interval of silence. and then the savag
cries broke out afresh, as the leopardes
abandoned her young one and continue
the pursuit. The beast was drawing rap
idly near. and Quinn began to feel serI
ousiy afraid that Hamrach e. Co. wer
going 10 lose his services With lahore
breath and failing strength he plunge
on. racking his brain for some means c
deliverance.
He was we'll nigh exhausted when h
came. OF a sudden, 10 where the hill term
mated In a steep slope. But Quln. ha
eyes for only one thing-a dead whitene
a..