The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-07-01

1 EAvESDROPPNG SERVANT.
that neighborhood. but the presence of
one was now reported. He had been
seen on the outskirts of the ruins by
natives and soldiers alike. 1t was
whispered among the natives that the
spirit of the dead rajah, fearing that
the treasure would at length be discov-
cred by his hated enemies, had sent the
tiger to guard it. The idea was ridi-
culed by all white men, of course, yet
they had to acknowledge that there
was something queer about the appear
ance of a tiger in that neighborhood.
Those who had seen him pronounced
him tremendous animal. He did not
| range away from the ruins. Neither
did he attack people passing along the
highway or the ryots tending their cat
tie on the grazing grounds close by.
As soon as it was an established fact
that tiger had taken up his quarters
amid the ruins dozen officers planned
hunt for him. In the course of a cou-
pie of weeks he was seen several times:
| but, though he was fired upon at point
] blank range, he was not hit Then he
turned about and became the hunter
In two days he killed two officers and
two gun bearers. These men were
seeking him among the ruins, and he
ambushed them. The bodies. strangely
enough. were not mutilated. If the IT,
ger did not kill cattle nor devour his
human victims. what did he subsist on?
All this gossip about the ruins and
the gems and the tiger was told guest
one evening by the commissioner on
the yeranda of his bungalow. He had
all faith in the story of the treasure
He had investigated it until he was
sure the gems were still there. Queer
ly enough, he also took stock in the
tiger story that is. he half agreed with
fhe natives that the beast had been sent
us further protection. but there was
no doubt that he would soon be killed
off. Then he told his dream about the
treasure. He had seen a strong box
in cave in the midst of the ruins, and
as soon as the tiger had been killed or
driven away he meant to look for the
cave.
During the commissioners talk one
of his servants hung about when there
was no need of his services, listening
closely to all that was said Millions
of dollars In treasure was secreted by
natives during the mutiny, and in no
Instance was a storehouse ever be-
trayed to the British. The natives
either entered into possession or kept
the secret. Wine had Ioosened the
commissioners tongue, and In con-
tempt for his ''nigger" he made no Sc
cret of his hopes and intentions. A
word or two of warning was of no
avail. The native was abject and SER
vile to a contemplate degree, and the
idea of his crossing his masters path
was not to be dreamed Of
During the next two weeks the tiger
killed another officer and two beaters,
and then of a sudden he was to be seen
no more. The ruins were beaten up
half dozen times in. vain. This left
the commissioner free to work his PLAN
Two days later, accompanied by two
of his civil employees, the commission
er proceeded to the ruins. His visit,
though intended to be secret, had to be
AASAS ~ Nttt ilSA IT. LII tAC lildQlC VI
the ruins, where the blocks were piled
the highest and the tangle was the
greatest, he uncovered a cave Strictly
speaking, it had uncovered itself by
the sliding down Of a block of stone,
but of all the people who had wan
dered over the ruins none had noticed
1t. There was every evidence that the
tiger had made this spot his lair, but
on the floor was a strong box which
had been battered open, while scat
tered about were half a dozen gems.
Some one had discovered and borne
away the rajah's treasure. Who that
some one was the commissioner soon
discovered. AS he was making his way
out of the ruins he came across the
dead body of his eavesdropping serv-
ant and not far away the bloated car
cass of the tiger. The beast was truly
the largest of his species. and his enor-
nous teeth and claws were in good
working order. Beside the corpse of
the servant was leather bag, but it
was torn and empty. The man had
started to carry the gems away, but
the tiger still lurking In the ruins, had
sprung upon and killed him. And yet
how came the beast dead? Where had
the gems gone?
The commissioner raised no alarm,
but upon his return he related the par
dculars to a few intimate friends. 1t
was queer talk, and as a matter of fact
his friends began to believe the man
daft or Joking. Nevertheless they sug-
gested that the tiger must have swal-