The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-09-04

Jobtect aGOat above the bushes, until
now. emerging into the open space at
the foot OF the steps, II took form OF
the turban OF tall man In native garb,
who began 10 ascend the steps TO the
4 gateway. As his head and shoulders
rose above the landing he looked
around, bringing his profile into view.
Murdoch started.
"Khatraw he whispered. shaking the
trembling shlkari. tell me who it is
you seew
Captain sahib," the answer came
quiveringly, ut Is the spirit OF his great
ancestor. Raj Kehab. II is Nadraj."
The man went on, stepped upon the
landing and stood upright. while his
shadow, stretching across the platform
before him, fell upon a square-faced
upright stone. A pale something crept
Ike "A giant snake, then suddenly en-
larging enormously, shot forward in a
white streak which gathered upon and
overwhelmed the tall figure at the
| landing. The sound Of mans cry OF
alarm was lost In the deep-throated
note Of tigers snarl, as the two went
| together down 10 the pavement. A
savage shake, the sound OF crunching
bone, heard plainly by us hundred
yards away, and the tiger, rising 10
his feet, lifted his head, and with eyes
glowing with opaline flames looked
over his victim across the nollah as II
In challenge to us.
Our rifles were already sighted upon
him, and we fred together. Through
the smoke we saw the tiger rise into
the air above the man, fall half way
down upon the steps below, and roll
TO the bottom. Before the rattle Of
our shots had died away among the
ruins he lay Outstretched and motion
less at the foot OF the steps, while at
the top the head Of the man he had
killed, hanging Imply over the edge OF
the landing, seemed peerIng down at
his slayer
We reloaded our rifles crawled from
under the bush, and went over 70
where the tiger was lying. BY the
light OF torch we examined the mys'
tcrious beast which had terrified the
Rajah and his kingdom. Its hair was
milk white from nose TO tall tips and
It's eyes the color OF red-hued irises. IL
needed no naturalist TO tell us that the
rarest OF jungle trophies, an aIbino
tiger, had fallen 10 our guns.
IL am an old man and have hunted
the jungle for all my days" said the
shlkari, but never have ] seen or
heard Of anything so wonderful"
Then we went up the steps to the
landing where the dead man lay. Muir
doch lifted the head-thc neck was
broken-and as Kbatra held the torch
down to the upturned face they both
exclaimed together, 1T Is NadraJ!'
We laid the dead dacoIt out OH the
platform, with his folded turban GOV.
erlng his face, and went back to the
tiger. The threat Of death would not
have induced Khatra 10 touch the body.
but he held the torch while Murdoch
and ! skinned the beast. We carried
the skins by turn through the jungle
TO the village, and. after informing the
people that the tiger was dead, rode
back to the bungalow. With squad
OF police summoned from Caramahat.
Murdoch and / next morning went to
Nahrabad, where, having fully iden-
tilted him MS Nadraj, we buried the
dacoit chief by the side OF the nullah,
at the foot OF the old wall Of tho city
his ancestors had reigned.
Our white tiger skin was one OF the
years wonders in India. 1t had
seemed pure white in the night, but In
the clear daylight t. markings Of the
ordinary tiger could be seen family
indicated by clouded streaks. like light
crayon pencilings on the white ground
color. The Rajan was dc .ghted with
what we had done, and he sent two
splendid emeralds To Murdoch and me
In appreciation o, our service In Kidding
his dominions OF the ghost-llkc dis
turber OF the royal peace. He greatly
desired the skin and repeatedly asked
us to name n price for II. but Murdoch
and held Il with the intention OF pre-.
senting Il 10 her Majesty the EN-
press ut convenient time. But we
delayed too long. for II vanished from
the bungalow one day In my absence,
and no search could recover II. l sus.
pect that the Rnjah and his priests
could have accounted for its disappear.
ancc Held In their custody, they
would regard II as n hostage against
future reincarnations of Raj Kehab
But nothing we could do helped the
matter. and Murdoch and ] had to re-
gard the Rajah's cmeralds as recon-
pcnse for the loss of our priceless
trophy. Washington Tost.