The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-04-15

self TO De leo INTO lIle Tl0tOus asst
| Ephesus, but must rather go to the
may for a time be alone with her
of tenderness.
mousetrap wherein hangs a bait to
tempt the mouse to enter. No sooner
does the mouse's weight press on the
floor of the trap, than the door springs
slut, leaving him a prisoner.
The tiger trap was a huge wooden
cage, built along this same line. The
bait was to be a goat, hung up in the
cages center, by the hind leg. The
sound Of it's blating was expected to
draw the Striped Death" to the spot.
The cage had been strapped together
in haste and I doubted its strength.
Ghunga, however, who had built it, as
sured me that it was strong enough to
hold any tiger. We went to inspect it
at dusk, and to wait near for the
sound that should tell us the door had
fallen shut with the Striped Death"
rim the cage.
We had set up the trap in a small
clearing in the jungle. I still doubted
it's strength, SO Ghunga (after fasten-
ing the door OPEN stepped inside and
set to work rendering the WillOWy bars
more firm IN their sockets.
The day was fearfully hot. The cage
stood in the very middle Of the tiny
clearing. I withdrew to several rods
distant and sat down in the dense
shade Of the jungle boughs where
could watch the work with less fear of
sunstroke. Remachunda stroIled over
and threw himself at my feet. We sat
idly watching the younger. more active
of the two shikarris at work, and
thanked fate that my place was in the
shade instead of the blazing sunlight.
Then, like a thunderc1ap out of the
clear sky, came the tragedy. A. CLEAN
Of tawny fur shot from the impenetra-
Bile shadows at the side Of the jungle
farthest from US. Before either Rema-
chunda or myself could spring to our
feet the Striped Death" had reached
the door Of the cage, rushed fearlesslv
through the propped-open door and fall
len upon Ghunga Dhass.
The doomed man had looked up only
in time to see the monster enter the
cage. His rifle 1.-THE only one we had
brought along that day. lay just out
side the trap. It might as well have
been thousand miles away, for all
the use it was to any Of rs three at
that awful crisis, when events Travelled
by fractions of a second
Ghunga. hero that he was, hurled
the heavy hammer he was using
straight at the hideous, wrinkled face
of the creature. The hammer must
have weighed several pounds. It was
hurled by a powerful man, to whom
despair had lent an added strength. 1t
struck the tiger about midway between
the eyes. Such blow would have
stunned an OK or killed man. The
Striped Death" needed it no more
than if it had been a pebble tossed at
him by child.
The next instant his great paw
struck. And Ghunga Dhass skull
crashed in like a smashed eggshell.
All this had not taken more than one
second. The tiger sank his teeth in
he dead mans shoulder and lifted him
rom the ground, turning to leave the |
rap as he did so.
Remaehunda rushed forward toward |
he rifle, yelling as he came. I drew |
ny revolver and fired point blank once. |
vice, thrice at the tiger. AT that range
here was no such thing as missing, /
But unfortunately, with a light caliber
pistol there was no such thing as kill
ng. Yet our combined attack had its /
Effect. With a groW1, the brute dropped
Shunga Dhass, and at one spring was
Jack in the jungle
Remaehunda, unmindful of my for
ner orders rot to kill, ran into the
Jungle after the slayer, rife in hand.
An hour later ne returned, baf1ed.
The village Wept over the dead man.
AL except his wife. She was a beauti-
vi native woman, and had adored her
lunter husband. Yet she sat dry-eyed.
lasping to her breast their three
nonths-old baby.
It will be time to weep when his
layer is captured she said in reply
Q a query from Rsmachunda
Listen, sahib.'' she added. turning
o me, the Striped Death must be
aught, not slain. That would release
he spirit within him. Let him be made
aptive and grinned at by the curious
n a cage, That will break his heart
nd shame his spirit. That is more
nan death to such as he. Now it is
ay right as next of kin to catch him
10 you know why be will not consent
Q enter your traps2 1t is because they
re baited with beasts. and he Graves
uman flesh. 1t is not that he fears 4
rap. He entered when my. husband
Fas the bait. But He care NOT far
casts. Let the trap be bafted with
uman flesh"
And then she unfolded her plan. The
rap was to be further strengthened
hen a partition was to be fastened
Midway across. it. On the side nearest
ne open door a lamb was to be hume.
n the opposite side she, the widow.
-as to sit with her child il her arms
he tiger, entering the trap to seize
he human bait. Eau1d be caught by
le sprfnging Of the door.
There was no real danger IA hor