The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1906-03-23

feeling puffs Of warm breath upon hh
face, he lost consciousness.
When Bheem Das awoke, the burst
OF the monsoon had been succeeded By
an interval OF calm. But the imme
date suggestion that he had suffered
from q nightmare was contradictet
| by the footprints upon the floor.
In his perturbed state OF mind
three courses presented themselves te
avoid any more such visits The first
was to petition the deputy commits
sioner to destroy the beast But against
this plan he found his religious scru
pies overcame his advanced ideas, fol
who could tell but that the panther
might be the incarnate spirit of hit
grandfather. Hence to encompass III
death would be q grievous crime
Then he thought OF flying from hi,
post; but that would terminate hii
career In the government service; and
lastly, there was the village astrologei
and magician. whose local reputation
as to the possession of occult pow.
ers over animate and inanimate OBJ
jects was undisputed. To seek such
assistance did not quite coincide with
the advanced ideas Of Bheem Das: but
the occasion was not one for abstract
reasoning.
The learned magician listened grave
ly to Bhecm Das' unfolding OF the
situation, and replied that he felt con,
offer an explanation of the panther'i
visits, but could cast spell over the
beast which would prevent repeti
tion of such unwecome intrusions-
provided. Of course. suitable re
Enumeration was made, of which n pre-
llminary fee Of one rupee was re
quired.
Bheem Das regretiully laid the colr
in the magician's palm; whereupou
the magician rose and retired behind
n curtain There he muttcred to him
self over a burning powder, the smoke
from which filled tho room and the
throat OF his client.
Presently he returned with the In
formation that. as he suspected, he
found that the spirit OF the late
Dhondo Visram had entered into the
body OF the panther, and as conse
quence the animal was naturally at
tracted to the spot where 1t had prevt
ously been In control. To induce the
beast to cease its visits would require
the performance Of certain rites by
person Of great wisdom, like himself,
and such would be expensive. Other
wise--and he took note of Bheem Das'
uneasy expression-the panther would
as0uredly haunt the place. and might
II famished--
Consideration for the sensitive feel
ings OF one in such position here In
tervened. and. merely by inference. he
let 1t be understood he would not be
at all surprised to hear his client had
been bodily, II not spiritually, incor.
Torated in the panther.
Very nervously then Bheem Das de
sired TO be Informed upon what terms
the magician would agree to prevent
such calamity.
"That." said he, rs not so easy to
compute, because the spells are difil
cult to perform. But for so runeos.
paid in advance. | can protect you
c gainst further molestation.
The exorbitance of this demand iirsi
stunned and then sharpened the wits
OF Bheem Das.
"You are sure It is the soul OF
nhondo Visram in the panther" he
asked, land not one Of my relations?'
MAY my mouth be filled with dust
and the souls of all my uncles turned
into swine, II | do not speak tho
truth" answered the magician.
Learned sir" then said Bheem Das, |
IL will go and return with the amount
But instead he made all speed to the
bungalow Of the deputy commissioner,
as he went along: Since
It's only old Dhondo Visram In tho |
beast, what concern is 1t OF mine II
the panther Is shot?'
And as a result OF the visit OF Bheem
Das to the deputy commissioner late |
that evening four bearers carried tho |
body Of black panther slung upon
bamboo poles into the village.
But, after all, Bheem Das was not |
quite happy. as the astrooger declared |
he had sent the soul OF Dhondo Visram
into cobra, that had taken up its
abode in the tlatch OF the telegraph |
disquieting circumstance,
even though Bheem Das was man OF
advanced ideas.