Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-25


was ready.
"Aou likoum!" (take carel)
1t was the younger Joktan who suddenly
uttered the cry, as his keen vision caught tine
outlines of the massive head and glaring eyes
moving slowly forward directly toward his
father.
The latter replied in his native tongue that
he saw him, and, without stirring step. cool
ly raised his rifle and pointed it at the lion
advancing upon him.
While Joktan stood thus, the beast. gave
another tremendous roar, intended to fright,
en- the hunter who now gave wonderiu
exhibition of his skill and presence of mind
An amateur hunter, in his perilous position
would have thrown away the single chance
of life which he possessed Had the man
turned to flee, the brute would have crush
ed him to the earth as would a falling avail
anche.
The gun was no more than pointed when
the lion sank down like a cat exposing only
the upper portion of bis head. 1t would
seem that then was the moment to lire; but
Joktan knew it was not, for it was impossl-
bic to kill the beast instantly, so lone as he
crouched in such a posture
No one could have known this fact better
than did Joktan, who, still holding his rifle
ceptibly to the right Had he gone too far the
lion would have comprehended what he meant
by the movement, and would have defeated
, it by slowly turning his body, so as to keep
himself facing his foe without twisting his
neck.
As it was, he did not move his body, but
turned his head and, in few moments, gave
the coveted view of his temple, which Jok-
tan wished.
Aiming between the eye and ear, he pulled
the trigger; but, to his CONSERVATION and for
only the second time in his life, his gun
missed fire.
Quick as lightning, Joktan cast his useless
gun aside, and whipping out his needie,hke
dagger, leaped to the left and braced himself
for the assault of the lion.
AT the very instant of doing so, he called
upon Mr.. Beaverton to fire; but that gentle
man was several yards away, frantically climb
feet higher, that he might make sure Of
placing himself beyond the reach OF the
dreaded beast.
But, as the huge body rose in air., youna
Joktan. aimed at the immense head, ana
sent the bullet crashing, int? the skull
through the very spot at which his father
had pointed. He stood as cool and immovablC
as the hero of hundred hunting exploits
and sprngng back several d steps as oh,t he low
1t was all he could wish; The lion was
chit hard and, as he struck the ground, he
began rolling over and over in his furious
death struggles, instead of attempting 70
had inflicted the terrible injury.
Father and son stood at safe distance FOL
a brief while, until the beast was no more
when they looked around Tor MT. beaverton
1t was not until he had been hailed several
times, that he answered from the tree, in
which he was trembling, and il. required a
still longer time to. persuade him to come
down from his perch.
He finally did SO, and stuck close to the
campfire for the night, attempting to-, ex.
plain his abrupt fight by saying he was
sure there, were fully twenty lions that had
attacked them"
Joktan said nothing, except to smile grim
ly; but once he looked to his brave little
boy, and commencing him in his natiyc
tongue, added a remark not very eomplil-
mentary to the bravery Of the English
hunter
In the morning Mr., Beaverton declared
himself more anxious than ever to continue
the hunt for the king of beasts, but Joktan
without word, conducted him back to the
village from which they had set out the pre-
vious day.
Then Joktan told the Engishman he could
not hunt in his company, for he was not. a
brave man. Mr.. Beaverton became -nite
angry, and finally asked how much he owed
him for his services for the previous night.
Nothing" replied Jaktan, with another
grim smile; ''it is the lion that hunted you,
and, if YOU will say how much owe you for
the amusement you have given me and my
son, will be most happy to pay you"
But Mr.. Beaverton never presented. any
bill to Joktan, the great lion hunter OF Al
geria