The Virginia enterprise., 1906-05-25

uiii -
feeling puffs Of warm treath upon his
face, he lost consciousness.
When Bheem Das awoke, the burst
Of the monsoon had been succeeded by
AN interval OF calm But the imme-
diate suggestion that he had suffered
from nightmare was contrad dicted
by the footprints upon the floor.
In his perturbed state Of mind,
three courses presented themselves to
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. for
who could. tell but that the panther
might be the incarnate spirit of his
grandfather Hence to encompass Its
death would be a, grievous crime.
Then he thought Of flying from his
post; but that would terminate his
career in the government service; and,
lastly, there was the village astrologer
and magician, whose local reputation
as to the possession Of occult pow.
srs over animate and inanimate OBJ.
jects was undisputed. To seek such
assistance did not quite. coincide with
the advanced ideas of Bheem sDas; but
the occasion wassnot one for abstract
reasoning. -
The learned magician listened grave.
ly to :Bheem Das' unfolding Of. the
situation and replied that the felt con.
:fldent, he would not only be able to
:offer an explanation Of the panther's
visits, but could cast q spell over the
beast which would prevent repeti'
ton of such unwelcome intrusions>-
provided, of course. a suitable re-
muneration was made, of which pre-
liminary fee of one rupee was re-
quired.
. Bheem Das regretfully- laid the coin
in the magician's palm; whereupon
the magician rose and retired behind
curtain. There he muttered to him.
self over a burning powder. the smoke
from which filled the room and tho
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 it had previ.
ously been in control. To induce the
beast to cease it's visits would require
the performance of certain rites by q
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
assuredly haunt the place, and might,
If famished-
Consideration for the sensitive feel.
ings Of one in such a position here in
tervcned, and, merely by Inference, he
let It be understood he would not be
at all surprised to hear his client had
been bodily, if not spiritually, 1ncor-
porated in the panther. & s@
Very nervously then Bheem Das de-
sired to be informed upon what terms
the magician would agree to prevent
such calamity 4" = ~ sSszts. :, q
I: THAT, - said he;S :s.is not so eaSysto
compute, because the spells are din
cult to perform. But for 80 rupees.
paid in advance, can protect syEou
against further molestation. -
The exorbitance of this demand drst
stunned and then sharpened the wits
of Bheem Das. =.
"You are sure it is the soul OF
Dhondo visram in. the panther?" he
asked, "and not one Of my relations?"
MAY my mouth be filled with dust,
and the souls of ali my uncles turned
into swine, If I do not speak the
TRUTH; answered the magician
"Learned SIR" then said Bheem Das.
81 will go and return with the amount
presently"
But instead he made all speed to the
bungalow Of the deputy commissioner,
muttering as he went along: ~'Stnce
it's only old Dhondo Visram in the
beast, what concern is it Of mine If
tire panther is shot?"
And as result of the visit of Bheem
Das to the deputy commissioner, late
that evening four bearers carried the
body of black panther slung upon
bamboo poles into the village.
But, after all, Bheem Das7 was not
quite happy. as the astrologer declared
he had sent the soul Of Dhondo Yisram
into a COBRA, that had taken mp it's
abode in the thatch Of the telegraph
bungalow disqMetings circumstance,
evenHhough Bheemss ssDas .wassa man Of
advanced ideas; -. a.. :,.z. .,.,.
': Nurseries for the Navy. =: ::
Admiral Dewey's recent statement
that the middle west furnishes mos,s