Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-11-21
CHAPTER X.

ing to bear upon the matter in hand
that intelligence and keenness of per-
ceptlon which had made him person
of some prominence in other scenes
where nature has less assured place.
Since sunset he had been crawling,
scrambling, stumbling up the bank of
this stream in relentless pursuit Of some
large animal which persistently kept
hidden In the tangIe across the bed of
the river. The strange part of it was
that when he stopped to peep through
the branches the animal stopped, too,
and he found no way Of discovering its
whereabouts.
Once Meredith was able to decide APP
proximately the whereabouts Of his
prey by the momentary shaking of Il
twig. He raised his rifle and covered
that twig steadily; his forefnger play
ed tentatively OH the trigger, but on
second thought he refrained. He was
keenly conscious of the fact that the
beast was doing its work with skill
Superior to his own. In comparison to
his, its movements We're almost noise
less.
1t was territically hot and all the
while night was stalking westward on
the SUBMITS of the trees with stealthy
tread.
At last he came to an open space
made by a slip OF the land into the bed
Of the river. When Jack Meredith
came to this he stepped out of the
thicket and stood in the open awaiting
the approach Of his stealthy prey. The
sound Of its football was just percep-
tible, slowly diminishing the distance
that divided them. Then the trees
were parted and tall, fair man step
ped forward on to the opposite bank.
Jack Meredith bowed gravcly, aud
the other sportsman. seeing the alb
surdity Of the situation. DMat into
hearty laughter. In moment or two
he had leaped from rock to rock and
come to Meredith.
lit seems" he said that we have
been wasting considerable amount Of
time"
II very nearly wasted powder and
Shot," replied Jack, significantly lndl-
eating his rifle.
81 saw you twice and raised my
rife. Your brooches are just the color
Of n young doe. Are You Meredith?
My name is Oscard."
"Ah! Yes, am Meredith. am
glad to see you."
They shook hands. There was q
twinkle IN jack Aleredith's eyes, but
Oscard was quite grave. His sense Of
humor was not very keen, and he was
before all things sportsman.
II left the canoes n mile below
Msala and landed to shoot a deer we
saw drinking, but l never saw him
afterward. Then l heard you. and
have been stalking you ever since"
But l never expected you SO soon.
You were not due till-loolk!" Jack
whispered suddenly.
Oscard turned on his heel, and the
next instant their two rifles rang out
through the forest stiffness in one
sha2 crack. Across the stream, ten
yards behind the spot where Discard
had emerged from the brush, a leopard
sprang into the air five feet from the
ground, with head thrown back and
paws clawing ut the thinness of space
with grand free sweeps. The beast
fell with u thud and lay still, dead.
The two men clambered across the
rocks again, side by side. While they
stood over the PROSTATE form of thu
leopard, beautiful, incomparably grace
full and sleek even in DEATH Guy Os.
nd fn1 n oil 4.
companion. He was Il modest man
and yet he knew that he was reckoied
among the big game hunters of The
age. This man had fired as quickly as
himself, and there were two small
tricliling holes in the animals head.
While he was being quietly scruti.
nized Jack Meredith stopped down and
taking the leopard beneath the shoul-
ders, lifted 1t bodily back from the
pool Of blood
PITY to spoil the skim" he explained
as lie put fresh cartridge into his
rifle.
OscaTd nodded in an approving way.
He knew the weight of full grown
leopard, all muscle and bone. and he
was one of those old fashioned persons
mentioned in the Scriptures as taking
delight In mans legs-or his arms,
SO long rs they We're strong.
II suppose" he said quietly, 1--WE had
better skin him here"
Yes"
They laid the skin out Oh the tram
pied maidenhair and contemplated it
with silent satisfaction. In rne course
Of their inspection they both arrived at
the head at the same moment. The
two holes in the hide, just above the
eyes, came under their notice Mt the
same moment, and they turned and
smiled gravely ut each other, thinking
the same thought-tle sort of thought
that Englishmen rarely put into intclli-
gible English.
I'm glad we die that" said Guy
DISCARD mt length: suddenly, "Whatevcr
comes of this expedition of ours-if VIC
fight, rs we probably shall. before it Is
fnislled-if we hate each other etcr
afterward that skin ought to remind
us that we are much Of Il muchncss."
oS ~ " ClOth lucS Iticueu tllt tlIlll)
at AIsala Victor Durnovo was still at
work experimenting the discharge OF
the baggage and stores from the large
trading canoes. They heard the shout.
ing and chattering before coming in
sight Of the camp. and one voice raised
angrily above the others
us that Durnovo's voice." asked
Meredith.
YES" answered his companion curt
ly.
1t was new voice. which Mereditl
had not heard before. When they
shouted to announce their arrival II
was suddenly hushed. and presently
Durnovo came forward to greet them.
Meredith hardly knew him. he was
I, SO much, stronger and healthier In ap
pearance. Durnovo shook hands heart
lily.
mo need to Introduce you two" he