Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-09

Once Meredith was able to decide ap- proximately the whereabouts of his prey by the momentary shaking of 2 twig. He raised his rife and covered that twig steadily; his forennger play ed tentatively on 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 were almost noise less.
 It was terrihcally hot and all the while night was stalking westward on the summits of the trees with stealthy tread.
 At last he came to an open space made by 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 footfall 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 gravely, and the other sportsman, seeing the ab- surdity of the situation, burst into hearty laughter. In a moment or two he had leaped from rock to rock and come to Meredith.
 "It seems," he said, that we have been wasting a considerable amount of time."
 "I very nearly wasted powder and shot," replied Jack, significantly indi- eating his rife.
 q saw you twice and raised my rife. Your brooches are just the color of a young doe. Are you Meredith My name is Oscard."
 "Ah! Yes, I am Meredith. I am glad to sec you"
 They shock hands. There was a twinkle in Jack Meredith's eyes. but Oscard was quite grave. His sense of humor was not very keen, and he was before all things sportsman.
 T left the canoes mile below Msala and landed to shoot deer we saw drinking, but I never saw him afterward. Then l heard you, and have been stalking you ever since."
 "But I never expected you so soon Yau were not due till-look" Jack whispered suddenly.
 Oscard turned on his heel, and the next instant their two rifles rang ou' through the forest stiffness in one sharp crack. Across the stream, ter | yards behind the spot where Oscart had emerged from the brush, leopard sprang into the air five feet from tfi' ground, with head thrown back ant paws clawing at the thinness of spact Eith grand free sweeps. The beast fell with thud and lay still, dead.
 The two men clambered across the rocks again, side by side. While they stood over the prostrate form of the leopard, beautiful, incomparably grace full and sleek even in death, Guy Os- card stole a sidelong glance at his companion. He was modest man. and yet he knew that he was reckoned among the big game hunters of the age. This man had fired as quickly as himself, and there were two small trickllng holes in the animals head.
 While he was being quietly scruti uized Jack Meredith stopped down and taking the leopard beneath the shoul ders, lifted 1t bodily back from thu pool of blood.
 "Pity to spoil the skin,"- he explained as he put fresh cartridge into his rife.
 Oscard nodded in an approving way He knew the weight of full growr leopard, all muscle and bone, and ht was one of those old fashioned persons mentioned in the Scriptures as taking a delight in mans lcgs-or his arms so long as they were strong.
 "I suppose he said quietly, "we had better skin hiru here"
 "Yes."
 They laid tho skin out on the tram pied maidenhair snd contemplated 1