The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-03-01

SlLlOu was agony 10 MIN, anu, yleIulD
to despair, he burst into a food of
tears.
Travelling all day, the party arrived
by nightfall at a snail clearing in the
forest, and decide,i TO encamp there
for the night. They lost little time
in preparations. but, making a hasty
meal off the provisions they had
brought, secured their prisoner to a
tree and laid themselves. down TO
sleep.
One OF their number, told off 10
guard the prisoner, watched by the
fire awhile, but, tired and sleepy as
the rest, he, too, was soon asleep.
Pembu would fain have followed his
example, but the pain Of his bonds,
added TO the mental torture he en-
dured, kept him awake. He might
easily have escaped indeed, the idea
occurred TO him-but where was he
| to go?
Hour after hour dragged YEARLY
on; the fire, uncared for, had burnt
slowly down, its dying embers cast
ing a faint and ghost-like light upon
! the scene. Save for the deep breath
| ing OF the sleeping men, there was
not a sound to break the silence Of
| the night, and the lonely prisoner,
yielding TO the influence OF his sur
roundings, at last dropped off to
sleep.
1t was a curious sight, this group
OF unarmed, helpless men sleeping
peacefully i'm that dense, trackless
forest, all unmindful Of the dangers
! that encompassed them-all but one,
who, preferring a safer spot, had Sc
lected a small, grass-grown mound
some six feet high.
The night went by, and the first
grey light Of dawn was showing faint
ly through the trees when suddenly
succession Of sharp, clear notes, as
Of trumpet sounding the alarm,
broke the deathlike stiffness. The
sleepers started to their feet and lis
tened. Again that dreaded sound
was heard, now much nearer. Then,
ere the last note OF IL had ceased, a
huge elephant emerged into the open.
with trunk upraisCd and ears pricked
forward he paused awhile, trying to
locate the spot when proceeded the
scent he had detected. Then with a
savage scream of rage he charged
down upon the helpless group. But
they had anticipated the attack and,
before the furious beast could span
the distance that divided them, had
,Ip Iu nafnn1 thn chnlfnr nf tho
trees. There was no one left but
Pembu and the trembling wretch
upon the mound. The former, lying
bound and helpless within the shadow
OF the tree, remained unhoticed. Not
SO the other, who, paralyzed with
fear, made no attempt to escape.
Perched on the summit Of the mound
he was a conspicuous object, even in
that uncertain light, and the inturi-
ated elephant sighted him at once. In
stride or two it had reached the
mound, and, seizing the wrctched
man with its trunk, dashed him to
the ground, placed one huge foot
upon his chest, and fairly tore him to
pieces, limb by limb! His comrades,
watching the awful spectacle from
their retreat, were powerless to ,.ssist
him, and It was not until the savage
beast had completed it's CHASTITY work
and moved away that they yentured
to come out.
The sight they then beheld was
one TO fill the stoutest heart with ter
ror for there at their feet lay all that
was left OF their late comrade-a
shapeless mass Of flesh and broken
bones. They gazed at the terrible
spectacle in speechless horror; then
one OF them pointed to the prisoner,
still lying where they had left him,
but uuharmed! The others read his
meaning in the gesture, and Won
dcred, too, why he of all others had
been spared the murderer d0d yio-
lator OF the sacred oath, who had SO
we'll meritcd the vengeance OF the
dreaded beast.
Kishto wondered, too, but for
many different reasons - reasons
which filled him with dire alarm,
despite his vaunted scepticism and
contempt for the traditions OF his
race. The incident had wrought an
! extraordinary change in the man.
He was no longer mindful OF the
prisoner, but, starting at every rustic
of leaf, looked anXiously around, as
If expecting the elephant TO return
| and claim another victim. His COM
panions could not but notice this sud
den change, but attributed it to the
! tragic death of his friend. Collecting
their belongings they unfastened
Pembu from the tree and all proceed
! ed on their way.
BY midday they arrived at Tura
and took the prisoner TO the court.
Kishto. who by this time had regaiued
his ordinary composure. was now di-
rected 10 state his case. Refusing
with scorn TO take the Caro- oath, he
was sworn in the ordinary way and
proceeded with his tale. He told his
| v,11 nptn hn r,anhNI th.