The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-05-26

WERE YOU REALLY ASLEEP, BILLYP
his cigar had formed a dense cloud
which obliterated the starry heavens
from his gaze Welton dropped his eyes
and stared at two points of yellow
light that oscillated near the ground.
They were ten Inches apart and
they moved In unison. Welton calcu-
lated that they must be just without
the bamboo stockade which inclosed
the compound.
There was prickly feeling along the
spine, and he could feel the hair rails
ing slightly around his forehead as be
realized that Chuni had neglected te
close the great gate and that there
was perhaps only "a hundred feet In
tervening between the man eater and
the open window of the little drawing
room.
He thought rapidly, with his eyes
fixed on the lambert points of fame In
the velvet gloom Of the gateway. II
he made a dash for the window and
the safety that lay beyond the beast
would spring before he could close the
shutters behind his retreating form. II
he could make Akerslie hear. at least
the women would be safe.
"Akerslier' he called In a low, cleal
whisper.
"Yesp came the other mans. lazy
tones.
"Close these shutters instantly! The
-o- oo+o-,s IIio u,ordc Uoro LOST ir
the quick manipulation Of the iron rods
from within, and the shutters fell witt
a clang. plotting out the glow Of light
and leaving Welton alone to face ths
tiger.
The momentary confusion reused the
beast into action. Welton could SEE
the slow approach of the yellow eyes
could hear the padding of the great
paws on the sandy path and now his
long sinuous form was dimly outlined
in the starlight
Welton remembered that he had left
his revolver on his dressing stand. Il
could not be much of fight with al
the odds on the other side. At any
rate. when the tiger had borne him
away to his lair Akerslie, the coward
Suddenly there was terrific roar.
| sitting odor of fur. Welton's hand In
stiDctively flew to his pocket. and tc
his surprise the revolver was there
| There was a sharp crack at one OF ths
| yellow spots of light and rush OF all
as the beast sprang toward him. Ht
| dropped to the floor. and with a tire
| mendous thud the animal struck thu
| closed shutters and bounded back will
| a bloodcurdling scream Of baf1ed rage
| and pain.
Welton had leaped over the railing
and slipped behind the protecting trunl
| of a giant teak The animal snuffeC
about the veranda, and presently Their
was a cry of startled fright. and Wei
ton remembered the sleeping punks
boy. He saw the tiger stepping dowl
the path. bis jaws gripping a dark
moaning bundle.
He knew that, unmolested. the beas
| would now retire to the jungle will
his victim and that the occupants o
| the bungalow as well as himself would
be free from danger. He ground hii
teeth and aimed for the other eye III
put it out
In the light of the stars he saw tn
beast SILVER, drop the dark bundle
which sped affrightedly away. ant
then come toward him with bleeding
blinded eyes and snarling mouth.
1t was only a question Of time now
| Around the tree he lodged. and theI
| farther away from the house TOWARD
the stockade He would lure the beas
from the vicinity Of the bungalow ant
fight It out with him In the open spac
before the jungle, which rose darl
| and forbidding In the background. On,
would win out. and the other
Again he heard the crack OF his re