The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-05-20

who were on q junket They had sew
eral elephants with them for tiger
hunting, and within twenty miles of
the post was the game they were aft
er. Young Danforth was one of the
three officers detailed to arrange and
manage the hunt. With the civil COM
missioner of Nepal and his wife was
Lady Clifton. and the two ladies were
by no means novices in the sport of
tiger hunting. When the hunt had
been fairly entered upon, they occu-
pier a howdah on the back of a big
elephant together and would not admit
any one else A tiger had been driven
by the beaters into swamp a mile
long by half mile broad, and into
this spot, grown up to reeds and bush
es until the eyes could scarcely pene-
frate, crashed the elephants and horses.
The idea was to drive the tiger out
upon clearer ground to the west, where
ne could be reached, and everybody
made as much noise as possible. He
was a crafty beast, and for two hours
he refused to break cover.
The elephant on which the two la
dies were mounted had taken the lead
and been steady enough, but after
awhile something ratified him, and he
bolted across the swamp toward the
trees. His mahout used every exer-
ton to stop or turn him, but the old
fellow was in panic. To the surprise
Of everybody, the tiger followed at his
heels, though in a furtive way. as if
bent only on escape. With the ele-
phant making a mad rush for a low
branch tree that he might get rid of
the burden on his back, Lady Clifton
took swift aim at the tiger and wound
ed him. The wound provoked his an
ger, and he sprang forward on the ele-
plants rear just as the tree was reach
ed and the branches swept the howdah
to the ground. A second later and the
two ladies lay on the earth among the
fragments, both stunned by the fall.
and the tiger stood with his paws upon
the body Of Lady Clifton and growled
and snarled at the dozen spectators.
Fortune had given young Danforth
his opportunity. AS sort Of terror
himself from his horse, grabbed hog
spear from the hand of a chattering
native and advanced upon the beast.
He had to cover sixty feet Of clear
ground, and those who looked on said
that the tigers eyes blazed fire and
every hair on his back stood up as the
officer walked steadily forward. A
1n1 70 i'm fn n17f
but he made no halt. AS he drew
nearer the beast crouched for a spring.
and when he was within ten feet the
spring was made. Down went the
man on his knees and up went the
spear. and when the onlookers glanced
again the man was on his feet and un-
hurt and the tiger was rolling over
and over on the earth with the point
Of the spear sticking out Of his back.
The ladies had not been seriously
hurt, but at least one Of them had
been saved from the tigers nav.
Young Danforth was the hero of the
hour. Every officer in the regiment
took him by the hand and offered con-
gratulations. and his colonel patted
him on the shoulder and said:
my dear boy. it was the coolest.
bravest thing ! ever heard Of, and it
makes us all proud of you"
"But the Sikhs swore that as lead
er I got ratified and lost my head"
replied the officer "I was honOrably
acquitted. but I have been made to
feel that | smirched the honor Of the
Tenth. Until I can wipe that out /
am an outcast."
The civil commissioner wanted to
show his gratitude. and Lady Clifton
had influence she wanted to bring to
bear. but the subaltern remained the
subaltern. He was biding his time.
and he had not long to wait. The
dacoits came down from the hills
again, and he was given the chance
he so longed for This time his fifty
troopers were all Englishmen. and he
not only attacked Mooltan. the great
est robber chieftain Of them all, in a
chosen position. but routed his force
and captured the leader. That would
have been a deed to boast of, but the
subaltern was not satisfied. Leaving
part of his force to hold the position
and the prisoners. he pressed on into
the foothills with the remainder and
attacked and captured a camp and
brought off the sergeant and corporal
who had been made prisoners in the
first affair. There was second court
martial at Aliwal on the return of the
troop, and when the sergeant and cor
poral had proved that the Sikhs were
liars and towards the old Tenth held
a jubilee and declared that its honor
was never so bright. At the dinner
they toasted "our comrade and hero"
Fleeing From Death.