Evening star., 1909-05-16

the CIuNnps OF OFuSn tnr0ugh which we
had been working and he did not see us
Slowly and majesticaIly ne surveyed the
little plain. then thrusting out his pom
derous jaw uttered a roar that went
laundering down the reaches of moonlit
silence.
II was with difficulty that I could re-
strain Drayton from riskng shot from
where We stood. The lion held his nose
and. ducking under cover of the br,,st
anu treading softly on the sand we hur-
ried forward to the first ridge OF rocks
10 pass these we must attract his notice
10 certainty, 80 Drayton dropped on one
knee, while. with every nerve tingling
and my eyes and ears astrain to catch
any sign OF his mate. who might he lust
beyond the ridge for all we knew
waited for Draytons shot. He chose the
ches1, and the crash OF the Winchester
went echoing among the rocks The
magnificent beast leaped ten feet In the
air. then came rolling, tumbling. claw
ing down our side of the koppe directly
toward US His wounded roar was
answered from other directions. There
were two other lions on the OF her side
OF the koppe and one In the rocks and
brush not twenty yards from US 10 the
right But We had not time to think of
them The wounded lion got TO his feet
with Incredible energy and quickness AS
he leaped. with another roar | poured
both barrels of my Parker into his bodv
That was enough. He landed In con-
vulsions. and II was fortunate that he
had enough. There was a crash in the
brush to the right and bounding in.o
the moonlight. giving terrible voice came
his mate. She stopped as she caught
sight OF us. Never have / broken and
loaded a gun more quickly. Drayton had
pumped in another shell and without
pausing to more than swing on his knee
and cover he let drive and missed barely
raking her shoulder. She bit hastily at
the wound and then came for US like a
thunderbolt.
l meant to pull both barrels. but gave
her the right. She wavered a trifie, but
was on us before / could fire again. Sne
knocked Drayton fiat and his head strik-
ing a rock, he lay senseless. while her
outstretched talons tore his rife from las
hands and tumbled it clattering among
the bushes. Her momentum carried her
over him and her body merely brushed
me. | leaped one pace to the right and
swinging my piece without even bringing
1t to shoulder drove the bucks into her
throat. She was In the act of whirling to
rush upon Drayton. but now dropped in
her final agony. rolling over and over on
him. one blind blow from her paws tear
ing half the clothes from his body. but
leaving him unhurt. 1 did not know then
but that she had crushed his skull as she
leaped. but dragging him aside l saw
that he was merely stunned and was
now coming around.
The village having heard the shots and
the roaring OF the lions was wild with
excitement, but though I called repeated
ly II was a full half hour before crowd
Of the braves would venture out to help
me with Drayton and to take in the two
splendid prizes. Farther down the ridge
there were other lions roaring. but I was
too shaken by our narrow escape to think
of following them up that night.
By permission Of Longmans Green & Co.. New
York.
Copyright. 1909 by Benjamin b. Hampton
Next weeks Leopard Hunting Alone
In Bechuanaland. TreacherOus and
stealthy, and one Of the most savage Of
East African jungle beasts, the leopard
furnishes some Of the most thrilling
and dangerous experiences to he met
In all this wild country. Percy SelOus
tells in this article just exactly what
Roosevelt may be expected to meet In