Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-28

as you nave often mad occasion to remark.
My gun came up without a waver and line
of fire poured forth from the rifle muzzle
straight into the jaguar's broad breast. But
heavens and earth! Was shooting paper
wads? The shots only effect was to bring
forth a terrible screech of rage, and recog-
nized grimly, as the big body launched itself
into the air, as if shot upward from spring
board, that every muscle was tense with life
and vigor, great teeth barred, and eyes blaZ-
ing. The jaguar was unhurt! There was no
time to load and fire again. flung down my
rifle and sprang aside, just in time to miss
the sweep of a macelike paw, armed with
wicked cutlass claws, jerking, as jumped,
my heavy Colt from its holster.
RUT Santiago was shade quicker. A cir
Gle of blue steel writhed itself round the
Indians head and with fierce whoop down
he flashed his keen machete, its razor blade
shearing alike through bone and muscle of
the jaguar's fore paw. The next instant my
six-shooter spoke, and "A crashed through
the big cats brain. Then a glance at the
animals breast and left paw told me the
truth. In tempest of rage turned my re-
volver at Santiago's head.
"'Speak l said, you scoundrel as you
value your life! You loaded my rife. From
how many shells did you extract the bullets?'
But Santiago was of old Aztec stock.
He held high his head and looked me fear
lcssly though reproachfully straight in the
eyes.
"'You tell me lie, Cap'n. l no take out
bullets. What you think? 1 try save your
life, when you no kill tiger, and Santiago
shrugged his broad shoulders disdainfully.
There was no mistaking the Indians
honesty. With an inward flush at my sus-
picions and loss of temper | looked again at
the jaguar's breast. Ha! There were surely
some small shot marks and few trickles of
blood. sprang to my rifle and threw out a
couple of unexploded cartridges. What do
you suppose they were? The Internal trick
cartridges loaded with small shot, such as
Buffalo Bill makes his star shots at glass
balls with, nodded with gray paper to resem-
BILE bullets. | had had some of these play
cartridges and had greatly astonshed San
tiago and others of the natives b. shooting
small birds on the wing with a rifle. No
wonder the shots had only erraged the
jaguar, and lucky that the shot at the male
jaguar had been with ball cartridge!
Santiago, l said, L owe you double
apology. Will you shake my hand2' And
the Indian, still mysti6ed, clasped my hand
Loyalty and cordially. 1 had no right to
mistrust you,' l continued, as explained
the bullet ruse that had come so near causing
us disaster, no right to doubt you, after your
splendid close with the jaguar. l really be-
lieve you could have finished him alone
My father kill jaguar with machete
once, said the Indian simply; but thought
my time come when look down that big
black barrel and see your angry eyes be-
hind
YOU question" continued the Captain as
: l relighted my cigar, which had gone
out during the telling of the fight, whether
Santiago could have killed the jaguar alone?
l am perfectly sure that he could. His
stroke was clean right-hand swing, and it
cut through the animals great paw as neat
as whistle. Without pause his next stroke
would have been a half circle over his head
and a down cut that would have split the
jaguar's skull in twain from crown to neck.
/ can handle broadsword myself; but these
natives, who are born with machetes in their
hands, can strike with double the cutting
force can command. Santiago would have
killed the jaguar.
'And there lay the links in our chain of de-
struction: first the pretty trogon, then the
deadly snake, then the weasel, then the torn
remnants of the peccary, and last the two
magnificent tigers of the American forest"
GJASSES FOR DJ AYERS