Morris tribune., 1913-10-03

heard the story of the tiger from Nit
it's eager lips he understood what allied |
his secretary,
How dreadfu!' shuddered Sylvia.
with blanched lips. :! hope it won't |
come any nearer US. Can't you go out |
and shoot it. Jack?''
"I'lI try" said Henderson grimly |
"Anjar better strengthen the stockade |
tomorrow and see that the gates are
locked after shutdown. | suppose this
is an end to your rambles for the pres
ent, Maud
1T is returned Mrs. Henderson de-
cidedly, I'VE can work on the book
There's enough to do at home until you
exterminate that beast"
And you, Jack-you will continue to
go to the jungle every day?' asked
Sylvia
"Of course How about you. Ortiz
man?"
Certainly" said Bobby gravely. but
he knew that his face was like death
and that his hands shook
Sylvia thought him coward, and be
was too proud to explain to her that
his childhood had been spent in India
and that when but a tiny lad he had
been carried away from his nurse by
tiger. Only his fathers bravery had
saved his life, but his arms and breast
still bore the scars of savage teeth.
After dinner he sat alone on the We
randa, for the others were gathered
around the lamp in the living room
reading papers from home.
There was a soft murmur of voices
from the servants quarters, and then
silence broke now and then by the
bark Of dog or the cry Of some
sleepy bird.
Bobby thought he was alone out
there, but ne had companion near by
A queer thrill down his spine followed
a movement in the shade Of a deodar
tree near the closed gate. Bobby was
conscious of being watched. He
glanced around at the wire screened
window; neither Sylvia nor her broth
er-in-law had looked his way. He was
alone on the veranda, but not alone in
the compound.
i Straight ahead. under the deep
black shadow Of the deOdar tree. there
shone two round yellow lights. They
were, perhaps. fourteen inches apart
and they moved slowly toward him in
dreadful unison.
He struck match sharply. and the
eyes receded before the sudden fare of
4 light. While he held the match to his
empty pipe, he spoke hoarseiy to the
man within the room:
! Henderson! Close your wooden
shutters Get a line on him if.eyOu
can I'll draw him or" 49,,
| Thus calmly, Bobby Orthman, the
coward. proceeded to throw himself in
the way of man eating tiger in order
to save the girl he loved and the ones
that she loved.
He went quietly down the steps,
scratching matches as he did SO; the
eyes remained stationary under the
deOdar. Unless Henderson got his
shutters closed in time and brought the
gun the beast would soon lose his curl
osfty about the faring matches and
bring his prey to the ground. Ii Bob
/
the tiger would rush the nearest open
window or ravage the fragile quarters
of the servants in the rear.
Henderson was slamming shutters,
The tiger uttered an earth shaking
growl and eaped forward. Bobby
Orthman lodged aside, but he heard
the heavy thud as the beasts padded
paws struck the ground beside him
Bobby darted toward the deodar tree
knowing that the tiger must follow
him across the streak of light from the
hall window If Henderson could gel
in his shot while the tiger crossed the
lighted streak Bobby might escape.
In two bounds the tiger had regain
ed the tree and Bobby was feeine
across the streak of light.
Suddenly he turned and waited. Hen
derson was too late He might as wei
have it over with now. There would
beeno one to care and his honor would
be indicated They could never cal
him coward again. He smiled at the
yellow lights creeping stealthily toward
him No one would ever know how ht
had accepted Henderson's offer to g
into the jungle in order to face the
jungle beasts and try to subdue tina
fear in his heart. Well. God knew, ana
he knew himself.
The tiger came in flying leap tina
! showed his huge body against the sta
a spangled sky.
AS he crossed the streak of ligh
! there came two shots in quick success
g sion, and then there remained in thu
+ shadow writhing mass that present
i Iy resolved into two quiet forms.
/ After that pandemoniun reigned II
e the compound Henderson and a whit
Tipped Sylvia, with other assistance
d found Bobby's unconscious form be
= meath the dead bulk of the tiger.
), did you notice? His arms wer
It foldedr' sobbed Sylvia in Henderson
ear.
$ He nodded. His face was towar
II