The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-04-30

port OF n firearm-a single shot and
then silence.
In the cabin by the beach two thor
oughly terrified women chung to each
other as they crouched upon the low
bench In the gathering darkness.
The negress. sobbing Historically.
bemo0ned the evil day that had wit
messed her departure from her dear
Maryland, while the white girl. dry
eyed and outwardly calm. was tortured
by inward forebodings. She feared
not more for herself than for the three
men whom she knew to be wandering
In the abysmal depths OF the jungle,
from which now issued the incessant
shrieks and roarS barkings and growl.
fngS of its terrifying and fearsome in
mates.
Now came the sound OF heavy
body brushing against the side of the
cabin. She could hear the great pad
ded paws upon the ground without.
Then for an instant all was silence.
"Hush" the girl whispered. Hush.
Esmeraldar' for the woman's sobs and
groans seemed to have attracted the
thing that stalked there just beyond
the thin wall
A gentle scratching sound was heard
on the door. The brute tried to force
an entrance. but presently this ceased.
and again she heard the great padded
paws creep stealthily around the cabin.
Again they stopped-beneath the win
dow, on which the terrified eyes of the
girl now glued themselves.
Heavens" she murmured, for. sill
houetted against the moonlit sky be
yond she saw framed i'm the tiny
square OF the latticed window the head
of huge tiger. The cleaning eyes
were fixed upon her I'm tense ferocity.
Look, Esmeraldaw she whispered.
What shall we dof Look! Quick
The Window
Esmeralda covered still closer to her
mistress and glanced affrighted toward
the little square of moonlight just as
the tiger emitted low, savage snarl.
The sight that met the poor blacks
eyes was too much for the already
overstrung nerves.
"Oh, Gabriel!' she shrieked and slid
to the floor. an inert and senseless
mass.
For what seemed an eternity the
great brute stood with it's fore paws
upon the sill. glaring into the little
room. Presently it tried the strength
OF the lattice with It's great talons.
The girl had almost ceased to
breathe when to her relief the head
disappeared and she heard the brute's
footsteps leaving the window. But
now they came to the door again, and
once more the scratching commenced,
but this time with increasing force
until the great beast was tearing at
the massive panels I'm perfect frenzy
Z fury
Could Jane Porter have known the
Immense strength OF that door, builded
piece by piece, she would have felt
less fear OF the tiger reaching her by
this avenue
For fully twenty minutes the brute
alternately shifted and tore at the door,
occasionally giving voice to n cry of
baffied rage. At length, however, he
gave up the attempt, and Jane Porter
heard him returning toward the win
dow. beneath which he paused for an
instant and then launched his great
weight against the time worn lattice.
hN 9AA hthiu lhC MOOuCll TOuS
groan beneath the impact, but they
held and the huge body dropped back
TO the ground below.
Again and again the tiger repeated
these tactics until finally the Mortified
prisoner within saw portion Of the
lattice give way. and In an instant one
great paw and the head Of the animal
were thrust within the room
Slowly the powerful neck and shout
ders were spreading the bars apart,
and the 1.-THE body came farther and
farther into the room.
AS In trance the girl rose. her
hand upon her breast, wide eyes star
ing horror stricken into the snaring
face Of the beast scarce ten feet from
her. At her feet lay the PROSTATE
form OF the negress
The girl. standing pale and rigid
against the farther wall sought with
increasing terror for some loophole OF
escape. Suddenly her hand. tight
pressed against her bosom. felt the
hard outlines OF the revolver that
Clayton had left with her earlier in the
| day
Quickly she snatched it from it's
hiding place and, leveling ii full at the
! tigers face, pulled the trigger.
There was a fash OF flame. the roar
Of the discharge and an answering
roar of pain and anger from the beast
! Jane Porter saw the great form dis
/ appear from the window. and then
she. too tainted
! But the tiger was not killed The bull
/ let had but inflicted n painful wound
/ I'm one Of the great shoulders In an
other instant he was back at the lat
/ tice and with renewed fury was claw
/ ing Mt the aperture. but with lessened
/ effect. since the wounded member was
| almost useless
/ Tie saw his prcy-two womcn-lying
/ senselcss upon the floor There was
| no longer any resistance to be over
| come Sabor had only to worm his
/ way through the lattice to claim II.
! Slowly he forced his great bulk,
/ inch by inch. through the opening
/ Now his head was through. now one
great fore leg and shoulder.
Carefully he drew up the wounded
/ member to inslnuate It gently beyond
/ the tight pressing bars
,H