The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-08-06
she Had But a single Thought, 10
-...L.. Sleep. IA ~.

land where there were white people:
but each morning found her hesitant.
Behind her treo there was clear.
ing, thcn tumble Of thickly growing
trees; beyond those was another
clearing, upon which stood a deserted
elephant stockade. The grass had
grown rank in It for want of use. She
was in the act of putting on grass san.
Galslwhen she saw. to her dismay, tho
cpproach Of men and elephants. Two
elephants were ridden by mahouts
Two other elephants were being JOS.
tied toward the stockade, evidently
new captives. They proceeded pas.
lively. however, for elephants submit
10 captivity with less real trouble than
my other wild beast. Kathlyn
crouched low in the grass and waited
Till men and elephants entered the
1tockade; then she ran quickly to.
ward her haven, TIC platform in the
tree. She never went very far from
this, save In search of food. = She had
i.lso recovered tho idol and set It back
in Its place. It was not, fortunately,
q much frequcnted spot. 1t was for
the benefit of the occasional pilgrim,
the ryots having shrines more con.
yeniently situated.
She nestled down among her rushes
end waited. She could not SEQ tho
blockade from where she now was,
but she could hear shouts from tho
lnaliouts. 80
Recently she had discovered q
lcopard's lair near tho stockade and
was very careful to avoid 1t, much as
che wanted to seize the pretty cubs
fnd run away with them. BY. this time
che knew the habits, fears, and ha.
treds of these people of the jungle,
end she scrupulously attended to her
affairs as they attended to theirs.
Sometimes the great striped tiger
nrowled about the base Of the tree.
sharpened his claws on the bark, but
lie never attempted to ascend to the
platform. Perhaps he realized the
uselessness of investigation. since
the platform made It impossible for
him to see what was up there. But al.
ways now, to and from the truce wa.
ter, he paused! looked up. circled the
tree, and went away mystifled.
Only the grass eating beasts came
Gown to water that night, and Kath.
Ign understood by this that the men
and the elephants were still In the
stockade.
The following morning she went
down to the stream to battle; at the
Same time the parent leopards. came
for drink. They had not cared to seek
their lair during the night on account
Of the fires; and, worrying over their
cubs, they were not in the most agree.
able mood. y
Kathlyn saw their approach in
time to reach her PLATFORM They
snarled about the tree, and the male
climbed up as far as the platform.
kathlyn reached over with stout
club and clouted the brute on his ten.
der nose. q, q
Aishot. broke the silence and a Sbul.
let spat angrily against the tree trunk.
Two cats fled. Immediately there came
"a squealing and trumpeting from the
stockade.
This is what had happened: The
chief mahout had discovered the cubs
and had taken them into the stockade
just as another hunter had espied the
parent leopards. The rifle shot had
frightened one of the wild elephants.
With a mighty plunge he had broken
the chain which held him prisoner! to
the decoy elephant and pushed
through the rotten stockade, heading
straight for the river.
Kathlyn saw his bulk-as It Crashed
Perfectly Safe.