Evening star., 1922-02-05

mad done much more than merely
master and control himself. He rad
mastered and controlled his passions
and his impulses.
Maitland meanwhile was standing
outside the hut. rapidly smoking his
cigarette, staring at the village with
unseeing eyes. shaking bodily IN an
access Of emotion. From his lips.
usually so passionless and cold, low
stream Of objurgations fed into the
darkness.
At length he became silent, poised,
motionless for a moment. He took
from his pocket a knife and tw.,
cartridges. In the starlight he
worked for a space over the car
tridges, then turned again into the
hut. whistling as he entered.
When the door closed after his tall
figure. motionless shadow detached
itself from the corner of the hut and
moved forward to the doorway where
Maitland had stood. The starlight
glinted upon a wide steel ring en-
circling a grotesquely shaped turban.
For a little, Rao Singh crouched,
fumbling in the dust, then found
that which he sought. and stood erect.
by Guru" he whispered wonder
ingly. This sahib has a strange
fashion of hunting"
He moved back slowly, thought
fully. into the shadows and merged
again with them, squatting on his
heels. He produced small file and
small milestone, took the wide. fat
ring from his turban, and fell to
work sharpening the outer circular
edge Of the steel ring.
AS he worked thus he whistle6 4
tuneless air between his teet;1-an
air to which the words of proverb
have been long set in the north os
India. The proverb advises: Never
run from . Sikh" 1t is a very wise
proverb, as are most Of the sayings
Of that wise land, and 1t Is excellent
advice. One might imagine that it
implies a Sikh to be q coward, but
that is not SO. Rao Singh smiled
grimly to himself as he worked, as
though enjoying some inward but
well favored jest-the words Of that
proverb. perhaps!
X y
THE beaters were out-a hundred
men strung through the Jungle.
driving the lordly stripes toward the
point where the two white men. with
Rao5 Singh for sole gun-bearer.
awaited shis approach.
Fortescue was not the type to
crouch in a tree-lashed platform and
shoot from ambush. His the choice
to meet the jungle king like sports
man-in bush-fllled glade, up which
the tiger would be driven. Maitland,
cody impassive, stood beside them.
A step behind waited Rag Singh with
the spare gun.
'Take my gum said Maitland as
they waited. TITS double-barrel.
and you'll be able to finish the brute
If you wing him, first shot. Your
tiger, anyway. care little about
him."
Fortescue shrugged his shoulders
and exchanged the repeater which he
carried for the larger bore Of his
cousin. The eyes of Rao Singh
CLEANED sharply as he noted the ex-
change E.
Stripes was slowly being driven
closer as the clamor Of bells and
gonRs and tin pans bore testimony.
A painting vfffager Dashed up with
word that the tiger had reluctantly
left his lair and was snarling before
the beaters, who were taking no
chances whatever on getting caught.
In ten minutes he would be IN the
mouth Of the trap formed by the
ravine.
Fortescue glanced at the breech Of
his weapon and sat down. laying it
across his knees and filling his pipe.
Were down wind, he commented
as he struck a match. Nervous,
Matland?"
mo reason Tor it-yet," said the
other coldly.
"oh! Your first big-game shoot,
you know. Are you sure you don't
want the first chance at stripes your
Lself?"
"rhanks! Tn not a bit keen,''
Maitland yawned. Fancy I'd not be
able to make decent shot in any
event. - 80 :.