Evening star., 1923-11-25

wounded leopard will tight to q finish
practically every time. no matter how
many chances 1t has to escape. Once
aroused. its determination is fixed on
fight and II q leopard ever gets hold.
1t claws and bites until Its victim is
torn to shreds.
All this was In my mind and be-
gan looking about for the best way
out OF It, for I had no desire to try
conclusions with a possibly wounded
leopard when 1t was SO late in the
day that could not see the sights OF
my ride. Ny intention was to leave
1t until morning and IL it had been
wounded. there might then be a
chance OF finding 1t. I turned to the
left to cross to the opposite bank Of
a deep. narrow tug and when there I
found that I was on an island where
the tug forked. and by going along a
short distance to the point Of the
island would be In position to see
behind the bush where the leopard
had stopped.
was intent on finishing. While peer
ing about, I detected the beast cross
ing the tug some twenty yards
above me. ] again began shooting.
although could not see to aim. How
over. I>could sec where the bullets
struck as the sand spurted up be-
yond the leopard.
The hrst two shots went above her.
but the third scored. The leopard
stopped and thought she was
killed. The horseooy broke into q
song Of triumph which was promptly
cut short by another song such rs
only a thoroughly angry leopard Is
capable OF making as It charges.
EOR Just a nash I was paralyzed
with fear. then came power for
action. I worked the bolt OF my rifle
and was conscious that the magazine
was empty!
At the same instant I realised that
q solid point cartridge rested In tho
palm of my left hand. one that had
intended. as / came up to the dead
hyena. to replace with . soft nose.
If could but escape the leopard until
I could get the cartridge into the
chamber!
AS she came up the bank on one
side Of the point Of the island.
dropped down the other side and ran
about to the point from which she
ha1 aJ,o
fridge was In place, and I wheeled
to face the leopard in midair. The
rifle was knocked flying and In Its
place was eighty pounds OF frantic
cat Her intention was to sink her
teeth .ato nay lhSsat and with this
grip and her forepaws hang to me
while with her hind claws she dug
out my stomach. This pleasant prac-
tice IS the way of ieopards.
However. happily for me, she missed
her aim. Instead Of getting my throat
she came to one side. She struck me
high in the chest and caught my
my upper right arm with her
mouth. This not only saved my
throat. but left her hind legs hanging
GEAR where they could not reach my
stomach. With my left hand I
clutched her throat and tried to
wrench my right arm free.
couldn't do this except little by
little. When got grip enough on
her throat to loosen her hold just
again an inch or two lower down. In
this way drew the full length Of the
arm through her mouth inch by inch.
/ was conscious of no pain. only the
sound Of the crushing OF tense mus
cles and the choking snarling grunts
OF the beast. As pushed her farther
and farther down my arm bent over.
went to the ground. the leopard
underneath me. my right hand In her
mouth, my left hand clutching her
throat, my knees on her lungs. my
elbows In her armpits spreading her
front legs apart so that the frantic
clawing did nothing more than tear
my shirt Her body was twisted In
an effort to get hold Of the ground to
turn herself. but the loose sand Of
fered no hold. For . moment there
was no change in our positions and
then for the drst time ! began to
think and hope had . chance to win
this curious dght. Up to that time
It had been simply a good light in
which I expected to lose, but now II
I could keep my advantage perhaps
the horseboy would come with
knife. I called. but to no effect. I
still held her and continued to shove
the hand down her throat SO hard
she could not close her mouth and
with the other I gripped her throat
In a strangle hold. Then I surged
down on her with my knees. To my
surprise felt a rib go.
did It aagin. felt her relax. .
sort Of letting go. although she was
still struggling. At the same time I
felt myself weakening similarly. and
then it became a question as to which
would give UP nrst.
Little by little her struggling
ceased. My strength had lasted the
longest
After what had seemed An intermi-
nabIe passage OF time let go and
tried to stand, calling to tho horse
boy that 1t was finished. He now
screwed up his courage sufiiciently to
approach. Then the leopard began
to gasp and saw that she might re-
cover. 80 asked the boy for his
knife. He had thrown 1t away in his