Evening star., 1928-12-16

rice and fruit from the nearest jungle
village.
The natives had realized that we were
dependent upon their aid, and conse-
quently my !. ore of money was rapidly
melting away. Panya was outraged by
these cxactions. He muttered impre-
cations against the extortioners. and
more than once he vowed that he would
burn their village over their heads. My
equanimity led him to take me scri-
oisly to task
"Sahib. you are great lord You
can do whateTer you please, but you
do nothing. The days pass one after
another like waves breaking on the
shore. They leave no trace, and each
day is like the one before. When we
were in Anantapur you used to mock
at the Brahmins for lying in the sun
all day and eating the temple rice. as
they are privileged to do. Now you
are as idle as they"
The green wilderness of the jungle
in the plains steamed in the morning
sunshine, and was often veiled in mist
until noon. In the fresh hill air I
found 1t difficult at times to under
stand how I could have endured the
air at the lowland for so long.
AT night paither would occasion
ally prowl even on the veranda, driven
by hunger out of the arid uplands of
the neighborhood
The wild beasts in general had with
drawn into the jungle from the parehed
open country, and when in the after
noon, gun on shoulder, left the wood
land to walk over the bare hills the
only animals / encountered were jack
ais and hyenas. But they always skunk
away out of range.
One moonlit night Panya came into
my room and called me. Behind stood
Pasha, tall and straight Besides the
moonlight, there played on his figure
from beneath the light of the fire that
was burning in the inclosure.
"Sahib," said Panya, "the panther is
so hungry that he is eating the fire.
We can't drive him away, and it is i'm
possible to get any Sleep"
The news was welcome. I took up
my gun and told Panya to quench the
flames. The porters were away in the
plains, having gone to buy rice and
! fowls. I loaded both barrels with ball
and placed my revolver handy. There
was no glass in the window, which was
protected merely by thick slaves. Some
Of these had been removed by Panya,
but they would not have withstood a
serious attack. took UP my position
Pasha lay down In the corner of the
room, and soon heard him snoring
Panya remained close by me, having
armed himself with the longest knife in
our outfit, and with a bill-hook He
brandished it as ii he were an Indian
chief. grinniEg with excitement, and
then began so admirable an imitation
Of the bleatfng OF goat that for the
first time fully realized that we were
waiting here for the great beast of
prey.
X X X
pERHAPS an hour had slipped away,
and was beginning to lose patience,
when suddenly the moonlight was
eclipsed Strangely enough. the last
thing thought of for time was the
panther, especially since all was now
still, for the beast musll have got wind
of us when he made his last move
ment.
At length I perceived the huge cat
just in front of me. Big as he was. he
was smaller than I had pictured him,
and in that light almost colorless: but
could distinctly make out the supple
vigor of the BEAUTIFULLY curved back,
and I could see the splendid cat-like
head which was turned toward me
with half-open mouth.
At this moment there came a sound
that made my blood run cold. 1t was
Kissing snarl, loud and clear, express
ing mingled anger and dread-a sound |
that paralyZed the will.
I remembered that had heard this |
hideous and terrifying snarl at the ZOO
logical gardens in my childhood, when |
one Of the keepers had passed close by |
the bars of the tigers cage. It was |
true that now likewise was separated |
from the beast Of prey by grating, but |
the fierceneSS of his voice made him |
seem so close. that even the strongest |
iron bars would hardly have inspired |
me with confidence.
! cannot now recall whether I al I
ready had my gun at my shoulder, or |
whether shouldered it. at the last in |
stant, but know that took aim with |
out feeling the slightest confidence in |
the effect OF the discharge. I fired be-
tween the beasts eyes, which I could |
plainly distinguish, relying more upon
the natural tendency of my arms to
give the right direction to the barrels.
than upon the sight. fired both barrels |
In brief and perhaps too rapid success
sion.
heard a noise on the floor of tho
veranda. as If the beast had leapt down
from the roof. An instant later, one of
the slaves in the window snapped like
a pipe-stem beneath a terrible blow
from the creatures paw.
Then all was still on the veranda, as
we listened to. the echoes of the shots
reverberating from crag to crag and
rolling along the valleys, to die away
finally IN the distance Of the moonlit
night, like the clamor of two brothers
fleeing before the hunters.
After this, the first definite sensation
that brought me to myself was a pain
in the hand with which was grasping
my revolver as firmly as il my life de-
pended on it.. could not recollect hay-
ing taken 1t up; but now, drawing
deep breath, relaxed my grip, and
realized that I was shaking all over as
If in the cold stage of fever.
Subsequently. in Canara and Mysore,
shot many panthers; some in rice
fields. some in rocky ravines. and some