IO8 ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



along his back and he looked like a demon incarnate. I 

 realized that in a few bounds he could be upon me. All this 

 ran through my mind as I slowly raised my life preserver 

 to my face. 



I could see the platina ball through the rear sight, show- 

 ing plainly on his throat just over the jugular vein. I was 

 calm now and gave the signal trigger a gentle pull. The 

 report sounded, and his grand attitude of daring, courage 

 and defiance was changed in the twinkling of an eye. I 

 sprang across the creek and saw him die. As I stood in the 

 lone forest, now again as still as death, save for this mon- 

 arch in convulsions, I felt a pang of regret. 



His great, muscular legs would stiffen as hard as steel, 

 and his long, sleek body expand like bellows till it was like 

 iron, then he would completely relax. His jaws would set 

 together like a vise, then open, disclosing his great ivory 

 teeth, which when once fastened in flesh, would never let 

 go. His motions gradually became slower until they ceased 

 and he was as limp as an eel. His arm measured fourteen 

 inches at the body, and he was certainly a perfect specimen 

 of his race. I have no doubt that hundreds of deer had fal- 

 len as his prey, but his day was now over. Soon his glossy 

 hide was strung to my saddle and I was wending my way to 

 camp. The doe was a young one and it was literally crushed 

 to pieces, the liver and lights having been torn out and eaten. 



Presently I saw a band of twenty-seven deer, and could 

 have killed several, but let them take their way in peace. I 

 came out on the Rotten Grass Valley long after dark, and 

 saw our campfires far above. It was a welcome sight. I 

 fancied I could feel their warmth as the cry of the wolves 

 greeted me on all sides. My little Indian Billy soon got in, 

 and, after a hearty supper, my friends went with me over 

 the adventures of the exciting day and admired the skin of 

 the vanquished lion. 



