96 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



horn, scoring the ground deep with the mighty thrusts of 

 our hind feet, till, almost despairing myself, I felt my an- 

 tagonist weaken. But with indomitable fury the veteran 

 resumed the onslaught. 



At length, his gasping breath whistling in his parched 

 old throat, and contesting every foot with untameable 

 purpose, I gathered up all the reserve of my vigour, and 

 with a huge effort bore him backwards ; on the edge of the 

 steep fall came the last blow, his footing slipped, and, 

 driving a sharp tine deep into his labouring chest, he rolled 

 down into the river-bed, accompanied by a shower of earth 

 and loose stones. 



Staggering to the edge, I looked down. There stood the 

 old warrior, muzzle to the ground, and ears drooped in the 

 humiliation of defeat ; and, as I gazed, he slowly turned, and 

 with a bubbling groan tottered away into the black shadow 

 of a great mango tree that arched the ndla lower down. 



Then, flinging back my blood-stained antlers, one deep, 

 exultant bell, in which were concentrated all my pent-up 

 feelings, rang through the forest and died away on the 

 silent night 



"Dkdnkl* 



The next morning, as I took my accustomed way up the 

 khora, and paused ere facing the steep slope to my favour- 

 ite form, accompanied by a few hinds, my eye caught a 

 swift movement in the now dry ndla bed ; we had sighted 

 each other simultaneously, and it was in vain that the tiger 

 flattened his belly against the yellow sand, for my deep 

 voice gave forth a sharp warning, and, with answering 

 barks of alarm, the hinds crushed through the crackling 

 carpet of leaves, and stood stamping their fore feet, while 

 nothing escaped their large ears, which were spread to 

 catch any suspicious sound, as they moved them first 

 in this direction, then in that. With a baffled look on his 

 cunning face the tiger rose, and disappeared round a bend 

 in the ravine. 



