THE HAVILDAH'S STORY 173 



breasted the steep slopes on our last march back. To avoid 

 the great heat of the day, for the break in the rains still 

 continued, we marched at night, and it was close on dawn 

 when, weary and jaded, we struck into the path which led 

 up the last slope to the village. 



" The dawn was stealing over the hills as we approached 

 the village, and we looked to see if there was any sign of 

 life about. We reached a corner, I with my heart beating 

 high at the thought of a near meeting which I had not had 

 out of my mind during the 

 whole of the trip, and there 

 lay the village a quarter of a 

 mile or so away. 



" But, sahib, it was not 

 the village as we expected 

 to see it. All the villagers 

 seemed to be awake and out- 

 side of their houses. Some 

 were running about, others 

 were collected at the village 

 meeting-place, and even from 

 here as we hurried on, voices could be heard, and as we 

 drew nearer these voices sounded as wails. 



" ' What is the matter ? Sher Bahadur, what is it ? ' 

 I cried anxiously. 



" ' I know not,' he replied, ' I know not,' and there was a 

 note of anxiety in his voice. 



" A thought struck me, and my blood turned to water 

 and my legs seemed to fail under me, 



" ' The tiger, the man-eater, O, Sher Bahadur. It cannot 

 be that the man-eater has visited our village ? ' 



" ' We shall soon hear,' was the grim reply. 



" What I feared, sahib, as I hurried along, I know not, 

 nor why I feared. I seemed to have a presentiment that 

 I was to suffer that day that the sight before my eyes was 

 to affect me most of all, and I could have cried aloud in 

 my pain. 



" We hurried forward, scarcely feeling the weight of our 

 loads, but now so heavy, in our great anxiety. We were soon 

 seen, and a sudden hush fell upon all the throng. ' What is 

 it, speak, oh, Jitman, speak,' said Sher Bahadur, and even 

 as the words fell on my ears I seemed to see all eyes turned 

 with looks of pity upon myself. As for me, I was speechless, 



