

The Man-eater of Belkhera. 69 



All this time the female relatives of the victim were mak- 

 ing the most dreadful, and to their mind highly com- 

 mendable noise as they sat around. One could scarcely 

 make one's self heard; sol retreated to a distance to en- 

 quire more fully into the circumstances of this last attack 

 the boldest of all. The patel of the village suggested that 

 I should once more make use of the body of the panther's 

 victim. " The whole neighbourhood was terrorized, " said 

 he, " and the villagers dared not enter the ramnah for 

 grass, save in compact parties. Their very means of exist- 

 ence was threatened. The sahib must really rid them of 

 this scourge ! " 



To this, however, there was an impediment : the relatives 

 of the dead man would not permit the body to be removed. 



I sat down and waited, while a fearful pandemonium of 

 altercation ensued, through which I could make out the 

 shrill voices of the female relations haggling over a question 

 of backsheesh. 



Finally it was settled that I might have the use of their 

 corpse until dark : after that nothing would induce them 

 to permit it to remain out the sher might return and eat of 

 it ! 



We walked up the river bank and reached the scene of 

 the catastrophe. The body of the cow-herd was laid down 

 just where he had been caught, and I prepared a hid- 

 ing-place in which to watch until dark, when the villagers 

 were to turn out, with drums and torches, and take the 

 corpse away. 



But now events took an unexpected turn, as they not 

 infrequently do where panthers are concerned. It was 

 fated that the end of this notorious evil-doer should be 

 brought about in a singularly tame and commonplace 

 manner. 



