TIGERLAND 



but Pembu and the trembling wretch upon the mound. 

 The former, lying bound and helpless within the shadow of 

 the tree, remained unnoticed. Not so the other, who, 

 paralysed with fear, made no attempt to escape. Perched 

 on the summit of the mound he was a conspicuous object, 

 even in that uncertain light, and the infuriated elephant 

 sighted him at once. In a stride or two it had reached the 

 mound, and seizing the wretched man with its trunk, 

 dashed him to the ground, placed one huge foot upon his 

 chest, and fairly tore him to pieces, limb by limb ! His 

 comrades, watching the awful spectacle from their retreat, 

 were powerless to assist him, and it was not until the savage 

 beast had completed its ghastly work and moved away that 

 they ventured to come out. 



The sight they then beheld was one to fill the stoutest 

 heart with terror, for there at their feet lay all that was 

 left of their late comrade a shapeless mass of flesh and 

 broken bones. They gazed at the terrible spectacle in 

 speechless horror ; then one of them pointed to the 

 prisoner, still lying where they had left him, but un- 

 harmed ! The others read his meaning in the gesture, and 

 wondered, too, why he of all others had been spared the 

 murderer and violator of the sacred oath, who had so well 

 merited the vengeance of the dreaded beast. 



Kishto wondered, too, but for many different reasons 

 reasons which filled him with dire alarm, despite his 

 vaunted scepticism and contempt for the traditions of his 

 race. The incident had wrought an extraordinary change 

 in the man. He was no longer mindful of the prisoner, 

 but, starting at every rustle of a leaf, looked anxiously 

 around, as if expecting the elephant to return and claim 

 another victim. His companions could not but notice 

 this sudden change, but attributed it to the tragic death of 

 his friend. Collecting their belongings they unfastened 

 Pembu from the tree and all proceeded on their way. 



By midday they arrived at Tura and took the prisoner 

 to the court. Kishto, who by this time had regained his 

 ordinary composure, was now directed to state his case. 

 Refusing with scorn to take the Garo oath, he was sworn 

 in the ordinary way and proceeded with his tale. He told 

 his story well until he reached the incident in the clearing, 

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