58 THE LION KILLER. 



with an air of utter disdain, while indicating the man with a 

 graceful gesture, 



" There is a catcher of hares." 



"But you," I said to him, a little piqued by what he had 

 done, " you are of the same place as he, and ought to know if 

 there are any." 



" I," he replied in the same frank tone, " I live on the 

 mountain, the hares live on the plain." 



" You say then there are hares on the plain about here ?" 



" All that I can say is, that I only descend to the plain 

 during the night either to see my mistress or gather a sheep 

 for my flock, and if perchance I encounter wild beasts in my 

 path, most assuredly they are not hares." 



As I hoped to present him to the General, and induce him 

 to serve as guide, I cut short this conversation before witnesses 

 and lead him to my tent. Once there we talked lion to his 

 heart's content, and when I thought he had become sufficiently 

 mollified, I explained to him what I wanted. I should add 

 that he consented only with great reluctance, and he took such 

 good care not to compromise his reputation, that the sports- 

 man accustomed to come home usually with his game-bag 

 loaded with game, returned that day with nothing. 



I have not seen Abdallah since that time, but in August 

 last while stopping on my way from the south, with the shiek 

 of his tribe, I learned that Abdallah had again saved one of 

 his kindred from the jaws of a lion, who, thanks to his timely 

 succor, came off with only the loss of a leg. 



But while we are engaged with the prowess of this hunter, 



