76 . THE LION KILLER. 



audible, and I distinguished the steps of several large animals. 

 In a moment more, I caught the sight of several luminous 

 points of a fiery red color, that were moving towards me. I 

 at once recognized the family of lions, marching in single file, 

 and coming towards the ford I was guarding. Instead of 

 five, I could count only three, and when they stopped at the 

 water's edge, at fifteen paces from me, it seemed to me that 

 the leader, although of a height and bearing more than 

 ordinarily imposing, was not the seignor with the big head, 

 whose appearance had been described to me by the Sheik. 



They had all halted on the bank together, and were regard' 

 ing me with a look of doubtful astonishment, when I took 

 aim at the shoulder of the foremost one, and fired. 



A roar of pain and anger followed the ringing of my rifle, 

 and awoke the echoes of the forest, and the smoke obscured 

 my sight for a moment, so that I could not see ; but when my 

 eyes could pierce the veil, two of the lions were going back 

 to the woods, at a slow pace, and the third was dragging 

 himself towards me on his belly, with both shoulders 

 broken. 



I comprehended at once that the father and mother were 

 not with the young lions on this party of pleasure, and I did 

 not regret it even for an instant. 



After thus being assured of the flight of the others, I 

 directed my attention to the wounded lion. I had just rammed 

 home my ball, when, with a great effort, that cost him a roar 

 of pain, he bounded up the bank to within three steps of 

 me ; a second ball in the breast sent him rolling in the bed of 

 the torrent. Three times he erpeated the attack, and three 



