156 THE LION KILLER. 



and besides, in lion hunting there is great danger, but 

 Frenchmen love to face death if by doing so they can prevent 

 evil." 



Then a young man with a frank and innocent air, will say 

 to you : 



"If in the night, you meet one or several men in the 

 forest, will you fire on them ?" 



Hasten to say as loud as possible, so that all can hear, 



" What have these men who travel the woods in the night 

 to do with me ? their business is not mine, I am in search of 

 lions. As soon as I see or hear them, I will say, pass 

 by, and if they have no bad intentions, I will do them no 

 harm." 



The conversation ought to stop here, even if you remained 

 a month in the douar. You may be sure that if the next day 

 you fire some balls in a target to keep your hand in, that 

 before one week has passed, for seventy leagues around, it will 

 be known that a Frenchman has come to hunt the lion. 

 Your height, age and figure, will be described ; they will say, 

 he seems brave, is a good shot and says nothing to marauders. 

 These last words will have an immense influence, for it is a 

 question of life and death to you. 



But you have answered the leading question in the nega- 

 tive. 



" Have you already killed any lions? Have you seen them? 

 Have you heard them roar?" and until then your assured 

 manner, and your skill in shooting, do not prove that you 

 will yet kill your first lion. 



The moment of action has arrived ; send runners to tho 



