234 THE LION KILLER. 



I returned to the douar somewhat saddened by the kindly 

 "feelings displayed by my host for my personal safety. 



I received that day, the visit of two or three hundred 

 Arabs, from neighboring villages, and we held in the open air 

 • a sort of court to decide upon the fate of the lion. 



If the accused was absent, and was neither represented by 

 counsel, nor had called witnesses in his own behalf, it still 

 could be said on the other side, that the charges brought 

 against him were beyond all justification, and it would have 

 been difficult to have found the slightest mitigating circum- 

 stance in such a fearful category of misdeeds. 



There was, therefore, no pleading, either for or. against, the 

 criminal, but the assembly resolved itself in one great jury, 

 and after unanimously finding him guilty, they consulted like 

 judges, as to who among them having suffered the most, 

 should have the revenge of pulling out his beard. 



Each one of the judges present having made an estimate 

 of his loss, it was found there were many who had suffered 

 equally, which presented another unforeseen difficulty in the 

 way of a decision. 



Then an old man all in tatters, and supporting his chin on 

 a stick, cried out : 



" I am the one to tear out the lion's beard, I who have lost 

 everything but this old burnous that a beggar would not 

 wear." And thus speaking he exposed to our eyes the most 

 abject misery and nakedness. 



As the Arabs laughed at the patriarch, who had only lost 

 a couple of cows, I took the floor in turn, and said : 



