2G4 THE LION KILLER. 



What if he should turn aside? what if he should not come 

 out of the woods ? With every new soun d, my heart beat 

 in heavy throbs with the intoxication of hope. Now all the 

 life in my body rushed through my veins, then again my very 

 life was stilled by the emotion. 



The lion, after a momentary pause, that appeared to me an 

 age, started again, and I could see the slender tops of a tree, 

 whose base lie brushed, trembling as he passed almost within 

 sight. Now, no more barrier between me and him, but the 

 thick foliage a single tree. 



I glanced at the sight on my gun, it was barely visible ; 

 thanks to the lingering day, that still hung on the horizon, the 

 transparency of the air, and the stars that were already burn- 

 ing ab oveme. This was enough for a close shot, and I 

 stepped still further ahead that I might have a nearer 

 mark. 



But still the animal did not show himself, and I began to 

 fear lest he should have the instinct of my presence, and, 

 instead of walking slowly out, would clear the mastic tree 

 with a single bound. 



As if to justify my fears, he commenced growling, at first 

 with two or three guttural sighs, and then increasing to the 

 full force of his voice. 



Fellow hunter, it is for you I am writing. You only can 

 understand and feel my emotions. There in the solemn 

 forest at night, standing alone in front of a thicket from 

 whence are coming roars that would drown the roll of the 

 thunder. I thought of my single ball to hurl against a foe 

 that has the strength of a hundred men in his single arm, 

 and that kills without mercy when he is not killed himself. 



You can truly say that if I had counted on my own 

 strength that my heart would then have been troubled, my 

 eye dim, and my hand trembling. I confess that those roars 

 made me feel my own littleness, and that without a firm will 



