2*16 THE LION KILLEK. 



passage by the lightning that tracked the distant horizon, 

 and the moon, more brilliant than ever, came in and out 

 from the fleecy clouds over our heads. I took advantage of 

 every one of these short instants of clear sky to survey the 

 country about me, and to sound each clump of trees or fallen 

 log, and it was in one of these brief moments that all of a 

 sudden I thought I saw the lion. I waited breathless till the 

 moon came out again. Yes, by Jove ! it was he, standing 

 motionless only a few paces from the douar. 



Accustomed to see tires lighted at every tent, to hear a 

 hundred dogs barking in terror, and to see the men of the 

 douar hurling lighted brands at him, he, without doubt, was 

 at a loss to explain the rather suspicious silence that reigned 

 around him. 



While I was turning slowly around in order to take better 

 aim, without being seen by the animal, a cloud shut out the 

 moon. I was seated with my left elbow on my knee, my 

 rifle at my shoulder, watching by turns the lion that I only 

 recognized as a confused mass, and the passing cloud, whose 

 length I anxiously regarded. 



At last the scud passed, and the moonlight, dearer to me 

 than the most beautiful sunshine, illuminated the picture, 

 and again showed me the lion • still standing in the same 

 place. 



I saw him the better as he was so much raised above me, 

 and he loomed up proudly magnificent, standing as he w r as 

 in majestic repose, with his head high in air, and his flowing 

 mane undulating in the wind, and falling to his knees. It 

 w r as a black lion of noble form and the largest size. As he 

 presented his side to me, I aimed just behind his shoulder, 

 ?ind fired. 



I heard a fierce roar of mingled pain and rage echoing up 

 the hills with the report of my gun, and then from under the 

 smoke, I saw the lion bounding upon me. 



