388 THE LION KILLER. 



again ; without doubt, he was coming up to closer quarters 

 under the dense vault of foliage that darkened the woods. I 

 took my seat where I could best see all around me, and with 

 my knife cut away the branches that might impede my aim, 

 and all the while the kid continued to cry most piteously. 



Presently it suddenly hushed and commenced trembling 

 violently, looking first at me, and then towards the ravine, 

 and seemed to say, " The lion is there, I smell him ; he is 

 coming, I hear him ; he comes, I see him. 11 



It had at first only caught his wind when it so suddenly 

 hushed ; its ears showed when it heard his steps by their 

 quick nervous motions ; and finally when it trembled so 

 violently, I saw the lion at the same moment as the sensi- 

 tive animal. 



The monstrous beast leisurely mounted the side of the 

 gulch, and halted at the edge of the clearing at about ten 

 steps from me. He stood directly facing me, and his broad 

 forehead presented a beautiful target. 



Twice my rifle was raised to the level of his eyes, twice I 

 drew a bead on the heavy wrinkle that divided his forehead 

 and my finger gently pressed the trigger, and yet the hammer 

 did not fall and I felt a secret pleasure at the delay. Two 

 years or more had passed since I had seen so large a lion, so 

 beautifully majestic in the calmness of his might; he was 

 where I could see every expression of his countenance, how 

 could I destroy him without looking at him ? 



What is a dead lion ? What .is a beautiful woman when 

 in her shroud ? 



Beauty without life is unchanging ugliness. 



If it is true that living is to feel the emotions of the soul, 

 where and how could I live so long or find emotions equal to 

 those that were throbbing in my soul in such an interview ? 



The noble animal, as if he understood my thoughts, stretched 

 himself out on the grass, and having crossed his enormous 



