404 THE LION KILLER. 



the remains of his wife, but the evening was coming on, and 

 they would not venture in such a desperate duel. They, how- 

 ever, promised that the next morning they would summon 

 the men from the next douar, and they would go in force to 

 wreak summary vengeance on the murderer. 



With the early daybreak the merchant, armed from head 

 to foot, marched towards the place where his wife had fallen, 

 bringing with him the whole force of the Saderatas. They 

 found the spot, but all that remained of the woman was her 

 white robe dabbled red, and her long black hair. 



The desolate man prayed the Arabs to lead him to the 

 lion's den, no matter where it might be, and help him take 

 revenge on the ruthless monster. In about an hour the party 

 reached the cover where the lion lay sleeping away the 

 warm hours, and digesting his delicate supper. The Arabs 

 gave a loud hurrah, and he came out of the bushes, and laid 

 himself down in the sun, combing his locks and yawning in 

 the face of all his foes. 



" Now, yours shall be the revenge," said the Saderatas to 

 the merchant, " as you have most suffered, go a little nearer, 

 and taking good aim, drive a ball through the head of the 

 infidel ; we will stand here to aid you." 



The innocent man took a few steps in advance, then slowly 

 levelled his gun and fired. 



In the winking of an eye he was dashed to the earth, and 

 torn to pieces in the midst of the jokes of the Saderatas, who 

 then returned to their douars to divide among themselves the 

 goods of the deceased couple. 



About a month after this, the Chegatmas were hunting 

 this same lion. One of the hunters perched in a tree near 

 which the lion was passing, sent a ball at him. The animal 

 looked up in the tree, and measuring its height with his eye, 

 gave a bound that carried him so near to the hunter that he 

 dragged him to the earth with his claws, and then made 



