MORE LIONS 



fore I had been forced to shoot lions with it, but my 

 real "lion gun" with which I had done best work was 

 the 405 Winchester. The Springfield is too light 

 for such game. Also there were two lions, very 

 close. Also I was quite alone. 



As the game stood, it hardly looked like my move; 

 so I held still and waited. Presently one yawned, 

 they looked at each other, turned quite leisurely, 

 and began to move away at a walk. 



This was a different matter. If I had fired while 

 the two were facing me, I should probably have had 

 them both to deal with. But now that their tails 

 were turned toward me, I should very likely have to 

 do with only the one : at the crack of the rifie the other 

 would run the way he was headed. So I took a 

 careful bead at the lioness and let drive. 



My aim was to cripple the pelvic bone, but, un- 

 fortunately, just as I fired, the beast wriggled lithely 

 sidewise to pass around a tuft of grass, so that 

 the bullet inflicted merely a slight flesh wound 

 on the rump. She whirled like a flash, and as she 

 raised her head high to locate me, I had time to 

 wish that the Springfield hit a trifle harder blow. 

 Also I had time to throw another cartridge in the 

 barrel. 



The moment she saw^ me she dropped her head and 

 charged. She was thoroughly angry and came very 



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