The Argosy — page 245: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

228 Trapping a Panther. al I knew that when the torch had burnt itself out the infuriated — animal would make short work of the door. I confess my first idea was to have taken to my-heels, but I reflected that the brute would — probably overtake me before I could get over the village wall, and I thought that panthers, like cats, could see in the dark ; besides, the brute would smell me. And then, what a glorious thing it would be to kill a full-grown panther with my own hand! This I decided to do, and I hit on a scheme. I recovered _ my revolver, of which only one chamber had been fired, and cautiously stole to the little loophole in the side wall. I could see the animal crouched down among the débris of the shrine at the back of the mosque, gazing fixedly at the expiring torch, and angrily beating the ground with his tail. I took a deliberate aim at his eye and fired. The panther gave a tremendous spring in the air and fel heavily on its side, shot through the brain. I reached the hotel about ten o’clock, and found Monsieur Camille weeping profusely: perhaps my bill being six days overdue ha something to do with his emotion. He seemed overjoyed to s me. ‘* Ciel—you have returned? A la bonne heure!” he exclaimed shaking my hand effusively. | I began, with pardonable pride, to relate my adventure. It wa: some time before he seemed to understand, and looked at me wit a polite air of listening, but without any great show of interest When he did understand, however, he started up in a great state of excitement, ejaculating phrases of which I could just catch the words, ‘‘ Sapristi!”—‘‘ Un panthere !”—“‘ La mosquée !”—“ Quelle \ horreur | 1” Mais les Arabes !” When he had calmed down a little, he explained that the nativé were frightfully fanatical, and that I had done a very rash act, whicl might be attended with unpleasant results. It appeared that thi natives would be enraged at the idea of blood, even a panther’s — having been shed in a sacred place by an infidel. In fact, it seeme — that I, as well as the panther, had been guilty of a grave act of sacri — lege. However, there was nothing to be done. I took the hint o — my friend Camille, and left for Algiers by the early diligence the nex morning. fie For some time I heard no more of the adventure. But on” morning I received a case, which on being opened proved to contall — a panther’s skin, together with a letter from M. Camille, informin) — me that the Arabs had been mad with rage at the desecration of the mosque, and that if they could only have discovered the perpetrato — of the terrible deed, his life would certainly have paid the penalty ¢ his temerity. sj On the whole I felt glad that I had escaped back to Algiers, al” cheated them of their revenge. | E. A. R. B. GOMmicdooks.com