There, to the left, was _something_ coming rapidly through the crops! The grain parted and waved wildly as it passed; in a moment a huge striped animal, the size of a calf, had crossed the river with a hurried limp. “Kubberdar! Bagh! Bagh!” roared Algy to the woman. To me, “You’ve got him!” Undoubtedly it was _my_ shot, but I was excessively flurried--it was new to me to have a human life hanging on my trigger; as he sprang into the open glade I fired--and missed. I heard my cousin draw in his breath hard; I saw the woman turn and face us. The tiger’s spring and Algy’s shot seemed simultaneous; as the echo died away, there was not another sound--the great brute lay dead across the corpse of his victim. I was now shaking as much as Nuddoo; my bad aim had had a frightful result. Before I could scramble down, Algy, with inconceivable rashness, was already beside the bodies, where they lay in the middle of the glade--the monster stretched above his voluntary prey. The news spread to the village in some miraculous manner. Had the birds of the air carried the great tidings? The entire community were instantly roused by the intelligence. Man, woman, yea, and child, came streaming forth, beating tom-toms and shouting themselves hoarse with joy. They collected about the tiger--who was evidently of far more account than the woman--they kicked him, cursed him, spat on him, and secretly stole his whiskers for a charm against the evil eye. They thrummed the tom-toms madly as they marched round and round Algy--the hero of the hour. Nuddoo had now entirely forgotten his tremors, he was almost delirious with excitement; the five hundred rupees were his, he could live on them--and on his reputation as the slayer of the great Karwassa man-eater--for the remainder of his existence. He talked till he frothed at the corners of his mouth, he boasted here, he boasted there. He declared that “_he_ had encouraged Sassi, and given her an appointment as the gara, or tie-up. Yea, she had spoken truly--there was no other means!” Released from his honours and the transports of the tom-toms, these fatal words fell on Algy’s ears, and he went straight for Nuddoo. What he said or did, I know not, but this I know, that from that moment I never saw Nuddoo again until weeks later, when he came to me by stealth in Kori, exceedingly humble and sober, and received, according to Algy’s instructions, “five hundred rupees; but if he asks you for a chit,” wrote Algy, “kick him out of the compound.” The tiger was big and heavy, he required twenty coolies to carry him back to Karwassa--for his last visit. Sassi was borne on the frame of our machan--ere she was placed there, an old hag covered the beautiful dead face with her veil, and slipped off her sole ornaments, the copper bangles, in a business-like fashion. “Give me one of those,” said Algy, who was standing by. “I will pay you well. Were you her mother?”