THE COBRA'S MATE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1263, 14 May 1896, Page 12

THE COBRA'S MATE.

(By WILLIAM ALEX. ERASER.) Riley and " Patsey" Dolan sat on the veiv.ud h if the former's bungalow in Madras one afternoon, having a quiet cheroot, and, mayhap, something far more cheering and entertaining. Certain it was that two long thin glasses stood on the little table between the two chairs, and Riley, for one, would have turned hi 3 nose up had they been tilled with " limniinade," or even plain soda There were times, however, generally in the early morning, when plain soda in a tumbler of cracked ice did seem more fitting the occasion and the need than any other drink, not barring the tea itself, which was all very well later on. Dolan heaved a sigh of content as ho set down his glass ; it was the content of a thirsty soul that had taken long and deep of a c >ol drink on a sweltering day. "Ez 1 was sayin', Riley," ho began, pulling industriously at tho cheroot he was lighting between times, "they hunts in pairs, they do, an' if yez seen wan of the Llagards yez may riat asluored tho mate av him is not far beyant. Cobras is like sojtrs, they goo 3 in pairs." " Mother o' Moses ! Dan ! Did yez hear that?" and Dolan leapt to his feet as though his glass had been knocked over. "Phwat is it, Dolan? iiez yer muther's ghost peered at ye through the gilmills av the windy, or have ye bin at llustonigoe's bnindy sherab. Yez alius do get jumpy afthcr that stuff—an' no wonder,' one eight a bottle fur it. Pwhat kind of stull'd'ye expect fur one-eight?" "Is anv wan in the room behint, Riley?" " Divil a soul, bar, perhaps, Knddern, an' he's over th' station gittm' orders fur me."

" Well, may I nivor draw the lever on ould ' forty-six ' agin ef I didn't hear a deep sigh there behint the windy, and a voice 1 could swear waz a swate owld home voice such ez ye'd hear near Ballygowan (an' ye know where thet ez, Dan), callin' yer name in a piteous whisper, wakiu' ye up like." "Ye blagard, Dolan! Is't takin' a riso out av mo yer doin' ? I've heerd av wheels in tho head, Patsey, ez well ez on tho injin. Did yez walk much in the sun Sunday whin Smith an' you shot the big bag av shnipe yez bought from the shikari on yer way home ?" "Merciful hivin ! Look at that 1 " cried Dolan, rising and pointing a trembling finger at something out in the garden among the crotons. "Did yez see the voice, Dolan, tho swate owld Irish voice, Patsey l" lazily inquired Riley, as he gathered himself up to a sitting position in tho deep arm-chair he hid been lying back in. As he did so his quick eye caught sight of something that brought him up standing. Crabbing a heavy rnalacca from a pair of deer horns just over his head, he rushed out, closely followed by Dolan. The enemy saw them coining and prepared himself for the attack. Coiling about half his length under him, he swung the upper part of his body back and forth, back and forth like the pendulum of a clock, only there was a terrible suppleness about tho sinuous, undulating movement that told plainly with what lightning like rapidity he could straighten it out and burj those cat-like fangs in tho shrinking flesh. Thoro was no banter now on Riley's part, no thinking of that wailing voice In j'uud t o ca einent on 1) dan's ; t > geiiier, and terribly in earnest, they approached the hooded liend before them.

Let Hither of tin in miss him and come ton near, carried forward by their own inio.'i ,','r.i y, jo ii iini ie ('hi n lS ;ii, and Ihe fatal poison, lying Micro, just at (lie base of those loose fangs, ne uij leted wiih devili.ii ferocity in the tiny, pm-liko punci uit<. A well dirood blow fr»m RihyWout in dacea I ud tho snake out dead.

"tie (he powers!* exclaimed Do! in, " but that's the higges", cobra 1 ever kim ncr.s*. He's nearly six fut, i think ; and mind yer prowlin', Dtn, tur, mark my words, there'll bo a d:vi' av a male about here somewhere. Dye be careful when yer g no' out this blisaed night."

" Have something to takd the taste av the baste out. av yer mouth, DM in," said Riley, as they retu r ned to the bungalow. Just as D.ilan was lifting the glass to hi* lips bo turned white an I, I r>~ir olo>g aM (•■■'cr, put it down again. Then lie raised it quickly and drained it 'it a single draught. " Shuro, I'm afearcd I'm in for a dose of sun faver, Riley. J wud take me oath I heerd that a.me voice callin' ye, Riley. At onny rite, 1 must be goin' now. Do ye be lookiu' out for that divil av a mate, Riley," was his parting injunction. * * ' * * "Rile Sahib not coming yet fur taking

clerk to Dolan that evening at the railway station. "He getting Irte. 1 plenty much 'fraid he seek."

"lias he sent onny wurd?" queried Dolan. " No sah." " Come with me, Baboo. There must be something wrung whin Dan Ruey's behind time." When he reached his friend's bungalow he found Ids servant outside on the verandah.

" Master sleeping," he replied to their inquiries. "1 think mister not going out."

Dolan hurried to the bedroom, but just inside the door he stopped short, as though a wall had suddenly risen up between him and the man on the bed.

Yea, there lay Riley, not asleep, but staling straight in front of him at the hideous thing coiled on his chest—the c bra's mate !

it did not take Dolan long to make up his mind what to do. To disturb the snake by getting within striking distance wiih a cane, meant almost certain death for Riley. He dared not strike, but he could shoot.

Quietly taking Riley's shotgun from the corner at Ida very hand, and calling to the prostrate in mi not to move, he took deliberate aim at the cobra and pulled the trigger.

There wag a tremendous report, and when the smoke had lifted a little, he saw iiie snake lying there liddled by the shot.

"Up wid yez, Riley," cried Dolan, " the divil's gone now. Blown to smithereens."

Then ho stoped, sudden like, as though he had heard the voice again.

He took a quick step forward, and peered into ilie eyes of the man lying there so still—asleep he thought him. Then he put his hand over the heart — it was still. Riley had been dead for an hour. There was no wound ; the snake had not touched him. The horror in the eyes —the mad staring look of fright told ts tale. Ho had died of fear. — Detroit Free Proas.