There, in a huge setting of bone and
muscle strangely fitted to its fierceness, with eyes of fire and feet
of deadly stealth, its back arched like a drawn bow, the wild heart of
the son of Herod seemed to be facing him.
"Look!" a slave shouted. "He has bent his bow."
The haired lip of the beast quivered; great cords of muscle were drawn
tense. Like a flash the bow sprang and the columns of bone beneath him
lifted, flinging his long, striped body in the air. With cat-like
swiftness Antipater stepped aside, and while the huge beast was in
mid-air, thrust the lance into his heart. He bore with all his
strength and rushed away, seizing an other weapon. The big cat fell
and rose and struck at the clinging lance, and stood a second flooding
the floor with blood. Then down he went shuddering to his death. The
young men shouted loud their applause in honor of Herod's son. While
the beast was dying slaves came and sanded the floor. Then, presently,
they swept up the red sand, and tying a rope to the legs of the limp
tiger, dragged him away.
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