ously through the muffled gag of
blood and hair. Mixed with the ape's voice the lion's roars of rage
and pain reverberated through the jungle, till the lesser creatures of
the wild, startled from their peaceful pursuits, scurried fearfully
away.

Rolling over and over upon the turf the two battled with demoniac fury,
until the colossal cat, by doubling his hind paws far up beneath his
belly sank his talons deep into Taglat's chest, then, ripping downward
with all his strength, Numa accomplished his design, and the
disemboweled anthropoid, with a last spasmodic struggle, relaxed in
limp and bloody dissolution beneath his titanic adversary.

Scrambling to his feet, Numa looked about quickly in all directions, as
though seeking to detect the possible presence of other foes; but only
the still and unconscious form of the girl, lying a few paces from him
met his gaze, and with an angry growl he placed a forepaw upon the body
of his kill and raising his head gave voice to his savage victory cry.

For another moment he stood with fierce eyes roving to and fro about
the clearing. At last they halted for a second time upon the girl. A
low growl rumbled from the lion's throat. His lower jaw rose and fell,
and the slaver drooled and dripped upon the dead face of Taglat.

Like two yellow-green augurs, wide and unblinking, the terrible eyes
remained fixed upon Jane Clayton. The erect and majestic pose of the
great frame shrank suddenly into a sinister crouch as, slowly and
gently as one who treads on eggs, the devil-faced cat crept forward
toward the girl.

Beneficent Fate maintained her in happy unconsciousness of the dread
presence sneaking stealthily upon her. She did not know when the lion
paused at her side. She did not hear the sniffing of his nostrils as
he smelled about her. She did not feel the heat of the fetid breath
upon her face, nor the dripping of the saliva from the frightful jaws
half opened so close above her.

Finally the lion lifted a forepaw and turned the body of the girl half
over, then he stood again eyeing her as though still undetermined
whether life was extinct or not. Some noise or odor from the nearby
jungle attracted his attention for a moment. His eyes did not again
return to Jane Clayton, and presently he left her, walked over to the
remains of Taglat, and crouching down upon his kill with his back
toward the girl, proceeded to devour the ape.

It was upon this scene that Jane Clayto