mpelled by the
pangs of hunger, did he ever attack man.

The animal corrals of the maniacs are protected by an outer wall
or palisade of upright logs, the lower ends of which are imbedded
in the ground, the logs themselves being placed as close together
as possible and further reinforced and bound together by withes.
At intervals there are gates through which the flocks are turned
on to the grazing land south of the city during the daytime. It is
at such times that the black lions of the forest take their greatest
toll from the herds, and it is infrequent that a lion attempts to
enter the corrals at night. But Numa of the pit, having scented the
spoor of his benefactor, was minded again to pass into the walled
city, and with that idea in his cunning brain he crept stealthily
along the outer side of the palisade, testing each gateway with a
padded foot until at last he discovered one which seemed insecurely
fastened. Lowering his great head he pressed against the gate, surging
forward with all the weight of his huge body and the strength of
his giant sinews--one mighty effort and Numa was within the corral.

The enclosure contained a herd of goats which immediately upon the
advent of the carnivore started a mad stampede to the opposite end
of the corral which was bounded by the south wall of the city. Numa
had been within such a corral as this before, so that he knew that
somewhere in the wall was a small door through which the goatherd
might pass from the city to his flock; toward this door he made his
way, whether by plan or accident it is difficult to say, though in
the light of ensuing events it seems possible that the former was
the case.

To reach the gate he must pass directly through the herd which had
huddled affrightedly close to the opening so that once again there
was a furious rush of hoofs as Numa strode quickly to the side of
the portal. If Numa had planned, he had planned well, for scarcely
had he reached his position when the door opened and a herder's head
was projected into the enclosure, the fellow evidently seeking an
explanation of the disturbance among his flock. Possibly he discovered
the cause of the commotion, but it is doubtful, for it was dark
and the great, taloned paw that reached up and struck downward a
mighty blow that almost severed his head from his body, moved so
quickly and silently that the man was dead within a fraction of
a second from the moment that he opened the door, and t