elt to her for her timely aid; and she in return gave
him that peculiar look which, in the feline tribe, exhibits pleasure and
satisfaction. The natives soon afterwards coming up, looked with wonder
at the tigress, and congratulated the sahibs on their victory, for
Burnett had killed the gyal as well as the tiger.

Burnett was eager to go in chase of more game; but Reginald had had
hunting enough for one day, for though he had escaped without any actual
wound, his legs were bruised from being crushed under his horse. The
poor animal was so much injured, that its owner shot it to put it out of
its agony. Another steed was forthwith provided for Reginald, who rode
back to the village attended by a number of the astonished inhabitants,
and accompanied by Faithful, whose opportune appearance he was at a loss
to account for.

"We must wait till we get back to camp to hear more about the matter,"
observed Reginald, patting his favourite's head. "Dick will be very
unhappy at missing you. He little thinks what good service you have
rendered me."

Burnett, who had remained behind, arrived towards the evening, having
shot two more tigers, thus greatly increasing the fame of the
Englishmen.

"No wonder that their countrymen are the conquerors of the world, when
these two sahibs make nothing of killing half-a-dozen man-eaters," was
the remark made on all sides.

After receiving the thanks of the villagers, who petitioned that they
would come again to shoot more of their foes, Reginald and Burnett
returned to the headquarters of the rajah. As they arrived, they saw an
extraordinary personage standing in the hall waiting to be admitted. He
had almost the appearance of a bronze statue, so motionless did he
stand, and his rigid features being apparently incapable of expressing
any sentiment, either of pleasure or pain. His dress consisted of a
cloth wrapped round his waist, a scarf over his shoulder, and a turban
on his head--the upper part of his body and his legs being completely
exposed. The man was a fakir, one of a class of religious fanatics,
who, ignorant of a God of love and mercy, believe that holiness can be
obtained by practising the most rigid self-denial and the infliction of
every variety of torture on themselves.

Burnett inquired whence he had come.

"From Allahapoor," he answered. "Night and day I have travelled, to see
the rajah on a matter of importance. Tell him, sahib, that it admits of
no delay