have started for the land of the Orin?"

"We shall never reach the land of the Orin," I cried; "we shall perish
in the sea!"

"Oh no," said Layelah; "you cannot kill the athaleb. You are no more
than an insect; your rod is a weak thing, and will break on his iron
frame."

It was evident that Layelah had not the slightest idea of the powers
of my rifle. There was no hesitation on my part. I took aim with the
rifle. At that moment I was desperate. I thought of nothing but the
swift flight of the athaleb, which was bearing me away forever from
Almah. I could not endure that thought, and still less could I endure
the thought that she should believe me false. It was therefore in a
wild passion of rage and despair that I levelled my rifle, taking aim
as well as I could at what seemed a vital part under the wing. The
motion of the wing rendered this difficult, however, and I hesitated
a moment, so as to make sure. All this time Layelah stood looking
at me with a smile on her rosy lips and a merry twinkle in her
eyes--evidently regarding my words as empty threats and my act as
a vain pretence, and utterly unprepared for what was to follow.

Suddenly I fired both barrels in quick succession. The reports rang
out in thunder over the sea. The athaleb gave a wild, appalling
shriek, and fell straight down into the water, fluttering vainly with
one wing, while the other hung down useless. A shriek of horror burst
from Layelah. She started back, and fell from her standing-place into
the waves beneath. The next instant we were all in the water
together--the athaleb writhing and lashing the water into foam, while
I involuntarily clung to his coarse mane, and expected death every
moment.

But death did not come; for the athaleb did not sink, but floated with
his back out of the water, the right pinion being sunk underneath and
useless, and the left struggling vainly with the sea. But after a time
he folded up the left wing and drew it close in to his side, and
propelled himself with his long hind-legs. His right wing was broken,
but he did not seem to have suffered any other injury.

Suddenly I heard a cry behind me:

"Atam-or! oh, Atam-or!"

I looked around and saw Layelah. She was swimming in the water, and
seemed exhausted. In the agitation of the past few moments I had lost
sight of her, and had thought that she was drowned; but now the sight
of her roused me from my stupor and brought me back to myself. She was
swimming,