in the open across which Badshah was
fleeing it was actually gaining on the elephant, as with an extraordinary
rapidity it poured the sinuous curves of its body along the earth. It was
evident that, if the chase were continued into the dense undergrowth which
would hamper the animal more than the snake, the latter would prove the
winner in the desperate race.

Dermot recognised the pursuer. From its size and the fact that it was
attacking the elephant it could only be that most dreadful and almost
legendary denizen of the forest, the hamadryad, or king-cobra. All other
big snakes in India are pythons, which are not venomous. But this, the
deadliest, most terrible of all Asiatic serpents, is very poisonous and
will wantonly attack man as well as animals. Badshah had probably disturbed
it by accident--it might have been a female guarding its eggs--and in its
vicious rage it had made an onslaught on him.

The peril of the poisoned tooth is the sole one that a grown elephant need
fear in the jungle, and Badshah seemed to know that only his man could save
him. And so in his extremity he fled to Dermot.

The soldier hurriedly put down his rifle and picked up the fowling-piece.
The elephant rushed past him, and then the snake seemed to sense the
man--its feeble sight would not permit it to see him. It swerved out of
its course and came towards him. When but a few feet away it suddenly
checked and, swiftly writhing its body into a coil from which its head
and about five feet of its length rose straight up and waved menacingly
in the air, it gathered impetus to strike.

A deadly feeling of nausea and powerlessness possessed Dermot, as from the
open mouth, in which the fatal fangs showed plainly while the protruding
forked tongue darting in and out seemed to feel for him, came a fetid
effluvia that had a paralysing effect on him. He was experiencing the
extraordinary fascination that a snake exercises over its victims. His
muscles seemed benumbed, as the huge head swayed from side to side and
mesmerised him with its uncanny power. The gun almost dropped from his
nerveless fingers. But with a fierce effort he regained the mastery of
himself, brought the butt to his shoulder, and pressed both triggers.

At that short range the shot blew the snake's head off, and Dermot sprang
back as the heavy body fell forward and lashed and heaved with convulsive
writhing of the muscles, while the tail beat the ground heavily.

At the report