his friends; and it was not until
his eyes refused to remain open any longer that he ceased to entertain
an admiring circle that night with the details of his face-to-face
meeting with a tiger.

But Verkimier's anticipations in regard to that paradise were not to be
realised. The evil passions of a wicked man, with whom he had
personally nothing whatever to do, interfered with his plans. In the
middle of the night a native Malay youth named Babu arrived at the
village and demanded an interview with the chief. That worthy, after
the interview, conducted the youth to the hut where his visitors lived,
and, rousing Van der Kemp without disturbing the others, bade him listen
to what the young man had to say. An expression of great anxiety
overspread the hermit's usually placid countenance while Babu was
speaking.

"It is fate!" he murmured, as if communing with himself--then, after a
pause--"no, there is no such thing as fate. It is, it must be, the will
of God. Go, young man, mention this to no one. I thank you for the
kindness which made you take so long a journey for my sake."

"It is not kindness, it is love that makes me serve you," returned the
lad earnestly. "Every one loves you, Van der Kemp, because that curse
of mankind, _revenge_, has no place in your breast."

"Strange! how little man does know or guess the secret thoughts of his
fellow!" said the hermit with one of his pitiful smiles. "_Revenge_ no
place in me!--but I thank you, boy, for the kind thought as well as the
effort to save me. My life is not worth much to any one. It will not
matter, I think, if my enemy should succeed. Go now, Babu, and God be
with you!"

"He will surely succeed if you do not leave this place at once,"
rejoined the youth, in a tone of decision. "Baderoon is furious at all
times. He is worse than ever just now, because you have thwarted his
plans--so it is said--very often. If he knew that _I_ am now thwarting
them also, he would hunt me to death. I will not leave you till you are
safe beyond his reach."

The hermit looked at the lad with kindly surprise.

"How comes it," he said, "that you are so much interested in me? I
remember seeing you two years ago, but have no recollection of having
done you any service."

"Do you not remember that my mother was ill when you spent a night in
our hut, and my little sister was dying? You nursed her, and tried your
best to save her, and when you could not save her, and