outh and West; not the way the Sahib has gone before."

"You haven't told me about them before."

"Because Nels was not come to full strength, since his hurt."

"I'd hate to have him meet an accident."

"To-morrow he will go safe. He rose up last night and listened to a
hunting cheetah's cry."

"Are they close as that?"

"Not to a European Sahib's ear; but to Nels, yes."

"Deal Sahib said you would tell me about the cheetahs."

"What I have of value is by the common wayside; but _fortune causes
wealth to flow down mountain streams for those who climb_. There are
several things to consider, Sahib."

Skag was amused; he had not yet heard that only the ignorant teach
without apology. As seriously as possible, he said:

"I am listening."

Bhanah spoke gravely; his words falling like weights:

"That he is--seldom seen--till it is too late--to prepare. He is
treacherous."

"Where does he hide?"

"In the large-leaved trees which stretch their branches like that."
And Bhanah held his arms out horizontally, one above the other,
parallel.

"All right."

"That he is quicker than a man's eye."

Skag waited.

"And that he is more deadly than the tiger."

"How is that?"

"Because he is more quick. Because he is equal in power, even when he
is not equal in weight. Because he fights not only for food, not only
for life, but for the love of killing. Of all living things, he is the
creature of blood-lust. He is the name-of-fear, incarnate. It would
not be a good thing for my master to hear, nor for his servant to
tell--the cheetah's ways with a body from which life is gone out."

"You've made a strong argument for the cheetah as a fighter, Bhanah,
but you don't seem to stand much for his character."

"Who faces the hunting cheetah, Sahib, faces death. If the cheetah
falls upon him from above, or comes upon him from behind, he will know
death; but he will never know the cheetah. A hunter's first shot must
do its work; he will not often have time to fire again."

"I've got that. But I don't quite see what chance a dog has with him."

"Only four dogs in this my land, have any chance with him, Sahib."

"And the others?"

"They live because they have not met a cheetah."

"How does Nels do it?"

"My master must look upon that, to understand. I have seen, but I
cannot show it. It--" and a rare smile lighted the dark shadows of
Bhanah's face, "is _soon_."

"I've heard the Indian princes use th