ffons from a fresh engagement with the bushes when the terrible
thing happened. The lithe, speckled body of a leopard came sailing,
with a grace and swiftness indescribable, through the air and, leaping
upon the fluttering figure, bore her to the ground. A scream of terror
and anguish rent the night, and Gay and Tryon, galvanized by horror,
powerless though they were to contend with the savage brute, rushed
forward to the rescue. But Druro was there before them. They saw him
stoop down and catch the huge cat by its hind legs, and, with
extraordinary power, swing it high in the air. Snarling and spitting,
it twisted its flexible body to attack him in turn, and, even as it
went hurtling over his head into the bush behind, it reached out a paw
and clawed him across the face. At the same moment, a man with a gun
came crashing through the undergrowth, followed the flying body of the
leopard into the bush, and with two rapid shots gave the beast its
quietus. Reeking gun in hand, he returned to the party in the pathway.

"Got the brute at last," he panted. "Only wounded him the first shot;
that's why he came for you people. My God! Who's hurt here?"

No one answered. Mrs. Hading lay moaning terribly on the ground, with
Tryon and Gay bending over her. Druro was stumbling about like a
drunken man. "Is it you, Lundi Druro? Did that devil get you, too?
Where are you hurt?"

"It's Burral, isn't it?" said Druro vaguely. "Yes; I got a flick
across the eyes. Never mind me. Get that lady to your place, Burral,
and telephone to Selukine. Tell them to send a car and a doctor and to
drive like mad."

"My throat--oh, my throat!" keened Marice Hading. Tryon supported her.
Gay was tearing her white skirt into strips and using them for
bandages. Druro came stumbling over to them.

"For God's sake, get her to Burral's place, Dick!" said he. "Burral's
wife is a nurse and will know what to do. Can you two fellows carry
her? I would help you--but I can't see very well. I'll come on
behind."

Gay helped to lift Marice into the two men's arms, and they went ahead
with their moaning burden; then she came back to Druro, who was
staggering vaguely along.

"Let me help you, Lundi. Lean on me."

He put out an arm, and she caught it and placed it around her shoulders.

"I can't see, Gay," he said, in a voice that was quite steady yet had
in it some quality of terrible apprehension. She peered into his face.
The moon h