oser and closer,
then stop and again coil itself ready for the final spring. She
shuddered, and, closing her eyes, waited for the end. There was a
strange buzzing in her ears. Suddenly everything grew dark. The cobra
began hissing more furiously. There was a loud crash and she knew no
more.

When again she opened her eyes, she was lying on the bed and Armitage
was kneeling by her side, bathing her face with water. Surprised to find
herself still alive, she looked at him, the look of terror still in her
face. Fearfully she whispered:

"Where is it? Did you see it?"

"It's all right," he said cheerily, trying to quiet her. "It won't
trouble you any more."

"Was it only a nightmare?" she murmured.

"Nightmare--no," he answered. "It was real enough. Look!"

He pointed to a few paces away where lay the cobra, dead, its head
crushed in by an enormous stone.

"I heard you scream," he explained. "I was asleep. It woke me. At first
I thought I was dreaming. Then came another scream. I ran here and saw
you against the wall yonder and the serpent preparing to spring. I
picked up a stone and killed him. I was just in time, a second later and
it would have been too late."

"Thank God!" she said.

Then she fainted again.

CHAPTER XII.

It was some time before Grace had recovered sufficiently from the
nervous shock of her terrifying encounter with the cobra to be able to
get about, and during this period of enforced idleness she was compelled
to depend altogether on Armitage. He supplied her with the necessaries
and, as well as he was able, administered to her comfort.

Grateful to him for his attentions, it was not long before her feeling
of obligation changed into real regard for the man. The dread in which
she at first held him had completely disappeared, as was only natural
after the services he had rendered her. Twice she owed him her life.
That alone was a debt she could never repay. Moreover, he was thoughtful
and courteous, and, so far, at least, had shown no disposition to take
advantage of her helpless situation. How much worse her position would
be if he were not there at all!

But she was too much worried and preoccupied with her own troubles to
give her strange companion much thought. She watched him at work, and
she ate listlessly the food he brought her, but that was about all the
interest she took in anything.

Her one burning desire was to get away. During all her waking hours her
thoughts