monitions of My Dear had convinced Meriem that it was not
good form to go naked through the world.

At her hip hung a hunting knife. Her rifle was still in its boot at
her pony's withers. Her revolver she had not brought.

The kid was still bleating as Meriem started rapidly in its direction,
which she knew was straight toward a certain water hole which had once
been famous as a rendezvous for lions. Of late there had been no
evidence of carnivora in the neighborhood of this drinking place; but
Meriem was positive that the bleating of the kid was due to the
presence of either lion or panther.

But she would soon know, for she was rapidly approaching the terrified
animal. She wondered as she hastened onward that the sounds continued
to come from the same point. Why did the kid not run away? And then
she came in sight of the little animal and knew. The kid was tethered
to a stake beside the waterhole.

Meriem paused in the branches of a near-by tree and scanned the
surrounding clearing with quick, penetrating eyes. Where was the
hunter? Bwana and his people did not hunt thus. Who could have
tethered this poor little beast as a lure to Numa? Bwana never
countenanced such acts in his country and his word was law among those
who hunted within a radius of many miles of his estate.

Some wandering savages, doubtless, thought Meriem; but where were they?
Not even her keen eyes could discover them. And where was Numa? Why
had he not long since sprung upon this delicious and defenseless
morsel? That he was close by was attested by the pitiful crying of the
kid. Ah! Now she saw him. He was lying close in a clump of brush a
few yards to her right. The kid was down wind from him and getting the
full benefit of his terrorizing scent, which did not reach Meriem.

To circle to the opposite side of the clearing where the trees
approached closer to the kid. To leap quickly to the little animal's
side and cut the tether that held him would be the work of but a
moment. In that moment Numa might charge, and then there would be
scarce time to regain the safety of the trees, yet it might be done.
Meriem had escaped from closer quarters than that many times before.

The doubt that gave her momentary pause was caused by fear of the
unseen hunters more than by fear of Numa. If they were stranger blacks
the spears that they held in readiness for Numa might as readily be
loosed upon whomever dared release their bait as