e way of happiness, it
terminated. We descended to the compound, and I walked with Lys to the
door of her quarters. There again she kissed me and bade me good
night, and then she went in and closed the door.

I went to my own room, and there I sat by the light of one of the crude
candles we had made from the tallow of the beasts we had killed, and
lived over the events of the evening. At last I turned in and fell
asleep, dreaming happy dreams and planning for the future, for even in
savage Caspak I was bound to make my girl safe and happy. It was
daylight when I awoke. Wilson, who was acting as cook, was up and
astir at his duties in the cook-house. The others slept; but I arose
and followed by Nobs went down to the stream for a plunge. As was our
custom, I went armed with both rifle and revolver; but I stripped and
had my swim without further disturbance than the approach of a large
hyena, a number of which occupied caves in the sand-stone cliffs north
of the camp. These brutes are enormous and exceedingly ferocious. I
imagine they correspond with the cave-hyena of prehistoric times. This
fellow charged Nobs, whose Capronian experiences had taught him that
discretion is the better part of valor--with the result that he dived
head foremost into the stream beside me after giving vent to a series
of ferocious growls which had no more effect upon Hyaena spelaeus than
might a sweet smile upon an enraged tusker. Afterward I shot the beast,
and Nobs had a feast while I dressed, for he had become quite a
raw-meat eater during our numerous hunting expeditions, upon which we
always gave him a portion of the kill.

Whitely and Olson were up and dressed when we returned, and we all sat
down to a good breakfast. I could not but wonder at Lys' absence from
the table, for she had always been one of the earliest risers in camp;
so about nine o'clock, becoming apprehensive lest she might be
indisposed, I went to the door of her room and knocked. I received no
response, though I finally pounded with all my strength; then I turned
the knob and entered, only to find that she was not there. Her bed had
been occupied, and her clothing lay where she had placed it the
previous night upon retiring; but Lys was gone. To say that I was
distracted with terror would be to put it mildly. Though I knew she
could not be in camp, I searched every square inch of the compound and
all the buildings, yet without avail.

It was Whitely who d