as later, when the great cat called into play all the
resources and artifices at her command that their hour would strike. But
like the other foolish wild folk, they looked upon that time as
something belonging to the indistinct future and not until the lesson
should be brought home to them, swiftly and terribly, would they profit
by it.

In her turn, Suma hated the monkey tribe. She had frequent glimpses of
the dark forms slinking through the branches high above her head, but
gave no indication of the fact. At the present time she could not hope
successfully to wage war upon them in their arboreal fastness. But it
would not always be so. Other days were coming and then the monkey band
would be given their lesson and punished for their presumption.

The bird flocks swept through the forest in quest of their livelihood
with as much clamor as ever. To them Suma meant nothing; the majority of
them had never seen her--did not even know that such a creature existed.
The jays, quarrelsome and noisy as are their relatives of the temperate
zone, occasionally saw the spotted hunter as she passed where the
undergrowth was more open, and sent up a loud chatter that apprised all
the other wild things of her whereabouts. And while realizing her
impotence to deal with them, Suma could never quite check the growl that
swelled in her throat nor stay the lips that drew back until the
gleaming, white fangs were exposed to view. Then, with a sheepish look
as if heartily ashamed of having noticed the pests at all, she hastened
to thicker cover and quickly lost herself to her tormentors.

And so the days, and the nights too, passed swiftly, each with its
complement of thunder and of rain, and of intimidation and destruction;
but at last Suma was satisfied. The region had been cleared of
everything that might disturb the tranquillity of the weeks to come.
That had been her first care, her first duty prompted by an instinct
that made her merciless in its execution. Her abode was safe from
disturbance. She could come and go as she chose, serene in the knowledge
that not a living thing remained in the vicinity to trouble her, or, if
any remained they were cowed to the point where they dared not make
their presence known. Then she retired to the cavity in the great
cottonwood and for three days and three nights the jungle saw her not.

The deluge thundered and beat upon the drooping vegetation with a sound
so monotonous that Suma grew accusto