," she whispered. "I shall wait for you--always."

He was gone--and Jane turned to walk across the clearing to the cabin.

Mr. Philander was the first to see her. It was dusk and Mr. Philander
was very near sighted.

"Quickly, Esmeralda!" he cried. "Let us seek safety within; it is a
lioness. Bless me!"

Esmeralda did not bother to verify Mr. Philander's vision. His tone
was enough. She was within the cabin and had slammed and bolted the
door before he had finished pronouncing her name. The "Bless me" was
startled out of Mr. Philander by the discovery that Esmeralda, in the
exuberance of her haste, had fastened him upon the same side of the
door as was the close-approaching lioness.

He beat furiously upon the heavy portal.

"Esmeralda! Esmeralda!" he shrieked. "Let me in. I am being devoured
by a lion."

Esmeralda thought that the noise upon the door was made by the lioness
in her attempts to pursue her, so, after her custom, she fainted.

Mr. Philander cast a frightened glance behind him.

Horrors! The thing was quite close now. He tried to scramble up the
side of the cabin, and succeeded in catching a fleeting hold upon the
thatched roof.

For a moment he hung there, clawing with his feet like a cat on a
clothesline, but presently a piece of the thatch came away, and Mr.
Philander, preceding it, was precipitated upon his back.

At the instant he fell a remarkable item of natural history leaped to
his mind. If one feigns death lions and lionesses are supposed to
ignore one, according to Mr. Philander's faulty memory.

So Mr. Philander lay as he had fallen, frozen into the horrid semblance
of death. As his arms and legs had been extended stiffly upward as he
came to earth upon his back the attitude of death was anything but
impressive.

Jane had been watching his antics in mild-eyed surprise. Now she
laughed--a little choking gurgle of a laugh; but it was enough. Mr.
Philander rolled over upon his side and peered about. At length he
discovered her.

"Jane!" he cried. "Jane Porter. Bless me!"

He scrambled to his feet and rushed toward her. He could not believe
that it was she, and alive.

"Bless me!" Where did you come from? Where in the world have you
been? How--"

"Mercy, Mr. Philander," interrupted the girl, "I can never remember so
many questions."

"Well, well," said Mr. Philander. "Bless me! I am so filled with
surprise and exuberant delight at seeing you safe and