cket all around of bright-hued blossoms, with
their attendant train of bird and gorgeous insect. Huge trees threw
their sheltering arms across, to break up the sun's rays into golden
showers, which flecked and danced upon every verdant spot; but the great
beauty of the scene which held me there was the sight of Lilla seated
upon the fallen trunk, her little straw hat hanging from one
muslin-covered arm by the knotted strings, and a little basket filled to
overflowing with bright-hued flowers fallen at her feet.

I could not move nor speak for a few minutes, and then I was hesitating
as to what I should do: avoid every meeting such as this out of respect
to my promise, or warn her that but a short distance back I had come
upon some hidden danger.

"She will laugh at me," I thought. "She is so used to hear of the
forest inhabitants; and besides, after all, I did not see anything; it
may only have been some timid animal escaping. I will go back another
way."

In spite of myself a sigh escaped me as I gazed at the graceful form;
and then, as I leaned forward it seemed to me that her attitude was
unnatural and strained--that she was gazing intently upwards, as if at
something a short distance above her head. I took a step forward--
another and another, but she did not move; when, following the direction
of her gaze, I found her eyes were fixed with a strange fascination at
the great bough above her--a huge gnarled and knotted bough, with here
and there a tuft of foliage upon it, while its great thick bark was
tinted and shady with rich brown and umber mosses, and--

"Good heavens!" I ejaculated, and then I was speechless. A sense of
horror was constricting my heart. I was, as it were, fixed to the
ground where I stood, hardly able to breathe, for as I had gazed at the
rich marking on the great knotted limb a strange shuddering vibration
had passed through it--it was in motion for many feet along its thickest
part, and the umber markings glistened; for they were upon the scaly
skin of a huge serpent, lying in many a fold and convolution upon the
mighty bough.

What did it mean--what was going to happen?

I could not tell; but a deadly sickness came over me--a cold clammy
perspiration bedewed my limbs. I could only see as through a mist, but
plainly enough I could make out that fold was gliding over fold in a
horrible lacing and enlacing of gigantic knots, till slowly the
reptile's head was thrust forward, with