if he had observed us quitting the
camp. If so, I had little doubt that he would follow in our footsteps,
and attack us should he find an opportunity. He might, indeed, at the
present moment be stealing upon us to shoot me, and carry off the lady,
before the guards could be aware of his approach. As may be supposed,
therefore, I very frequently turned my head anxiously round, almost
expecting to see him. I also began to think that the sheikh had acted
very imprudently in sending the lady with so small an escort, and I
regretted that I had not begged to have a greater number of guards; at
the same time, it occurred to me that I should have had more difficulty
in escaping from them than from the two men who accompanied us.

The thought of the possibility of being suddenly attacked by Antonio
added not a little to the annoyance I felt at having to carry the little
blackamoor. Still, unwilling to offend his mother, I went on without
complaining as long as I could walk. I felt very much inclined, I
confess, to pinch his legs and make him cry out, especially when he
amused himself by pulling at my hair, evidently thinking it very good
fun.

We had gone some distance when, turning my head, I saw--not Antonio, but
a large panther, stealing out from a thicket at some distance on our
left, and approaching us with stealthy steps. "Now, lady, unless you
wish your child to be gobbled up by yonder monster, you must take him,"
I cried, throwing the urchin, without waiting for a reply, into the
palanquin, and shouting out to Selim and the guides to come to my
assistance, as I had only my pistol slung to my back--a very
unsatisfactory weapon with which to encounter a wild beast. The guides
had carbines and spears, indeed; but it was a question whether they
would use them or run away.

Selim at once gave proof of his courage and fidelity, however, by
snatching a carbine from one of his companions, and rushing back at full
speed towards me. "Don't fire your pistol," he cried out; "keep that,
lest my carbine fail to kill the beast."

The panther came on, in spite of the shouts which the guides set up,
while they waved their cloaks and spears, and did their utmost to
frighten it away. When within about a hundred yards of us, however, the
savage creature stopped. This encouraged the guides, who now moved
hesitatingly towards us. But again the panther crept on, though with
less boldness than at first, as if it had expected to