d, and suddenly gathered itself
together, as though listening intently. This for a fraction of a
minute, but sufficiently long to have shifted its position, and the
moonlight was uncertain. But before the watcher could get his sights on
to the right spot again, in a glide and a bound it had disappeared into
the sheltering shadow of the bush.

Wyvern's disgust will hardly bear describing in words. Why had he not
got in his shot while he had the chance, and while it was well-nigh
impossible to miss. Now he had let his chance go by, and it was not in
the least likely to recur. But, what on earth was it that had alarmed
the beast?

Below, like an eye, the water-hole glared dully. Beyond it now
something was standing--a something which seemed to have risen out of
the very earth itself--and it took the black figure of a man. And
Wyvern was conscious of the cold shuddering thrill that passed through
his own system, for the hideous pock-marked countenance turned upward
towards him with deathlike stare, was that of the big Kafir whom the
puff-adder had bitten--had bitten again and again and who was, of
course, long since dead.

How could it be otherwise? No human system could survive an hour with
all that deadly venom injected into it. He could have sworn to that
awful face--it had been too deeply impressed upon his recollection at
the time of the ghastly incident for him to forget it. There could not
be another like it in the world; and it was fully visible to him now
with the moon full upon it as the phantom stood there, huge and black.
No--the thing could not be mortal. It was a physical impossibility--and
he felt his flesh creep as it had never yet done.

The figure was moving. It had struck a crouching attitude, and was
coming straight for where he lay. Instinctively Wyvern grasped the
gun--though what was the use of a weapon against a thing not of flesh
and blood? For a second it paused, then with a bound like that of the
savage animal it had just scared away it alighted where the bush and the
open met. There was a momentary and convulsive struggle accompanied by
fierce hissing, then the horrible figure sprang upright, and stood,
holding aloft, firmly grasped by the neck, a large puff-adder.

In the throes of strangulation the bloated coils of the reptile whipped
the air convulsively, smooth and slimy in the moonlight--but it was
powerless to strike. Itself of no light weight, yet its destroyer was
ab