I dashed upon the scene of action, and took in the circumstances at a glance. In the centre stood Lionne—a _lionne_ indeed, looking—I could not help observing it, even whilst I blamed the exhibition—most beautiful under the influence of her rage. Her dark face glowing with passion, her arm extended, though powerless to command attention, and her lips pouring forth a torrent of generous indignant words, alike uncomprehended and unheeded by those around her. By her side stood two or three servants, who stared at the lady’s vehemence without attempting to execute her wishes; whilst before her, in the compound was a group of natives actively employed in torturing a poor pariah dog by methods too horrible to relate, and only abating their cruelty to exchange significant grins and glances with one another at Lionne’s impotent rage. But my appearance amongst them had the effect of an electric shock upon the herd. ‘What is all this about?’ I demanded angrily of my servants. ‘How dare you let such a scene go on in my compound?’ ‘Oh, Robert! Robert!’ exclaimed Lionne—it is the first time in her life that she has called me by my Christian name—‘stop them; make them leave off such horrid cruelty. I did not know you were at home, or I would have sent for you before.’ The natives had already shrunk back and huddled together, whilst the unfortunate victim of their experiments still lay panting on the sand before us. ‘Oh, look at it! look at it!’ she cried excitedly; ‘it is in agony; it is dying! Oh, you wretches! you inhuman, barbarous savages!’ with an expression and emphasis which must have made even her English phrases intelligible to the creatures she addressed; ‘I should like to see every one of you served in the same way. You are not men, you are devils!’ ‘Lionne,’ I said firmly, as I laid my hand on the excited girl’s arm, ‘this is no place for you. Leave me to deal with these men by myself.’ She shook off my grasp impatiently, as though disdaining my control; but I caught her eye and chained it. ‘Margaret!’ ‘But, Captain Norton—’ ‘Go in to Janie—you have frightened her enough already—and leave me by myself. I will come to you by-and-by.’ She saw I was in earnest, and with a heightened colour turned from the verandah and re-entered the house, where, after having severely reprimanded my servants, thrashed one or two of the natives, and seen the tortured animal put out of its misery, I followed her. She was seated by Janie’s couch, her hand clasped in that of her cousin, her beautiful head drooped and lowering. I saw that she was ashamed of what had passed; and so I made no reference to it, but asked my wife in an indifferent tone on what she had decided to do this evening. She had decided on nothing—in fact, she wished to do nothing, but to be left to lie still in peace. So, after a while, I proposed a stroll in the compound to Miss Anstruther; and she rose to her feet and prepared to follow me.