All at once I read in the creature's eyes his intent to put an end to the affair. His tail began slowly to lash backwards and forwards, beating the ground fiercely; then I saw the haunches of the lithe body crouch up, the shoulders draw back. I could bear it no longer. I felt my brain turning, and, uttering cry after cry, called aloud for help, addressing both Umatula and Jack, yet feeling despairingly aware that, even did they hear my cries, they never could arrive in time to aid me. A prayer rose to my lips. I gave one gigantic, mad struggle as I saw the leopard rise quickly into the air; then shrieked wildly as its horrid face, with its eyes aflame--its terrible mouth agape and glistening with strong white teeth--glared into mine, while its breath, like a simoom, stirred my very hair. Madly I flung up my arms, then sunk back insensible. When I came to--for of course I did, else this history would never have been written--I believed I had been killed, and, having passed through the darkness of the grave, had awakened in the other world; but a few instants after my eyes recognised the African foliage about me, and I felt I was lying on the ground, my body painful with pricks and tears, and my head supported on somebody's knees. "Is that you, Jack, old fellow?" I asked faintly. "Ah, you speak! you live!" exclaimed a well-remembered voice in the Kaffir tongue, and Zenuta's face was bent over mine. Faint and sore as I was, I started up in my surprise, ejaculating--"Zenuta! you here? How can it be possible?" "Possible! Oh, Galbrth, do you think I could have ever lived without you? You went--oh, cruel, cruel!--but I followed--pardon me." "What! followed, Zenuta? Have you braved the dangers of the bush alone, and for my sake?" I said, in much astonishment and emotion. "Dangers!" she repeated, smiling, "I did not think of them. What were they to me when I knew by surmounting them I should again see you; and if I did not," she added seriously, "I thought we might meet again _there_,"--pointing upward--"as you have so often told me we should." The tears started to my eyes at the affection of this poor girl, and, taking her hand, I said, "Heaven bless you, Zenuta! I shall never be able to repay you--never, indeed, for it must be to you that I owe my life." "Yes, yes! to me, Galbrth, to me!" she cried, a bright joy radiating her features, as she clapped her hands with delight; "you owe your life to me, poor Zenuta! Oh, I am glad--so glad!" "But tell me how, dear Zenuta. I really thought my hour had at last come."