"It can't live without food," he continued. "And it must want a lot too. Whoever can take the trouble to get it food of the only kind--as I suppose--that it would care for? And why is it there in the middle of that strange place? One would almost think it was kept there as a kind of show or curiosity; and yet--we have never heard about it all the time we have been here! And it is there, with the gate open, no fence to guard people, or notice to warn them. Well! It's a mystery to me!" But if they had been astounded and horror-stricken at what they had seen, they were still more mystified and upset by Ulama's behaviour when they told her of their adventure; for she fainted right off and, when she recovered, seemed so overcome with terror as to be unable to say a word. No explanation would she give; save that now and then she murmured, almost in a moan, to herself, "Then it _is_ true! And I never knew! It is horrible--too horrible!" When Leonard expressed his sorrow about the puma, she hardly seemed to notice it. "Ah yes!" she said once. "Poor Tuo! I shall miss him--and such a death, too! But oh, he saved you and your friend! And then, he was but an animal--but the others!" At her express desire they promised not to speak to any one else about it. "I will tell you why--or you will know why--later," she added. "But you can speak privately to Monella about it; to no one else just now!" When they found an opportunity of speaking to him about it, he looked very grave. "You have had a narrow escape," he said. "Heaven be thanked you did escape. I cannot explain more to you now, but may be able to do so shortly. Meantime, please do as the princess says, and keep this matter to yourselves." All this time Leonard's relations with Ulama had remained unchanged; they had not been placed on any settled footing. Monella had asked him to take time to make up his mind, and had intimated that nothing would be said or done meanwhile. Leonard had, however, been too impatient to put his fate to the test to be able to wait after the encouragement Monella had given to him. But, whether Ulama had spoken on the subject with her father, he knew not; for it so happened that he had not seen her alone since their love-scene in the boat. And now she was evidently much discomposed about their adventure with the 'devil-tree'; though she did not refer to it again. Naturally too, the recollection of it was very much in the minds of the two young men. Leonard asked Templemore, one day, what the branches of the one he had seen were like.