I could not believe
that they would give any effective support to their mounted comrades or
even that they could overtake the outlaws after sunset in such broken and
wooded country, or that any or all of them could rescue any of the
prisoners I shuddered to think of Vedia in the clutches of such ruthless
villains. But I could accomplish nothing towards helping her. I turned to
slink homewards.
Half way to the spot where we had left the highway I encountered a lion.
He did not attack me or menace me and I was not afraid of him. But the
sight of him brought to my attention that the light was waning and that I
was, for a man afoot, a considerable distance from my cottage in broken
country full of escaped beasts of prey. I had never understood my power
over all animals, but I had always conceived that it depended on the way I
looked to them when they gazed at me. I was totally unafraid of the most
ferocious beast by daylight, but by no means comfortable in twilight or
dusk, while after dark I had no reason to think that a lion, or tiger
would prove more tractable to me than to any other man. I felt that I must
hasten home, if I was ever to reach it alive. With what breath I had left
I ran the rest of the easy downhill path to the highway.
Pages:
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611