She told herself that she would have given all she had to know if the dream were true and then found herself trembling from head to foot lest haply she might one day find that it had been so.  Yes, on the whole she was relieved, thankful beyond measure, that he had not made love to her.  Things were better as they were.

The church clock struck one as she arrived at this comfortable conclusion, and she turned her back to the moonlight and composed herself for slumber.  Her thoughts wandered off down another track;—­India as Nick had described it to her, a land of rivers and jungles, tigers and snakes, natives that were like monkeys, horses that moved like camels, pigs with tusks that had to be hunted and slain.  Elephants too!  He had left out the elephants, but they crowded in royal array into Olga’s quick imagination.  She and Nick would often go elephant-riding in the jungle.  Mysterious word!  It held her like a spell.  Tall trees and winding undergrowth, a gloom well-nigh impenetrable, creatures that hid and spied upon them as they passed!  Perhaps they would go tiger-hunting together.  She thrilled at the thought, picturing herself creeping down one of those dim glades, rifle in hand, in search of the enemy.  Nick would certainly have to teach her to shoot.  He was a splendid shot, she knew.  She believed that she could be a good shot too.  It would not be easy to mark the striped body sliding through the undergrowth, but it would be a serious thing to miss.  Olga’s eyes closed.  She began to wander down that jungle path, in search of the monster that lurked there.  The lust of the hunt was upon her.  She was about to secure the largest tiger that had ever been seen.

Her breath came quickly.  Her blood ran hot.  She forgot all lesser things in the ardour of the chase.  The elephants had disappeared.  She was running on foot through the jungle, eager and undismayed.  Ah!  What was that?  Something that moved and was still.  Two points that shone out suddenly ahead of her!  Green eyes that gleamed triumphant mockery!  Her heart stopped beating.  Those eyes!  Those eyes!  They struck terror to her soul.

Headlong she turned and fled.  Back through the jungle with the anguished speed of fear.  The ground was sodden.  It seemed to hold her flying feet.  She tore them free, only to plunge deeper at every step, while behind her, swift and remorseless, followed her fate.

Wildly she struggled, powerless but persistent, till at last her strength was gone.  She sank in utter impotence.

And then he came to her, he lifted her, he held her in his arms, pressed sickening kisses upon her lips; and suddenly she knew that she had fled from a myth to hurl herself into the power of her enemy.  She had eluded her fate but to find herself at the mercy of a devil.

Gasping and half-suffocated she awoke, starting upright in a cold sweat of fear.  Her heart was pumping as if it would burst.  Her starting eyes searched and searched for the face of her captor.  Her ears were strained for the sound of his soft, hateful laugh.