Never had Kathlyn seen such an enormous beast.  From his great padded paws to his sloping shoulders he stood easily four feet in height, and his stripes were almost as broad as her hand.  He drank, doubtless eying the buffaloes speculatively; some other time.  Then he, too, sat on his haunches and washed his face, but with infinite gracefulness.  It occurred to the watcher that, familiar as she was with the habits of wild beasts, never had she witnessed a tiger or a lion enact this domestic scene.  Either they were always pacing their cages, gazing far over the heads of those who watched them, or they slept.  Even when they finished a meal of raw meat they merely licked their chops; there was no toilet.

Here, however, was an elaborate toilet.  The great cat licked his paws, drew them across his face; then licked his beautiful sides, purring; for the night was so still and the beast was so near that she could see him quite plainly.  He stretched himself, took another drink, and trotted off to the jungle.

Then came a herd of elephants, for each species seemed to have an appointed time.  The buffaloes emerged and filed away into the dark.  The elephants plunged into the water, squealing, making sport, squirting water over their backs, and rolling, head under; and they buffeted one another amiably, and there was a baby who seemed to get in everybody’s way and the grown-ups treated him shabbily.  By and by they, too, trooped off.  Then came wild pigs and furtive antelopes and foolish, chattering apes.

At last the truce water became deserted and Kathlyn lay down again, only to be surprised by a huge ape who stuck his head up over the edge of the platform.  The surprise was mutual.  Kathlyn pushed the idol toward him.  The splash of it in the water scared off the unwelcome guest, and then Kathlyn lay down and slept.

A day or so later Bruce arrived at the temple.  Day after day he had hung to the trail, picking it up here and losing it there.  He found Rajah, the elephant, the howdah gone, and only the ornamental headpiece discovered to Bruce that he had found his rogue.  Rajah was docile enough; he had been domesticated so long that his freedom rather irked him.

Bruce elicited from the mourning holy men the amazing adventure in all its details.  Kathlyn had disappeared in the jungle and not even the tried hunters could find her.  She was lost.  Bruce, though in his heart of hearts he believed her dead, took up the trail again.  But many weary weeks were to pass ere he learned that she lived.

He shook his fist toward Allaha.  “Oh, Durga Ram, one of these fine days you and I shall square accounts!”

* * * * * *

Kathlyn had just completed herself a dress of grass.  Three years before she had learned the trick from the natives in Hawaii.  The many days of hardship had made her thinner, but never had she been so hardy, so clear eyed, so quick and lithe in her actions.  She had lived precariously, stealing her food at dusk from the tents of the ryots; raw vegetables, plantains, mangoes.  Sometimes she recited verses in order that she might break the oppressive silence which always surrounded her.