The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-03-12
CHAPTER xV-continued.

Finally the lion lifted a forepaw and
turned the body of the girl half over,
then he stood again cycling her as
though still undetermined whether life
was extinct or not Some noise or
odor from the nearby jungle attracted
his attention for a moment. His eyes
did not again return to Jane Clayton,
and presently he left her. walked over
20 the remains Of Taglat and, crouch
ing down upon his kill with his back
toward the girl, proceeded to devour
the ape.
1t was upon this scene that Jane
Clayton at last opened her eyes. In
ured TO danger, she maintained herself
possession in the face of the startling
surprise which her new-found con-
seriousness revealed to her. She saw
that the lion had killed the ape AMI
that he was devouring his prey less
Than fifty feet from where she lay
but what could she do? Her hands and
feet were bound. She must wait then.
in what patience she could command,
until Numa had eaten and digested the
ape, when, without doubt. he would re-
turn to feast upon her. unless, in the
meantime, the dread hyenas should
discover her, or some other of the nu-
merous prowling carnivora of the jun
gle
As she lay tormented by these
frightful thoughts she suddenly be-
came conscious that the bonds on her
wrists and ankles no longer hurt her,
and then of the fact that her hands
were separated, one lying upon either
side of her, instead of both being con-
ined at her back.
For a moment Jane Clayton was
overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiv-
Ing: hut only for moment. What
good vas her new-found liberty in the
face of the frightful beast crouching
so close beside her?
She watched the lion narrowly He
could not see her without turning his
head more than halfway around. She
would attempt a ruse Silently she
rolled over in the direction of the near
est tree, and away from the lion. until
she lay again in the same position in
which Numa had left her, but few
feet farther from him.
Here she lay GREATNESS. watching
the lion; but the beast gave no indica-
ton that he had heard aught to arouse
his suspicious. Again she rolled over,
gaining few more feet and again she
lay in rigid contemplation of the
beasts back.
The girl was but few PAGES from
the tree-a moment more and she
would be close enough to chance
springing to her feet, throwing caution
aside and making sudden, bold dash
for safety. She was halfway over in
her turn, her face away from the lion,
when he suddenly turned his great
head and fastened his eyes upon her.
He saw her roll over upon her side
away from him, and then her eyes
were turned again toward him, and the
cold sweat broke from the girls every
pore as she realized that, with life al
most within her grasp, death had
found her out.
For long time neither the girl nor
the lion moved. The beast lay notion
less, his head turned upon his Shout
.ders and his glaring eyes fixed upon
the rigid victim, now nearly fifty yards
away.
Realizing that she could not again
turn without attracting his immediate
and perhaps fatal attention, Jane Clay
ton resolved to risk all in one last at
tempt to reach the tree and Chamber
10 the lower branches.
Gathering herself stealthily for the
effort, she leaped suddenly to her feet,
but almost simultaneously the lion
sprang up, wheeled and with wide-dis-
tended jaws and terrific roars, charged
swiftly down upon her.
Fear can work wonders, and though
the upward spring of the lion as he
neared the tree into which she was
scrambling brought his talons in con-
tact with her boots she eluded his
raking grasp, and as he hurtled against