"
? ? ? ? "No, John, if it was not a man it was some huge and grotesque mockery of man. Oh, I am afraid."
? ? ? ? He gathered her in his arms, whispering words of courage and love into her ears.
? ? ? ? Soon after, he lowered the curtain walls, tying them securely to the trees so that, except for a little opening toward the beach, they were entirely enclosed.
? ? ? ? As it was now pitch dark within their tiny aerie they lay down upon their blankets to try to gain, through sleep, a brief respite of forgetfulness.
? ? ? ? Clayton lay facing the opening at the front, a rifle and a brace of revolvers at his hand.
? ? ? ? Scarcely had they closed their eyes than the terrifying cry of a panther rang out from the jungle behind them. Closer and closer it came until they could hear the great beast directly beneath them. For an hour or more they heard it sniffing and clawing at the trees which supported their platform, but at last it roamed away across the beach, where Clayton could see it clearly in the brilliant moonlight--a great, handsome beast, the largest he had ever seen.
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