30 NEIGHBORS WITH CLAWS AND HOOFS. 



an enormous animal lying but a few feet away. There 

 was not sufficient light to distinguish what animal it was. 

 It might be a lion, a tiger, a crocodile ; but there was no 

 doubt of the presence of some large and terrible creature. 



8. When the moon rose so as to shine directly into the 

 grotto, its beams lighted up the beautiful spotted hide of 

 a huge panther. This lion of Egypt slept with her head 

 upon her paws with the comfortable dignity of a great 

 house-dog. The soldier dared not make the slightest noise 

 lest he should awaken her. Nothing broke the deep 

 silence but the breath of the panther and the strong beat- 

 ings of his own heart. 



9. To attempt her destruction and fail, would be cer- 

 tain death. She was too near to use his carbine. Twice 

 he put his hand upon his cimeter; but the thought of 

 her hard rough skin made him relinquish his project. 

 Day came at last, and showed the jaws of the sleeping 

 panther covered with blood. " She has eaten lately," said 

 the Frenchman to himself ; " she will not awake in him- 

 ger." 



10. She was in truth a beautiful monster. The fur 

 on her throat and legs was a delicate buff; a circle of 

 dark spots like velvet formed bracelets around her paws ; 

 her large, muscular tail was buff with rings of black ; and 

 the soft, smooth fur of her body was of a glowing yellow, 

 like un wrought gold, richly shaded with dark-brown and 

 black spots. She reposed in the graceful attitude of a 

 puss sleeping on a footstool. Her head rested on her out- 

 stretched paws, and her smellers spread out like silver 

 threads. 



11. When the sun arose, the panther suddenly opened 

 her eyes, stretched out her paws, and gaped, showing a 

 frightful row of teeth and a great tongue as hard and 

 rough as a file. She then began to wash her paws, pass- 



