GERARD, THE LION HUNTER 69 



to the opening of the tent. But the lion was no longer 

 to be seen at the place where she had left him. She 

 looked all round but could see nothing of hini. 



' Bah, you have been dreaming ! ' said her father, as 

 they went back into the tent. 



' Indeed I can assure you that I seem to see him still,' 

 replied Ai'ssa. 



' What was he like ? ' 



' He must have been between four and five feet high, 

 and nearly eight feet long,' replied the girl. 



'Well?' 



' With a superb mane.' 



' Yes ? ' 



'Eyes as bright and vellow as gold.' 



' Well ? ' 



' Teeth like ivory, but ' and the girl hesitated. 



' But ? ' repeated her father. 



' But,' she resumed in a lower voice, ' he had not a 

 very nice smell.' 



She had barely uttered these words w T hen a fearful 

 roar was heard just behind the tent, then a second some 

 five hundred yards off, and a third at about half a mile 

 further still. 



Then there was silence. Evidently the lion, who no 

 doubt wished to hear what Ai'ssa would say about him, 

 had made a circle so as to listen behind the tent, and 

 was now hastening away mortified by what he had over- 

 heard. 



A month passed by, and Ai'ssa had almost forgotten 

 her adventure, when one day she w r as told to go to the 

 forest again and cut sticks. Having got what she needed 

 and bound them together in a faggot, she was about to 

 leave, when she heard a slight noise behind her and 

 turned round. 



There was the lion, seated a few paces off and looking 

 at her. 



' Good morning, Ai'ssa,' he said, in a dry tone. 



