22 A WEAPON OF NATURE. 



eye as the leopard (especially the cheetah or hunting leopard), yet nothing is mor 

 evident than that the strange power cannot be exerted in gloom or darkness. 



u I see you mean that I shall not use the log for a footbridge," said Bob Marshall, 

 straightening up, "while I'm determined that I shall, and since I forgot to reload 

 my gun, now is a good time to do so." 



And balancing himself carefully on his narrow support, he took nine cartridges 

 from his belt and placed them in the magazine. Then, bringing his weapon to his 

 shoulder, he sighted at the velvety front of the beast just below her head, and drove 

 three shells into the fatally weak spot with a quickness that could not have been 

 surpassed. 



They were more than enough. 



The leopardess bounded several feet straight up in the air, just as if thrown by a 

 powerful spring-board, making a complete somersault, or rather half a somersault, 

 for she fell on her back, dead, almost as soon as she struck the earth. 



"That teaches you that it's risky business to dispute the way with a young 

 American gentleman when he has the latest pattern of the Winchester at command. 

 The lesson comes too late to do you any good, but it couldn't have been better timed 

 to suit me, and if some of your surviving kindred will read aright the moral of what 

 they discover, it may serve them well." 



As if to make amends for his former forgetfulness, Bob thrust three more cart- 

 ridges in the magazine of his gun, so that as he moved across the stream, and stepped 

 ashore on the same side with the carcass of the leopardess, his weapon was fully 

 charged. 



