ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 151 



of it in those days, and I had no mind to be left behind. 

 At length the home lights appeared, and all danger from the 

 panther was at an end, but with ' Charlie ' heading straight 

 for his stable at full pelt it was all I could do to avoid 

 being brained in passing through the wickedly low doorway 

 by burying my face in his mane. We were both scratched 

 and bleeding, and it took some time, and a good deal of 

 bread and sugar, before the terrified little animal was 

 soothed and quieted. 



The panthers, however, though not usually aggressive, 

 were sometimes pretty bold, and would even snatch a dog 

 from off the very doorstep if not prevented. This happened 

 once to my knowledge, and the dog's rescue was miraculous. 



It was near the dinner hour — eight o'clock — at the 

 bungalow of a coffee planter and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. N., 

 friends of ours, who lived about twelve miles from where 

 we were. He and she, as very usual at that hour, were 

 bathing and dressing. The servants were laying the table 

 in the dining-room, which opened on a wide verandah, 

 having a deep flight of ten or more steps leading into the 

 garden. Crotons and various other large shrubs grew round 

 about, but nothing to be considered as cover. Lights there 

 were in plenty on all sides. 



Several dogs lay taking their ease in the verandah, and 

 one had stretched herself on a step, not far down, and 

 quite within the light. Her a lurking panther dared to 

 seize, and was making off with, without a sound from 

 either, under the very eyes of the servants, one of whom, 

 however, saw what was happening, and raised the outcry 

 which brought master and mistress upon the scene. That 

 something had happened to Dido they could just make out 

 amid the din of cries and anathemas on the marauder that 

 ensued. Before this time Mr. N. would simply have stared 

 at the idea of leaving his room apparelled in a bath-sheet, 

 but such was the preoccupation of every mind at the 



