creature wake, it was highly probable that Lariboo would serve her for a breakfast.

It was some comfort to observe that the panther's mouth and paws were covered with blood. "She will be less fierce if she is not hungry," thought Lariboo; "her stomach being already full, perhaps she will have the goodness not to eat me up at present; and in the meanwhile I may possibly escape."

At last the powerful animal awoke. She stretched out her paws, shook herself, and washed her neck and ears as prettily as a kitten. Lariboo's blood ran cold, and her heart seemed to drop down like lead. She did not dare to breathe. The panther was quite unconscious of the presence of company, until she turned her head to wash the hair on her glossy sides. She instantly stopped her operations and fixed an earnest gaze upon the trembling woman. Their eyes met. Extreme terror sometimes affects one like the nightmare and takes away all power of word or motion.

Lariboo felt as if she would rush anywhere to avoid the gaze of this terrible creature; but she could not even take her eyes away. The panther put one paw on her arm, and they stood eye to eye, as if neither could possibly look elsewhere.

As she stood there thus, quite still, Lariboo recovered her habitual boldness and presence of mind. She raised her hand, patted the panther on the neck, and gently scratched her head. All animals like to have their heads rubbed, and the panther was evidently pleased with it. Lariboo, encouraged by this gracious reception of her friendly advances, stooped down and breathed into her nostrils, caressing her the while; for she had heard the hunters say that human breath, thus inhaled, is the surest way of taming a wild beast. But, like

putting salt on the tail of a bird, the difficulty is to get near enough to do it.

The panther manifested a decided liking for the courageous woman. Her eyes gradually softened in expression; she began to wag her tail like a joyful dog, and purr like a petted cat.

Lariboo was glad to gain the good will of her formidable companion, though she had very little hope of ultimate escape. "Her stomach is full now," she thought; "but doubtless she will eat me up as soon as she is hungry."

She rose, and prepared to leave the grotto. The panther made no opposition to her movements, but followed her like a dog. Lariboo, having eaten a few dates for breakfast, threw some to her companion; but she smelled at them and turned away with cool contempt. As they walked along, they came to a group of trees where our traveler first rested when she arrived at the oasis. Here, for many hours, Lariboo leisurely sauntered about, collecting dates and nuts by which she hoped to sustain life while wandering through the desert.

The panther never lost sight of her new friend. Sometimes she disappeared for a few minutes; but she soon came bounding back, rubbing against Lariboo, as if asking to have her head scratched. The weaker party of course deemed it safe to treat the stronger with distinguished attention; and their friendship seemed to increase every minute.

Lariboo, having gathered her fruit, sat down beside a large thornbush to rest herself. As she sat there making a strong basket of palm leaves, to carry the food in, the panther lay at her feet watching her movements. At last the animal's eyes began to close; for she was getting very drowsy. "Now is my time to escape," thought the African. "As for going through the desert with such a ferocious companion

it is out of the question. True, we are very good friends now, but hunger will certainly change her feelings towards

When she thought the mighty animal was sound asleep, Lariboo stole softly and swiftly away. For nearly twenty minutes she ran along as fast as her nimble feet could fly. She was just beginning to think she might safely pause to take breath, when she heard a great noise behind her. It was the panther, which came bounding over the ground, taking the enormous leaps peculiar to the animal. As she came up to the runaway, she seized hold of Lariboo's cotton mantle with her teeth; but she did it with a gentle force, as if in play. Lariboo patted her head and smiled, and the panther began to purr and wag her tail. It was plain enough that she had taken a decided fancy to her new comrade, and was determined to remain with her, whether her company was desired or not. The woman, finding escape impossible, resolved to do her utmost to preserve the attachment thus singularly formed.

She was anxious to return to the Tibbu country, and her strength being sufficiently recruited, she resolved to leave the oasis as soon as the sun went down. She preferred to travel in the night, because it was so much cooler than the day; and she was in quite as much danger of wild beasts while staying in the oasis as she would be in the open desert. Having provided herself with as many nuts and dates as she could carry, she began her journey. The panther trotted along by her side, like a great Newfoundland dog, sometimes leaping a great way ahead, then stopping until she came up; at other times jumping and curveting and rolling over in the sand, as if she were in a great frolic.

It was a beautiful sight to see these two strange compan

ions traveling along through the desert, where everything was so very still. Not even the wings of a bird ruffled the air. The wilderness stretched itself out in every direction to the utmost verge of the horizon. As the breeze played lightly with the sand, it rippled and tossed like the gentle heaving of the ocean in a calm. The resemblance to the ocean was made still more strong by glassy particles of sand, that glittered in the moonbeams like sunshine on the water. Towards morning Lariboo lay down to take some rest, before the sun rose to scorch every earthly thing with his burning rays. The panther folded up her paws, and soon began to breathe sonorously in a profound slumber. They had been sleeping some time, when Lariboo was suddenly wakened by the noise of a tremendous struggle. She sprang to her feet, and preceived by the light of the stars that some furious animal was fighting with the panther. The awful sight made her dizzy and faint, and she fell back in a swoon. When consciousness returned, the panther was standing by her, licking her hands affectionately with her great rough tongue.

The morning light revealed part of the carcass of a great striped hyena, lying on the sand. Lariboo caressed her faithful friend with enthusiasm. "My dear protector, had it not been for you," she said, "this terrible beast would have devoured me while I was sleeping." She actually wept, as she fondly stroked the beautiful glossy hair of the superb animal.

All day they traveled without seeing anything that had life. "It is lucky you had a hyena for breakfast,” said Lariboo, as she patted the panther's head; "otherwise you might be tempted to eat a friend."

During the succeeding day, the powerful beast tasted no

food. Her playfulness ceased, her eyes glared fiercely and she began to make a deep mournful noise. In this emergency, Lariboo no longer felt safe in trusting to the animal's affection. Though overcome with fatigue, she could sleep only by short and fitful snatches, so great was her fear.

The panther disappeared in the night and did not return during the following day. The thought that they had parted forever made the lonely traveler extremely sad. But just at sunset she heard the well-known cry which she had learned to love most heartily. The panther came bounding along, at her usual speed, springing high from the earth, and clearing the ground faster than the swiftest race horse.

No dog was ever more joyful to meet his master than she was to rejoin Lariboo. She rubbed her sides against her friend, and purred, and seemed as if she would never be satisfied with caresses.

Lariboo was equally delighted to meet the creature that loved her so strangely and so well. It was evident that the panther had obtained the food of which she had been in search, and it was now obvious that nothing short of absolute starvation would tempt the fierce brute to make a meal of her beloved companion.

It was more than a fortnight before the travelers entered the Tibbu country. During that time they met with many oases, where Lariboo stopped to gather nuts and berries, and refresh herself with water. In one of these places she had great fun with the monkeys, pelting them with small stones, while they, in their rage for imitation, threw down nuts in

return.

The panther continued to be an invaluable traveling companion; a playmate by day, and a guard by night. The African tribes sometimes dig deep ditches in the desert to