The father of the child had no need to question, though he marveled at the white skin and dress of this visitor, who had doubtless saved his child from death. He flung the door shut and dropped the bar. Next he sought his gun and fired through a crack in the door. He missed; but the noise and smoke frightened the leopard away.
And later, Bruce, wild with the anxiety over the disappearance of Kathlyn, came across the chief battling for his life. He had gone forth to hunt the leopard, and the leopard had hunted him. Bruce dared not fire, for fear of killing the man; so without hesitance or fear he caught the leopard by the back of the neck and by a hind leg and swung her into the sea.
The chief was severely mauled, but he was able to get to his feet and walk. The white woman had saved his child and the white man had saved him. He would remember.
Thus the leopard quite innocently served a purpose, for all her deadly intentions; the chief was filled with gratitude.
When the colonel and the others came into view the former seized Kathlyn by the shoulders and shook her hysterically.
"In God's name, Kit, don't you know any better than to wander off alone? Do you want to drive me mad?"
"Why, father, I wasn't afraid!"
"Afraid? Who said anything about your being afraid? Didn't you know that we were being followed? It is Umballa! Ah! that gives you a start!"
"Colonel!" said Bruce gently.
"I know, Bruce, I sound harsh. But you were tearing your hair, too."