“The coyotés scattered at his approach; and I was saved from a fearful fate—I may say, out of the jaws of death.
“I had another spell of sleep, or unconsciousness—whichever it may have been.
“On awaking I was able to reflect. I knew that the dog must have come from my jacalé; which I also knew to be several miles distant. He had been taken thither, the day before, by my servant, Phelim.
“The man should still be there; and I bethought me of sending him a message—the staghound to be its bearer.
“I wrote some words on a card, which I chanced to have about me.
“I was aware that my servant could not read; but on seeing the card he would recognise it as mine, and seek some one who could decipher what I had written upon it.
“There would be the more likelihood of his doing so, seeing that the characters were traced in blood.
“Wrapping the card in a piece of buckskin, to secure it against being destroyed, I attached it to Tara’s neck.
“With some difficulty I succeeded in getting the animal to leave me. But he did so at length; and, as I had hoped, to go home to the hut.
“It appears that my message was duly carried; though it was only yesterday I was made acquainted with the result.