Smiling I came to where, with face aglow with exultation, she bent over the deer.
"Well done!" I said; "thou art a veritable Diana." And taking hold of the animal, I dragged it over under the great tree.
The maiden had followed me, a frown of perplexity upon her bright face, and as I threw the bleeding carcass down, she spoke:
"Who is this Diana of whom thou speakest? Is it some lady of thy own country?" And with a pretty look of eagerness she glanced up at me.
"She is a goddess," I answered. "One who descends from above to lead the chase, and to ensnare the hearts of men, even as thou," and I laughed at her confusion. For with a deep blush, she had dropped her long lashes over her black eyes, and stood fingering the fringe of her deerskin tunic.
"I ensnare not the hearts of men," she answered in a low voice. "Some there are who crave but to be caught, and those I care not for; others mayhap would struggle to be free, if by any chance they should fall a victim, and those I would not take prisoners against their will," and she raised her eyes bravely to mine, with the warm light which she vainly endeavored to conceal burning deep in them.
It was my turn to be confused now, and I mechanically sought in my mind for something to say that would change the conversation from this awkward topic, for I knew at that moment that the dark-eyed maid loved me. I could give her no encouragement, and yet I grieved that I should wound her young heart, and even as I stumbled for words to say, Fate, that old master, with a jerk caught the reins from my hands and mounted the box.
With a rustle of the leaves there bounded down through the air from the tree overhead, a long, dark body, which alighted at the very feet of the girl. As she started back horrified, she tripped, and losing her balance, rolled down to the feet of the beast, who, with a hoarse growl, put one paw upon her body, and with gently moving tail stood glaring down at the helpless girl. He was a long bony animal with a round cat head and shining green eyes, perhaps measuring some six feet from muzzle to tail, his color a dark brown. His little short ears erect, he stood there as though to challenge the world.
A huge club lay at my feet, where one of the warriors had dropped it as he pursued the deer. An instant I stood as though spellbound by the spectacle of this ferocious beast, which had dropped as though from the clouds among us, and then with a yell, I caught up the club and sprang at him. Before he could turn upon me, I had raised the heavy bludgeon and brought it down on his head, with a resounding whack; as I did so, I heard the screams of the girl, the shouts of the warriors as they hurried towards us, and with a shrill snarl of rage, the brute recovered from the shock, and then sprang full at my face.
I threw up my left hand to shield my head, and it was on this arm that the great brute, his eyes gleaming with rage and pain, alighted. I felt his sharp claws as they sank deep into my shoulder and arm, his teeth seeking to reach my throat, his hot, fetid breath in my face. I tottered with the weight a moment, and then went down, the animal upon me. Luckily he had his fangs fastened into the chain which held my breastplate in position, and growling and snarling he strove to free himself, his claws rasping and scraping upon my steel plate.