Her touch thrilled him. It sent little throbs through his body, atremulous quivering which she could feel and which deepened the glow inher eyes. Gently her hand stroked his head and his back. It seemed toNepeese that he did not breathe. Under the caress of her hand his eyesclosed. In another moment she was talking to him, and at the sound ofher voice his eyes shot open.

"He will come here--that beast--and he will kill us," she was saying."He will kill you because you bit him, Baree. Ugh, I wish you werebigger, and stronger, so that you could take off his head for me!"

She was untying the babiche from about the table leg, and under herbreath she laughed. She was not frightened. It occasionally was a tremendousadventure--and she throbbed with exultation at the thought of havingbeaten the man-beast inside her own way. She could see him in the poolstruggling and beating about like a great fish. He was just aboutcrawling out of the chasm now--and she laughed again as she caughtBaree up under her arm.

"0h--oopi-nao--but you are weighty!" she gasped, "And yet I must carryyou--because I am going to run!"