[Illustration: THE SURPRISE--Page 140.]

"No doubt of it, Frank. I have one other story to tell you about the
puma, which fortunately exhibits it in a more favourable light than
some of those which I have told you.

"During the government of Don Diego de Mendoza, in Paraguay, a dreadful
famine raged at Buenos Ayres; yet Diego, afraid to give the Indians a
habit of spilling Spanish blood, forbade the inhabitants, on pain of
death, to go into the fields, in search of relief, placing soldiers at
all the outlets to the country, with orders to fire upon those who
should attempt to transgress his orders. A woman, however, called
Maldonata, was artful enough to elude the vigilance of the guards, and
to effect her escape. After wandering about the country for a long time,
she sought shelter in a cavern; but she had scarcely entered it, when
she became dreadfully alarmed, on observing a puma occupying the same
den. She was, however, soon quieted by the animal approaching and
caressing her. The poor brute was very ill, and scarcely able to crawl
towards her. Maldonata soon discovered what was the cause of the
animal's illness, and kindly ministered to it. It soon recovered, and
was all gratitude and attention to its kind benefactress, never
returning from searching after its daily subsistence without laying a
portion of it at the feet of Maldonata.

"Some time after, Maldonata fell into the hands of the Spaniards; and,
being brought back to Buenos Ayres, was conducted before Don Francis
Ruez de Galen, who then commanded there. She was charged with having
left the city contrary to orders. Galen was a man of a cruel and
tyrannical disposition, and condemned the unfortunate woman to a death
which none but the most cruel tyrant could have devised. He ordered some