The rifle carried six cartridges, and she loaded skillfully, much to the astonishment of the hillman.

Then she swung the butt to her shoulder and fired up at the ledge where the panthers had last been seen.
The hillman cried out in alarm and scuttled away to his hut.

When he peered forth again Kathlyn made a friendly gesture, and he approached timidly.

Once more she pointed to the dust, at the picture of the rest house; and then, by many stabs of his finger in the air, he succeeded in making the way back sufficiently clear to Kathlyn, who smiled, shouldered the rifle and strode confidently down the winding path; but also she was alert and watchful.
There was not a bit of rust on the rifle, and the fact that one bullet had sped smoothly convinced her that the weapon was serviceable.

Some careful hunter had once possessed it, for it was abundantly oiled.