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here； I open。〃 She clawed desperately at the bolt。 〃Only a moment； my beloved。 Mi querida； only a moment more。 Your mother is here； your mother admits you。〃
It wouldn't move。 It had jammed。 It had been too long unused。 Its surface had roughened too much with rust； or that last impact had warped it。 It was fast in its socket。 She continued to pluck despairingly at it。 She half turned around in helpless appeal； then turned back again。 She struck frustratedly at the wood just above it with one open hand； while she tried to wrench it back with the other。
〃Pedro； Pedro； you have smaller fingers。〃
The incipient maleness of the boy rose to take the emergency in its stride。 That was what men； big and small； were meant for： a sudden crisis like this； a flurry of violence。 The rest was for women。 〃A stone…something to hit it back with… Gimme； I can get it！ Get out of the way。〃
There was a building brick lying there on the floor across the room； brought in for some forgotten purpose。 He snatched it up； ran back with it。 A tap； two taps； three； the unruly bar sprang back。
There had been silence for a minute past； ever since that last climactic scream and maniacal lunge； but only now did they have time to realize it。 There was a stillness on the other side。
In the fraction of a second's pause that followed； she saw the boy's eyes swollen downward at the floor。 A tongue of red was licking out at his bare foot from under the door。 Just that in size and shape； the tip of a human tongue。 But it was in flux； fluid。 Right as their eyes beheld it it was already widening； lengthening； glittering with its own volatility。
He had snatched the door inward upon them before the mother's slowly gathering scream had time to leave her。 He jumped agilely back as though something had bitten him。
It was as though clots of red mud had been pelted at the outside of the door； until； adhering； they formed a sort of spattered mound up against it。 There were rags mixed in with it； and snarls of hair； and even tiny crumbs of coral； broken off a string。
The mass sidled； disintegrated all over the threshold。
Manning saw her in the Morgue； the Caja de los Cadaveres as it was familiarly called by those who had to do with it； the next day； before her people had claimed her。 He went there with one of the men from the police department； an inspector named Robles； who felt bound to acmodate him because Manning had once secured him a couple of passes to one of Kiki Walker's shows。
〃If you insist on looking； my friend…〃 this Robles warned him。 〃I advise you not to； unless you have exceptionally strong nerves。 You are liable to see it in your sleep for weeks to e。 The authorities should really have her cremated； if her own people can't afford it。 Open this one；〃 he said to the attendant。 He stood aside； to give the other an unhampered view。 〃Formidable； isn't it？〃
The American looked without flinching。 His face whitened a little； that was all。 He nodded； spellbound。
〃That's enough；〃 Robles said to the attendant。 He turned to Manning； evidently with the idea of reading him a little lecture。 〃So you see what your foolish stunt has led to。 It has cost a human life。 And this may not be the last； before it is over。 That thing has not been caught yet。〃
Manning didn't answer。 He was staring down at the cement floor。 But in a way that suggested puzzlement of some sort； rather than contrition。
〃Juridically； of course； you are not responsible；〃 Robles went on。 〃That is to say； you did not foresee this； did not mean it to happen； cannot be punished personally for it。 But morally you are to blame for it。 It is through you alone that this girl lost her life。 That is why I so readily acceded to your request and brought you down here with me to let you see her for yourself。 It may teach you a lesson。〃
〃It wasn't remorse that made me ask to e here；〃 Manning said quietly。 〃Nor morbid curiosity either。 You've got me wrong。 It's…well I've had a troubled feeling that I can't seem to shake off ever since I first heard of it。〃
〃You should have；〃 said Robles severely。
〃No； you still don't get me。〃 He ran one hand baffledly up through his hair。 〃Are you sure that thing； as you call it； did this？〃
Robles looked at him first in astonishment； then almost in scorn。 〃What are you trying to suggest； it didn't？ Well； you've just seen with your own eyes。 What else but the claws of such a monster could leave such ravages？ She was in ribbons。 No； there is no doubt in our minds on that score； how can there be？ I could take you over to our laboratory； let you talk to some of the men there。 Small bits of fuzz； loosened hairs from its coat； were found upon her body。 They are in our possession right now。 What more do you ask？〃
〃Nothing；〃 admitted Manning； looking down。 〃Nothing more。 But then why have I got this dissatisfied feeling…？〃 He didn't finish it。 〃Was she…did it make any attempt to…？〃 he faltered presently。
Robles finished it for him without a qualm； with the matter…of…factness of the professional investigator。 〃Was she eaten； is that what you are driving at？ No。 I don't know whether they do or not； I don't know enough about them。 I must ask the curator of the zoo。 In any case； there is sufficient reason for its having done so this time。 It occurred outside her very door； in full hearing of the mother and brother。 They came rushing out； and the monster was undoubtedly frightened away before it had time to…acplish its full purpose。 If； as I said； they do that。〃
〃Well； was it seen？ 〃 Manning persisted discontentedly。 〃That's what I want to know。 If you say this happened right in front of her own door； and there are other houses around there； was there anyone who actually saw it？ There should have been； if she screamed。〃
〃Oh； unless someone saw it； it doesn't exist； is that it？ That's a very risky theory in police work； don't you think？ The houses around there are of the poor； you know the kind。 One… or two…room hovels； mostly without windows； simply with a single entrance at the front。 By the time they began peering timidly forth up and down the …lane； it was over。 Some claim they were just in time to glimpse some black form slinking around the turn at the bottom of the alley。 They may have； they may not have。 What difference does it make？〃
〃It isn't that I really doubt the jaguar attacked her；〃 Manning said hesitantly。 〃I have no theories about this。 I'm not a detective at all； just a press agent out of a job。 Only…only…I just have that peculiar feeling I spoke of； that there's more to this than meets the eye。〃
〃More？ What more could there be？〃 countered Robles。 〃What more should there be？〃
Manning tugged perplexedly at the skin on the back of his neck。 〃I don't know myself。 I can't explain。 But； tell the truth； doesn't it strike you as strange； almost incredible； that a wild thing； a jungle animal the size and conspicuousness of this jaguar； should remain at large； undetected and absolutely unseen by the human eye； in a city this large； and for this length of time？ This isn't a hill village； with the jungles near by。 This is the third largest city of South America。 It h