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answer。 〃Yes； I saw it ing toward me up ahead； and knew it was something bad because of all the hollering behind it。 Where did it go？ You think I waited to find out？ I dove into the nearest doorway and slammed the door shut behind me。 By the time I looked out again； it wasn't there any more。〃
At last； near the tail end of the procession of refugees； was found a little girl of ten or so who； when her turn came； promised to be of some help。 For a moment they thought they had something。 She had been at the window in time to see it； she insisted proudly； because she had been leaning out of it for a long time before that。 〃I saw something big and black ing down our street； from way up there。〃
An alert conclave formed about her for a moment。 〃Where did it go？ Where did it disappear to？〃
〃I don't know。 I ran inside to call my brother to e and see it； and when we came back it wasn't there any more。〃
The conclave split open again； like an overripe pod。
It would have to be ferreted out by a house…tohouse search； the lieutenant in charge decided。 The only tenable assumption left was that it had found some doorway； crevice； gap； somewhere along these moldering walls； had sidled in； and was still lurking somewhere in one of the shadowy interiors； perhaps in a basement； perhaps in some unused flue； perhaps in the cavity under a staircase…there was no electricity anywhere along this cranny； inside or out…breathing latent death。
The search began from the Alameda end…it was nearing eight by then…and it was well on the way toward midnight by the time the posse emerged from the last house of all； flanking the Plaza de los Mбrtires…empty…handed。 The search had failed as pletely as the original pursuit had。 It had been thorough； even if not successful。 They had gone from top to bottom and from bottorn to top of every building along the way； flashing lights into corners； tapping walls； poking aside crates and boxes and litter； revolvers and stout clubs ready at hand to deal with it if it should turn； up。 But it didn't。
The crowd behind the ropes at each end； peering down the hazy blue pathway of the fire…fighting headlight； would hold its collective breath each time while they were inside； the wink of torches through the windows showing their progress tier by tier。 Then they would e out again； report； 〃Not in that one；〃 to their manding officer； the structure would be given a clean bill of health； and they would go trooping into the next。 Finally the dramatic effect began to wear off； after the numerous repetitions。 Here and there someone turned away and went about his business； it was getting late。 Someone in the thinning ranks of onlookers was heard to suggest half facetiously that maybe it had esconced itself in the back of some cart or vehicle that had been left standing there with its rear open； been inadvertently shut in by the driver on returning a moment later and all unknowingly transported out of the neighborhood。 The only trouble with this theory was that there had been no such fortuitous conveyance in the alley at the time； they could be sure of this for the very good reason that the place wasn't wide enough to admit anything but a pushcart。 Someone else suggested that maybe it had gone up in a balloon； and drew a big laugh。 A spirit of skepticism began to make its appearance among the last ditch spectators； cheated of the excitement they had expected and taking it out that way。 〃Maybe it went into the church to say its prayers！〃 someone called down the alley through cupped hands。
The little church he had reference to sat at the end of a small cul…de…sac； down toward the Plaza de los Mбrtires end。 The alley bent sharply in direction several times during its short length。 At one of these bends it forked in two； in appearance though not in actuality。 One branch of the fork was simply a brief dead end； ing up against a wafer…thin chapel； San Sulpicio； dating from colonial days。 In other words； simply an inset； a niche； lying off the main course of the alley； only a few meters in extent。
This chapel was the least likely of all places along there for it to have found refuge。 For one thing； it was no longer in use； having been abandoned years before at the time of some damage received during some long…forgotten earthquake。 Its stout mahogany door； however； was still intact； it took them the better part of half an hour to force it with crowbar and chisel。 It had been unopened for as long as the memory of the oldest dweller around there could stretch。 And within； when they had dislodged it finally； they found simplY a desolate litter of rotted pews and fallen plaster within a roofless shell through which the stars peered。 It could neither have got in here in the first place； nor； if it once had； have got out again from the foursquare stone cell that was all the place offered。
They came out again； brushing their whitened sleeves； coughing and sneezing； one man nursing a scorpion bite on the back of his hand。
Moments later； the Plaza de los Mбrtires had been reached； the search was perforce at an end。
The sensation…hungry idlers began to melt away with increasing rapidity。 Midnight tolled from a belfry here； a belfry there。 The long…maintained fire…equipment spotlight suddenly blanked out； the vehicle drove away。 The ropes were taken down。 The inhabitants were allowed to return。 Oil lamps； kerosene； and candles winked here and there from within the fumigated buildings as they resumed occupancy。 They stood for awhile in small clusters outside their doors； talking it over。 Then these too disbanded as they went in one by one to their respective abodes to sleep。 The alley returned to normal。
The majority of the police were withdrawn。 One man was left posted； for the rest of the night； at each end of the alley； though for what purpose； it was hard to conjecture。
The night wore on toward its predestined finish； just as every night before it had in its time。
At any rate； only one thing was certain； so far； out of the whole episode。 The jaguar had not been recaptured。 The jaguar； therefore； must still be at large somewhere or other。
Morning came； and in its confidence…inspiring light a different view began to be taken of the whole thing。 The brilliant； sunny daylight killed fears and vapors。 It seemed incredible that such a fantastic thing could have happened。 Ciudad Real was a town of natural…born skeptics anyway。 By the time the morning coffees and pan dulce had been swallowed everywhere； a rumor had spread that the whole affair had simply been a publicity hoax perpetrated by Walker and her press agent。 Like the usual actress' missing…jewels stunt。 That this did not take into account what had actually bee of the fleet…footed quadruped did not impair its ready acceptance； it spread from mouth to mouth。 Even those who the night before had been the first to lock their doors and peer anxiously under their beds were the first to say： 〃I knew it all along。 You didn't believe it； did you？〃 Whereupon the other fellow scoffed； 〃Of course not； what do you take me for？〃 In spite of the fact that there were dozens of eyewitnesses； the rumor very nearly succeeded in downing the reality。 The very eyewitnesses themselves felt selfconscious after a while when they tried to insist they'd seen it。 They began to wonder privately if they actually had； after all。
The newspapers； those barometers of public opinion； helped to disseminate this point of view。 They all carried items about it； but treated it humorously； tongue in cheek。 〃The great jaguar scare〃； 〃Who has Miss Walker's jaguar？ Will somebody please return it？〃 were some of the headings。 People greeted one another facetiously all over town with： 〃Well； have you seen the jaguar yet？〃
The police； keeping their own counsel； may have preferred it so。 It at least saved them from the nuisance of dozens of hysterical false alarms all clay long。 This way； not one came in。 They noticeably didn't discontinue the search altogether； a Sure sign that there was something to look for； after all。 Only it became more diffuse； it was harder for the man in the street to tell just what they were doing； now that there was no longer any one particular locality； such as the alley； for them to concentrate on。
Manning； through all of this； had had a most unpleasant twenty…four hours of it。 Not only was he detained in jail all of that first night； charged with violating some ancient city ordinance or other that prohibited the conveying of wild animals through the streets without a permit； haled into court in the morning； severely lectured for his misdemeanor； and fined a nominal sum before he was released； but he was also out of his job with Kiki Walker。
She made this known to him in no uncertain terms over the transom of her locked hotel…suite door when he tried to get in to see her the night after the debacle。 Her voice came through ringingly； in fact so ringingly that other doors here and there along the hotel corridor began to open curiously after a moment or two。
〃You've got your nerve ing around here again； after what happened！ You've made me the laughingstock of the whole town； I want you to know！ Beat it！ Take your bright ideas somewhere