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not　interfere　with　our　little　tragedy。

I　turned　my　head；　and　as　I　lay　gasping　in　the　throes　
of　that　awful　struggle　I　could　see　that　Leo　was　off　
the　rock　now；　for　the　lamplight　fell　full　upon　him。　He　
was　still　on　his　feet；　but　in　the　centre　of　a　surging　
mass　of　struggling　men；　who　were　striving　to　pull　him　
down　as　wolves　pull　down　a　stag。　Up　above　them　towered　
his　beautiful　pale　face　crowned　with　its　bright　curls　
（for　Leo　is　six　feet　two　high）；　and　I　saw　that　he　was　
fighting　with　a　desperate　abandonment　and　energy　that　
was　at　once　splendid　and　hideous　to　behold。　He　drove　
his　knife　through　one　manthey　were　so　close　to　him　
and　mixed　up　with　him　that　they　could　not　get　at　him　
to　kill　him　with　their　big　spears；　and　they　had　no　
knives　or　sticks。　The　man　fell；　and　then　somehow　the　
knife　was　wrenched　from　his　hand；　leaving　him　
defenceless；　and　I　thought　the　end　had　come。　But　no；　
with　a　desperate　effort　he　broke　loose　from　them；　
seized　the　body　of　the　man　he　had　just　slain；　and　
lifting　it　high　in　the　air　hurled　it　right　at　the　mob　
of　his　assailants；　so　that　the　shock　and　weight　of　it　
swept　some　five　or　six　of　them　to　the　earth。　But　in　a　
minute　they　were　all　up　again；　except　one；　whose　skull　
was　smashed；　and　had　once　more　fastened　upon　him。　And　
then　slowly；　and　with　infinite　labor　and　struggling；　
the　wolves　bore　the　lion　down。　Once　even　then　he　
recovered　himself；　and　felled　an　Amahagger　with　his　
fist；　but　it　was　more　than　man　could　do　to　hold　his　
own　for　long　against　so　many；　and　at　last　he　came　
crashing　down　upon　the　rock　floor；　falling　as　an　oak　
falls；　and　bearing　with　him　to　the　earth　all　those　who　
clung　about　him。　They　gripped　him　by　his　arms　and　
legs；　and　then　cleared　off　his　body。

〃A　spear；〃　cried　a　voice；　〃a　spear　to　cut　his　throat；　
and　a　vessel　to　catch　his　blood。〃

I　shut　my　eyes；　for　I　saw　the　man　coming　with　a　spear；　
and　myself；　I　could　not　stir　to　Leo's　help；　for　I　was　
growing　weak；　and　the　two　men　on　me　were　not　yet　dead；　
and　a　deadly　sickness　overcame　me。

Then　suddenly　there　was　a　disturbance；　and　
involuntarily　I　opened　my　eyes　again；　and　looked　
towards　the　scene　of　murder。　The　girl　Ustane　had　
thrown　herself　on　Leo's　prostrate　form；　covering　his　
body　with　her　body；　and　fastening　her　arms　about　his　
neck。　They　tried　to　drag　her　from　him；　but　she　twisted　
her　legs　round　his；　and　hung　on　like　a　bulldog；　or　
rather　like　a　creeper　to　a　tree；　and　they　could　not。　
Then　they　tried　to　stab　him　in　the　side　without　
hurting　her；　but　somehow　she　shielded　him；　and　he　was　
only　wounded。

At　last　they　lost　patience。

〃Drive　the　spear　through　the　man　and　the　woman　
together；〃　said　a　voice；　the　same　voice　that　had　asked　
the　questions　at　that　ghastly　feast；　〃so　of　a　verity　
shall　they　be　wed。〃

Then　I　saw　the　man　with　the　weapon　straighten　himself　
for　the　effort。　I　saw　the　cold　steel　gleam　on　high；　
and　once　more　I　shut　my　eyes。

As　I　did　so　I　heard　the　voice　of　a　man　thunder　out　in　
tones　that　rang　and　echoed　down　the　rocky　ways

〃　_i_　Cease！　_i_　〃

Then　I　fainted；　and　as　I　did　so　it　flashed　through　my　
darkening　mind　that　I　was　passing　down　into　the　last　
oblivion　of　death。

CHAPTER　IX

A　LITTLE　FOOT

WHEN　I　opened　my　eyes　again　I　found　myself　lying　on　a　
skin　mat　not　far　from　the　fire　round　which　we　had　been　
gathered　for　that　dreadful　feast。

Near　me　lay　Leo；　still　apparently　in　a　swoon；　and　over　
him　was　bending　the　tall　form　of　the　girl　Ustane；　who　
was　washing　a　deep　spear　wound　in　his　side　with　cold　
water　preparatory　to　binding　it　up　with　linen。　Leaning　
against　the　wall　of　the　cave　behind　her　was　Job；　
apparently　uninjured；　but　bruised　and　trembling。　On　
the　other　side　of　the　fire；　tossed　about　this　way　and　
that；　as　though　they　had　thrown　themselves　down　to　
sleep　in　some　moment　of　absolute　exhaustion；　were　the　
bodies　of　those　whom　we　had　killed　in　our　frightful　
struggle　for　life。　I　counted　them；　there　were　twelve；　
besides　the　woman　and　the　corpse　of　poor　Mahomed；　who　
had　died　by　my　hand；　which；　the　fire…stained　pot　at　
its　side；　was　placed　at　the　end　of　the　irregular　line。　
To　the　left　a　body　of　men　were　engaged　in　binding　the　
arms　of　the　survivors　of　the　cannibals　behind　them；　
and　then　fastening　them　two　and　two。　The　villains　were　
submitting　with　a　look　of　sulky　indifference　upon　
their　faces　which　accorded　ill　with　the　baffled　fury　
that　gleamed　in　their　sombre　eyes。　In　front　of　these　
men；　directing　the　operations；　stood　no…other　than　our　
friend　Billali；　looking　rather　tired；　but　particularly　
patriarchal　with　his　flowing　beard；　and　as　cool　and　
unconcerned　as　though　he　were　superintending　the　
cutting…up　of　an　ox。

Presently　he　turned；　and；　perceiving　that　I　was　
sitting　up；　advanced　to　me；　and　with　the　utmost　
courtesy　said　that　he　trusted　that　I　felt　better。　I　
answered　that　at　present　I　scarcely　knew　how　I　felt；　
except　that　I　ached　all　over。

Then　he　bent　down　and　examined　Leo's　wound。

〃It　is　a　nasty　cut；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　spear　has　not　
pierced　the　entrails。　He　will　recover。〃

〃Thanks　to　thy　arrival；　my　father；〃　I　answered。　〃In　
another　minute　we　should　all　have　been　beyond　the　
reach　of　recovery；　for　those　devils　of　thine　would　
have　slain　us　as　they　would　have　slain　our　servant；〃　
and　I　pointed　towards　Mahomed。

The　old　man　ground　his　teeth；　and　I　saw　an　
extraordinary　expression　of　malignity　light　up　his　
eyes。

〃Fear　not；　my　son；〃　he　answered。　〃Vengeance　shall　be　
taken　on　them　such　as　would　make　the　flesh　twist　upon　
the　bones　merely　to　hear　of　it。　To　_i_　She　_i_　shall　
they　go；　and　her　vengeance　shall　be　worthy　of　her　
greatness。　That　man；〃　pointing　to　Mahomed；　〃I　tell　
thee　that　man　would　have　died　a　merciful　death　to　the　
death　these　hyena…men　shall　die。　Tell　me；　I　pray　of　
thee；　how　it　came　about。〃

In　a　few　words　I　sketched　what　had　happened。

〃Ah；　so；〃　he　answered。　〃Thou　seest；　my　son；　here　there　
is　a　custom　that　if　a　stranger　comes　into　this　country　
he　may　be　slain　by　'the　pot；'　and　eaten。〃

〃It　is　hospitality　turned　upside　down；〃　I　answered；　
feebly。　〃In　our　country　we　entertain　a　stranger；　and　
give　him　food　to　eat。　Here　ye　eat　him；　and　are　
entertained。〃

〃It　is　a　custom；〃　he　answered；　with　a　shrug。　〃Myself　I　
think　it　an　evil　one；　but　then；〃　he　added；　by　an　
afterthought；　〃I　do　not　like　the　taste　of　strangers；　
especially　after　they　have　wandered　through　the　swamps　
and　lived　on　wild　fowl。　When　_i_　She…who…must…be…
obeyed　_i_　sent　orders　that　ye　were　to　be　saved　alive　
she　said　naught　of　the　black　man；　therefore；　being　
hyenas；　these　men　lusted　after　his　flesh；　and　the　
woman　it　was；　whom　thou　didst　rightly　slay；　who　put　it　
into　their　evil　hearts　to　hot…pot　him。　Well；　they　will　
have　their　reward。　Better　for　them　would　it　be　if　they　
had　never　seen　the　light　than　that　they　should　stand　
before　_i_　She　_i_　in　her　terrible　anger。　Happy　are　
those　of　them　who　died　by　your　hands。〃

〃Ah；〃　he　went　on；　〃it　was　a　gallant　fight　that　ye　
fought。　Knowest　thou；　that　thou；　long…armed　old　baboon　
that　thou　art；　hast　crushed　in　the　ribs　of　those　two　
who　are　laid　out　there　as　though　they　were　but　as　the　
shell　on　an　egg？　And　the　young　one；　the　lion；　it　was　a　
beautiful　stand　that　he　madeone　against　so　many
three　did　he　slay　outright；　and　that　one　there〃and　
he　pointed　to　a　body　that　was　still　moving　a　little
〃will　die　anon；　for　his　head　is　cracked　across；　and　
others　of　those　who　are　bound　are　hurt。　It　was　a　
gallant　fight；　and　thou　and　he　have　made　a　friend　of　
me　by　it；　for　I　love　to　see　a　well…fought　fray。　But　
tell　me；　my　son；　the　Baboonand　now　I　think　of　it　thy　
face；　too；　is　hairy；　and　altogether　like　a　baboon's
how　was　it　that　ye　slew　those　with　a　hole　in　them？　Ye　
made　a　noise；　they　say；　and　slew　themthey　fell　down　
on　their　faces　at　the　noise？〃

I　explained　to　him　as　well　as　I　could；　but　very　
shortlyI　was　terribly　wearied；　and　only　persuaded　to　
talk　at　all　through　of　offending　one　so　powerful　if　I　
refused　to　do　sowhat　were　the　properties　of　
gunpowder；　and　he　instantly　suggested　that　I　should　
illustrate　what　I　said　by　operating　on　the　person　of　
the　prisoners。　One；　he　said；　never　would　be　counted；　
and　it　would　not　only　very　interesting　to　him；　but　
would　give　me　an　opportunity　of　an　instalment　of　
revenge。　He　was　greatly　astonished　when　I　told　him　
that　it　was　not　our　custom　to　avenge　ourselves　in　cold　
blood　and　that　we　left　vengeance　to　the　law　and　a　
higher　power；　of　which　he　knew　nothing。　I　added；　
however；　that　when　I　recovered　I　would　take　him　out　
shooting　with　us；　and　he　should　kill　an　animal　for　
himself；　and　at　this　he　was　as　pleased。　as　a　child　at　
the　promise　of　a　new　toy。

Just　then　Leo　opened　his　eyes　beneath　the　stimulus　of　
some　brandy　（of　which　we　still　had　a　little）　that　Job　
had　poured　down　his　throat；　and　our　conversation　came　
to　an　end。

After　this　we　managed　to　get　Leo；　who　was　in　a　very　
poor　way　indeed；　and　only　half…conscious；　safely　off　
to　bed；　supported　by　Job　and　that　brave　girl　Ustane；　
to　whom；　had　I　not　been　afraid　she　might　resent　it；　I　
would　certainly　have　given　a　kiss　for　her　splendid　
behavior　in　saving　my　dear　boy's