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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