smile upon his face and his still fixed in his eye capital this he murmured on catching sight of our faces bending over him how sold he have by ic been and then he fainted on examination we discovered that he had been seriously wounded in the leg by a in the course of the pursuit but that the chain had prevented his last s spear from doing anything more than him badly it was a merciful escape as nothing could be done for him at the moment he was placed on one of the used for the wounded and carried along with us on arriving before the nearest gate of loo we found one of our watching it in obedience to orders received from the remaining were in the same way watching the other to the town the officer in command of this regiment coming up saluted as king and informed him that s army had taken refuge in the town whither himself had also escaped but that he thought they were thoroughly and would surrender thereupon after taking counsel with us sent forward to each gate ordering the to open and promising on his royal word life and forgiveness to every soldier who laid down his arms the message was not without its effect presently amid the shouts and cheers of the the bridge was dropped across the and the gates upon the farther side flung open taking due precautions against treachery we marched on into the town all along the stood dejected warriors their heads drooping and their and at their feet who as passed saluted him as king on we marched straight to s when we reached the great space where a day or two previously we had seen the review and the witch hunt we found it deserted no not quite deserted for there on the farther by ic king solomon s mines side in front of his hut sat himself with bat one attendant � it was a melancholy sight to see him seated there his battle axe and shield by his side his chin upon his breast with but one old for companion and notwithstanding his and a pang of compassion shot through tne as i saw him thus fallen from his high estate not a soldier of all his armies not a out of the hundreds who had round him not even a solitary wife remained to share his fate or the bitterness of his fall poor savage he was learning the lesson that fate teaches to most who live long enough that the eyes of mankind are blind to the and that he who is and fallen finds few friends and little mercy nor indeed in this case did he deserve any through the gate we marched straight across the open space to where the ex king sat when within about fifty yards the regiment was halted and ac only by a small guard we advanced towards him us bitterly as we came as we drew near for the first time lifted up his head and fixed his one eye which seemed to flash with suppressed fury almost as brightly as the great bound round his forehead upon his successful rival � hail o king i he said with bitter mockery thou who hast eaten of my bread and now by the aid of the white man s magic hast my and defeated mine army hail what fate hast thou for me o king the fate thou to my father whose throne thou hast sat on these many years i was the stem answer it is well i will show thee how to die that thou remember it against thine own time see the sun by ic king solomon s mines sinks in blood and he pointed with his red battle axe towards the fiery now going down it is well that my san should sink with it and now o king i am ready to die but i the boon of the royal house to die fighting thou not refuse it or even those who fled to day will hold thee it is granted � with whom wilt thou fight myself i cannot fight with thee for the king fights not except in war s sombre eye ran up and down our ranks and i felt as for a moment it rested on myself that the position had developed a new horror what if he chose to begin by fighting me what chance should i have against a desperate savage six feet five high and broad in proportion i might as well commit suicide at once hastily i made up my mind to decline the combat even if i were out of as a consequence it is i think better to be than to be with a battle axe presently he spoke what thou shall we end what we began to day or shall i call thee coward white � even to the liver nay interposed hastily thou shalt not fight with not if he is afraid said unfortunately sir henry understood this remark and the blood up into his cheeks it is a law the that no man of the royal blood can be put to death unless by his own consent which is however never refused he is allowed to choose a succession of to be approved by the king with whom he fights until one of them him t by ic king solomon s mines i will fight him he said he shall see if i am afraid for god s sake i entreated don t risk your life against that of a desperate man anybody who saw you to day will know that you are not a coward i will fight him was the sullen answer no living man shall call me a coward i am ready now and he stepped forward and lifted his axe i wrung my hands over this absurd piece of but 