Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-01-26
THE PEOPLE
OF THE MIST
By H. RIDER HAGGARD.
copyright, 1898, by the Author.l
CHAPTER VI

should come this way. Two Pierres would
be one too many at this game. Now We
must win or perish
Then they crept along the embankment
\ till they gained the shelter of the hut or
barrack shed which stood with its back to
the dixie that separated the nest from the
slave camp. Happily none saw them, and
there were no dogs in the place. Dogs
make noise at inconvenient times; there
| fore slave dealers do not love them.
The end of the shed behind which they
were crouchiug was situated some eight or
| ten PAGES from the draw bridge that formed
the only path of entry to the slave camp.
| "Baas, said Otter, ''let me 60 forward
and look. My eyes are the eyes of a cat
can see in the dark. Perhaps the bridge
is down.
And without waiting for an answer he
crept forward on his hands and knees SO
quietly that they could scarcely hear a
movement Notwithstanding his white
dress there was little chance of his being
seen, for the shadow of the shed was
dense, and fringe of rushcs grew along
the edge of the dixie.
Five minutes passed, ten minutes pass
ed, and Otter did not return. Leonard q
anxiety grew very keen.
Let us 20 and sec what has happened,
mother" he whispered to Soa.
They crept along to the end of the shed.
Within II yard of it they discovered tho
arms and clothes of Otter, but Otter?
Where was he?
1.-THE black one has deserted us, said
Soa beneath her breath.
"Neyer!' answered Leonard.
BY now the clouds were breaking before
| the wind, which was rising steadily, and
| some stars shone out, giving a little light.
/ The dixie lay deep between its banks and
| was not more than 20 feet in width, so that
the air did not ruffle it, Moreover, as any
| observer of nature will have noticed, tho
surface of still water is never quite dark,
even on much blacker nights than this.
Why had Otter taken off his clothesf
Leonard wondered. Evidently that he
might go into the water. And what could
he want TO go into the water for unless
| it was that his heart failed him, and, as
Sea suggested, he had deserted? But this
was impossible, for he knew well that he
would die first In his great perplexity
Leonard stared at the dixie.
Now he could see that on its farther
side was flight of wooden steps, protect
| ed by gates, and that a man was seated
on the lowest step, with rifle beside him,
| his feet hanging down to within a few
| inches of the surface of the dixie 1t must
| be the sentry. Next instant Leonard saw
something else. Beneath the feet of the
\ man a ripple grew on the face of the deer
| water and something flashed in the ripple
| like tho flash of steel. Then small black
| object projected itself toward the feet OF
the sentry, who was half asleep and hum
| ming to himself drowsily. Suddenly they
| saw the man slide from his scat as though
| by magic. He said nothing; but, making
one Intellectual grasp at some PUSHES, be
| vanished into the depths below. For 4
| minute or more Leonard could distinguish
| slight disturbance on the surface of the
water, and that was ALL
Now he guessed what had happened.
| Otter had dived, and rising beneath the
feet of the man, had seized him, and with
a sudden movement dragged him down to
death by drowning. Either this or an al
lgator had taken him, and that flash was
| the fash of his fangs.
As Leonard thought thus a dark form
| rose gasping at the foot of the steps. IT
| drew itself out of the water and slipped
| steahhly up them. 1t was Otter, and he
held knife in his hand. Now the dwarf
vanished through the gates into the little
| guardhouse at the top Of the embankmCnt.
| Anotherminute, and ropes began to creak.
| Then the tall drawbridge, standing up
| right like scaffold against the sky, was
| seen to bend itself forward. Down il came
very softly, and the slave camp was open
| to them. Again the black shape appeared,
| this time on the bridge.
Come along" whispered Leonard to
his companion. THAT hero, Otter, las
| drowned the sentry and won the bridge.
Stop; pick up his clothes and arms. -
At that moment Otter arrived himself
Quick" he said. Come over, baas,
before they see that the bridge is down.
Give me my clothes and the gun"
"All right; here they are, ;" answered
| Leonard, and in another minute they were
over the bridge and standing on the para
| pet of the slave camp,
Into the guardhouse, baas. The wind
lass is there, but no man.
They entered. A lamp was burning in
| the place. Otter seized the handle of the
windlass and began to wind. He was
naked, and twas wonderful sight to see
the muscles starting out in knots on his
huge but dwarfish frame as he strained at
| the weight of the bridge.
Presently il was up, and leaning on the
handle of the wheel Otter chuckled aloud.
Now we are safe for a time, he said,
and l will dress myself. Let the baas
forgive me for appearing thus before him,
| l who am so ugly"
Tell US the tale, Otter"
at is short, baas," the dwarf replied
as he put ON his robe and turban. "When
left you, watched, who can see in the
| dark, and in little while saw the guard
come down the steps and sit by the edge
of the water. He was sleepy, for he
| yawned and lit a roll of paper to smoke it.
| Presently 1t went out, and he had no moro
matches He looked up to the house here,
| but was too lazy to fetch them. Then 1
| guessed that he was alone, for else he
would have called to his companion for
| fire. Now he grew sleeper, and l said to
myself: otter, Otter, how can you kill
this man silently You must not shoot
| because of the noise, and If you throw a
knife or q spear you may miss or wound
him only
And my snake spoke in my heart and
answered. Otter, Otter, dive, seize his
feet and drag him down swiftly and stamp
him into the mud, you who are half fish
and can swim as no other man can swim.
1 Do 1t at once, Otter, before the light comes
and men can see the drawbridge move.
Well, and SO l did it, baas Wow! ! trod
, him deep into the mirel Never will he
come up again. After that l rose and ran
into the guardhousc, fearing lest there
might be another When was a slave, two
always kept watch there, but there was
none, so let the bridge down. All, / re-
member how it woS Eedi And this is the
tale, baas.
"A great tale, Otter, but it is not finish
ed yet Now let us to the slaves. Come,
take the light and lead the way Here we
are safe. Is it not soS''
Here, baas, we are safe, for none can
reach US except by Storm and yonder is
the big gun which turnA upon itself. Let
US twist the gun round first, so that il
need be we can fire into the camp
II don't know much of cannon" said
Leonard doubtfuily.
But know something, white man,
slid Soa, speaking for the first time.
'Mavoom, my master, had small one up
at the settlement, and often have helped
to fire it for practice and as signal to
boats on the river, and so have many OF
the men who were carried away, if we gan
find them yonder.
Good" said Leonard.
A path ran along the top of the embank-
ment to the platform on which the gun
was mounted 1t was six FOUNDER muz-
gle loading gun Leonard unlocked the
hammer and ran it down the muzzle.
1.-The gun is loaded, he said. "Now
let us swing her round.
They did SO easily enough, bringing the