The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-10
Not a soul was to be seen.

concrete or lime, on WHICH tne sun Dea
fiercely, but nobody could we see OF
hear.
"The jackal has gone to earth" said
Maiwa.
He will be in the cave behind his
hut" and she pointed with her spear
toward another small and semi-circu
lar inclosure. over which large hut
was visible, that had the cliff itself fol
a background.
I stared at this fence.
By George, it was true!-it was en-
tirely made of tusks of ivory planted
in the ground, with their points bend
ing outward.
TIE smallest ones, though none were
small, were placed nearest to the cliff
on either side, but they gradually in
creased in size till they eliminated ir
two enormous tusks in the shape of al
inverted V, formed the gateway to tho
hut.
/ was dumfounded with delight, and
indeed, where is the elephant hunter
who would not be- if he suddenly saw
five or six hundred picked tusks set ur
in q TOW, and only waiting for him tt
take them away?
OF course the stuff was what i
known as "black" ivory; that is, the ex
terror of the tusks had become black
from years or perhaps centuries of ex
posure to wind and weather, but I was
certain that it was none tie worse fol
that.
Forgetting the danger of the pro
ceedins. I actually ran, in my excite
ment, right across the open space, and
drawing my knife, scratched vigorous
ly at cne of the great tusks to see how
deep the damage was.
AS I thought, it was nothing; there
beneath the black covering CLEANED
the pure white ivory.
I could have capered for joy, for
fear that I am very mercenary a
heart, when suddenly heard the faint
echo of a cry for assistance.
Help screamed q voice in tht
Sisutu dialect from somewhere beyond
the hut-"help! they are numbering
me-"
] knew the voice.
1t was John Every's.
Oh! what q selfish brute was I! fol
the moment that miserable ivory hat
driven the recollection of him out OF
my head, and now perhaps it was too
late.
Nala, Maiwa, and the soldiers had
now come up.
They, too, had heard the voice, ant
interpreted its tone, though they hat
not caught the words.
"This way" cried Maiwa; and We
started at a run, passing around the
hut Of Wambe.
Behind was the narrow entrance tt
cave.
We rushed through it, needless Of the
danger of an ambush, and this was
what we saw, though very confusedlJ
at first, owing to the gloom.
In the centre of the cave, and will
either end secured to the floor by
strong stakes, was a huge double
springed lion trap, fringed with SHARP
and grinning teeth.
1t was set, and beyond the trap, in
deed almost over it, terrible struggle
was in progress.
A naked or almost naked white man
with a great beard hanging down over
his breast, was, in spite of his furious
struggles, being slowly forced ant
dragged toward the trap by six OF
eight women.
Only one man was present, q fat
cruel looking man, with small eyes
and hanging lip.
1t was the chief Wambe, and b:
stood by the trap ready to force the
victim down upon it as soon as the
women had dragged him into the nee
essary position.
At this instant they caught sight Of
us, and there was a moments pause
and then, before I knew what she was
going to do, Maiwa lifted the assega!
she still held, and whirled it at VAN
be's head.
I saw the fash of light speed toward
him, and so did he, for he stepped
backward to avoid it-stepped back.
ward right into the trap.
He yelled with pain as the iron teeth
Of the Thing that bites" sprang uI
like living things and fastened into
him.
Such 4 yell l have not often heard.
Now, at last, lie tasted Of the torture
which he had inflicted upon so many
and though l trust I am Christian
l cannot say that felt sorry for him
The assegai sped on, and struck one
of the women who had hold Of the I'M
fortunate Every, piercing through hel
arm.
This made her leave go-an example
that the other women quickly followed
so that Every fell to the ground, where
he lay gasping.
"Kil the witchesw roared Nala, in 6
voice of thunder, pointing to the grouI
of women.
"Nay," gasped Every; spare them
He made them do it,
And he pointed to the human fient
in the trap.
Then Maiwa waved her hand to US tc
fall back, for the moment "a her ven
geance was come.
We did so, and she strobe up to bel
lord, and tiinging the white robe from
her. stood before him, her fierce, beau
tiful face fixed like stone.