The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-06-06
Saved by the Leo
pard's Claw
Ju-Ju
By HAROLD BINDLOss.


One hot December day in the delta of
the Niger River West Africa. Lieut.
I Standard lay in the bottom Of a canoe.
He was in the grip OF malarial fever.
and finally fell asleep.
When he woke the canoe was drawn
| up among the mangroves on the bank
and the Haussas had lighted a fire and
were getting their scanty meal. His at
tack was over for the day. and he slow
! " dragged himself into the bush to
The lieutenant had gone only short dts
tance before he made a discovery that
, gave him great uneasiness Just beyond
| him was an open space. and across II
was a row of sundried mud huts and In
front strolled two naked river men,
| splendid tall fellows and each man car
| ried the flint-lock gun with which the
West African native lies In wait for his
| enemy and kills him as he passes
The white man had seen enough. Creep
| ing away as quietly as possible. he re-
| traced his steps to the camp.
He and his men were worn out and
| could go no farther. The dense foliage
would screen their fire, SO that all they
served by the river men. "Shaillu," the
lieutenant ordered. you and Karo watch
until moonrise. Wake me II you hear the
river men coming" Then he lay down
and was soon fast asleep.
Just then faint light from the ris-
ing moon filtered down through tho
branches and lay in shimmering silver
patches across the grass, and the ser
Seant pulled himself together as he heard
a faint chunk chunk" of paddles from
somewhere far up the river. He listened
intently, then turned and threw a big
armful Of branches on the fire, and as
the red flame fell upon the wasted and
haggard face of the sleeper slipped of
his most cherished possession. a leop-
ards claw tu-tu, or fetish. and hung 1t
around the white mans neck. STOPPING
down. he wakened the officer. River
men come, sah,' he said
Five minutes later the little party were
all awake. The rattle and swish Of pad
dies drew nearer and nearer, then they
heard the canoes CRATE against the man.
groves and after that for twenty minutes
there was dense silence.
Next moment the bush echoed with a
wild howl Then a sputter of flame blew
out from among the trees followed by
a crash, and handfuls Of shot whistled
through the forest. Through the smoke
a crowd OF naked river men dashed into
the freight.
The word fire" rang out; four rifles
flashed together. and a cloud of acrid
smoke blew across the officers eyes. He
saw Sergt. Shaillu shoot three of the as
sauants from behind a cottonwood root.
Then the river men broke away and dis
appeared into the bush.
So sudden was the whole affair, that
Lieut.. Standard, light-headed with fayer.
could hardly realize that the foe had
gone. and stood swaying to and fro.
with smoking revolver and shaking
limbs. in the center OF the freight.
A spear hummed past his head and
struck quivering into a palm-stem so he
staggered back into the shadow again.
Next moment further cracking and
rustling of bushes to the rear gave warn.
ing that the willy river men were trying
to get behind the little band and cut
them of from the water.
Make for the canoes" said the offi-
Ger. and they started across the moonlit
glade.
Lieut.. Standard could never clearly
remember what followed. He had dim
idea Of being struck at with spear shaft