The Washington times., 1920-01-18
CHAPTER X. (Continued) .
The Attsek.

AlAl fhOSA~Ah VI "~s
ahagger should want to
= risk a fight was beyond me
and I gave II up with the reflection
lat either this threatened attack
as a mere feint TO delay US. or
vat behind It was something mys-
srlous, such as determination TO
vent US at all hazards from dis
-ering the secrets of that noun
stronghold.
When | put the riddle to Hans.
who was lying next to me. he was
ready with another solution
''They are men-eaters, Bsas," he
said. "and being hungry wish to eat
us before they get to their own land.
where doubtless they are not al
lowed TO eat each other.
do you think so?" ! answered.
"when we are 30 thin?" and sur
veyed Hans's scragsy form In the
moonlight
-Oh, yes. Baas. We should be quite
good boiled-like old hens, Baas.
Also It is the nature Of cannibals to
. prefer thin man to fat beef. The
devil that is In them gives them that
taste, Baas, just as he makes me
like gin. or you turn your head to
look at pretty women, as those
Zulus say you always did in their
country, especially at q certain
witch who was named Mameena and
whom you kissed before every
body
! Here turned my head to look at
Hans. purposing to smite him with
words or physically, since to have
that Mameena myth re-arise out Of
his hideous little mouth was too
much. But before I could get out
a syllable he held up his finger and
whispered:
flush! The dawn breaks and
they come, hear :them!"
Il listened intently, but could dis
, tinguish nothing. Only, straining
my eyes, presently I thought that
about a hundred yards down the
slope beneath us in the dim light I
caught sight of ghostlike figures
Atttfpu FROM, trao fo troo. oJoo fho<
these figures were drawing nearer.
Look out!" ! said to Robertson,
on my right, a believe they are
coming" t,' ''
Man." he answered sternly, II
hope SO, for whom else have !
wanted to meet all these days?"
Noas the figures vanished into
littleGfold Of the ground. A minute
or SO later they reappeared upon
its hither side, where such light as
there was from the fading stars
and the gathering dawn fell full
upon them, for here were no trees.
, looked and thrill of horror went
through me, for with one glance I
recognized that these were not the
men whom we had been following.
To begin with, there were many
more of them, quite hundred, /
should think; also they had painted
shields, wore feathers in their hair
and generally, so far as l could
Judge, seemed to be fat and fresh.
'"We have been led into an am
bush," l said, first in Zulu to
Umslopogaas, Immediately in front,
and then in English to Robertson.
"If SO, man, we must just do the
best we can," answered the latter,
"but God help my poor daughter,
for those other devils will have
taken her away. leaving their
brethren to make an end Of u.s."
at is so, Macumazahn," broke in
Umslopogaas. well, whatever the
end of it, we shall have a better
fight. Now do you give the word
and we will obey"
The savages, for so call them,
although l admit that cannibals or
not, they looked more like high.
class Arabs than savages, came on
in perfect silence, hoping, I sup
pose to catch us asleep. When
they we're about fifty yards away,
running in treble line with
spears advanced, called out
"Fire!" In Zulu, and set the ex-
ample by loosing off both barrels
of my express rife at men whom
| had picked out as leaders, with
results that must have been more
A. Avxv<