The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-02-22


the army, or part, OF IL. The
end OF IL was that we made up our
minds TO attack at once; indeed l
insisted on this, as was deter
mined to save that unfortunate
man, Robertson, II | COULD who
from Hans's account, was now evil
IDENTIFY quite mad and raying.
So | fred the two shots as had
been arranged and presently heard
the sound OF distant shoutings on
the slope of the opposing ridge. A
few minutes later we started, Um.
slopogaas and | leading the van,
guard and the Amahagger captains
following with the three remaining
companies.
Now the reader. presuming the
existence of such a person, VIII
think that everything is sure to go
right; that this cunning old fellow
Allan Ouatermain, is going to sur
nrise those Rezuites and wipe the
floor with them, who were ALREADY
beguiled by the trick he had in
structed Goroko to play. That AFTER
this he will rescue Robertson who
doubtless shortly RECEIVERS MS
mind, and also Inez with the great
est ease; in fact that everything
will happen as it ought co do If this
were a romance instead OF a mere
record of remarkable facts. But
heipp the latter, matters did not
work out quite in this convenient
way.
To begin with, when those Anna
hagger told me that the Rezuites
never fought in the dark or before
the sun was we'll up, either they iied
or they were much mistaken. for at
anv rate on this occasion they did
the exact contrary. All the while
that we thought we were stalking
them they were stalking us. The
little Goroko manoeuvre had not
deceived them in the least, since
from their spies they knew its ex-
act significance.
Here I may add that those spies
were in our own ranks, traitors in
short who were really in the pay
of Rezu and possibly belonged to
his abominable faith, some OF whom
slipped away from time to time to
report our progress and what we
were going to do SO far as they
knew my plans.
What Hans had stumbled on was
a mere rear guard left around the
place of sacrifice and the hut where
Inez was confined. The real army
he never found at all. That was
divided into two bodies and hidden
in bush to the right and left of the
ridge which we were descending
Just at the spot where it Joined the
plain beneath, and into the Jaws of
these two armies we marched
gayly.
Now that hypothetical reader will
say, "Why didn't that silly old fool,
Allan, think of all these things?
Why didn't he remember that he
was commanding pack of savages
with whom he had no real acquaint-
ance, among whom there wire sure
to be traitors, especially as they
we're of the same blood as the Re-
zuites, and take precautions
All! my dear reader, | will only
answer that wish you had had the
job yourself, and with the oppor-
tunity of seeing what you could do
In the same circumstances. DO you
suppose | didn't think of all these
things? OF course | did. But have
you ever heard of the difficulty of
making silk purses out of sows'
ears, or of turning lot of gloomy
and disagreeable barbarians whom
you have never even drilled, into
trustworthy and efficient soldiers
ready to fight three times their own
number and beat them?
Also | beg to observe that /
did get through somehow, as you
shall learn, which is more than you
would have done, Mr.. Wisdom,
though | admit not without help
from another quarter. 1t is all very
well for you to sit in your armchair
and be sapient and turn up your
learned nose like the gentlemen
who criticise books, an easy Job
compared to writing them, from all