Evening star., 1924-07-27

through on our hands and knees, and
a few seconds later we stood outside
of the hut.
l knew the Laibon by sight
glanced at my captive and my heart
pounded with JOY, for this was the
man.
At that moment a cock crowed and
it was followed Immediately by the
triumphant greeting OF the other do
mestic fowls to the new day. 1t was
time to be off on our return journey.
for in few minutes the village would
be awake.
Az we turned to strike the home
trail Nandi warrior emerged from a
hut close at hand. rubbed his eyes,
and then stood looking at us with
utter amazement depicted on, his face
In his hands he held a long bladed
spear. 1 covered him with my re-
volver and ordered one Of my men to
make him a prisoner.
Signaling to my small party to
move off with the Laibon, I followed
my policemen who had run to capture
the warrior. The man was raising
his spear in a threatening manner. /
rushed at him and cut him across the
shoulders with a hippopotamus hide
whip that l carried attached to my
belt. He instantly dropped his spear
and surrendered. We hurried Off afte r
the others, dragging our unwilling
prisoner with us. He was far too
dumfounded to make any outcry to
warn the rest OF the village Our
luck was in,
Before we had got clear Of the viii
lage ali the Nandi warriors had
emerged from their huts. and stood
with spears raised in anger and doubt
looking at us. I ordered my men to
hurry back to Muhoroni with their
prisoners while 1 covered their re-
treat.
Then suddenly, with a wild yell Of
anger and lust for blood, the Nandi
warriors rushed at US. A brain-waye
came to me and I halted my men.
Then in a few strides l took my stand
beside the Laibon. ] placed my re-
volver to his head and faced the on
coming warriors.
There was no time to be squeam-
ish about shooting a defenseless man.
1t was his nfe or ours, or SO it
seemed.
Tell your warriors to halt or kill
you. o Laibon!' roared at him.
"A goats hide buys a. goats hide.
and gourd a gourd." he answered
me through his gag. You kill me
and my men will kill all OF you"
"obey my words, o Laibon, or you
surely die"
"One death does not draw water
for another death always" he num-
bled.
l could see that his mind was
doubtful and that a little more pres
sure might win the day. The Nandi
warriors were now advancing more
boldly, and the situation was critical.
They were now within spear-throw-
ing range.
Send hares to the elephant, not
elephants to the hare!" exclaimed
angrily in the Nandi dialect.
The sun Is owned by every one,
but mans body is owned by him
self alone" the Laibon growled. but
1 obey. Remove this rag from nv
mouth and I will halt them"
1t took only a second to remove
the gag. Meanwhile the Nandi war
riors had halted. seemingly doubtful
what to do-whether boldly to attack
or do nothing. My chance for bluff
ing had come.
Tell them to surrender, and the
British government will treat you
and them kindly" I ordered, thrust
ing my revolver at his head more
forcibly.
20 Nandi warriors" called the old
Laibon, don't throw away the figs
which grow at the bottom Of the tree
and hasten to pick up those which
grow at the top. Kill the white man
and his menr'
THE time for parley1ng had passed.
= AS heard that Nandi proverb.
which Is the equivalent Of our say
ing, "a bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush," I pressed the trigger.
There was loud explosion, and the
aged Laibon crumpled in his tracks
and lay still on the ground at my
feet. The Nandi warriors had started
| forward at the command of their
king; but they now halted once more
and stared in wonderment-hrst al
the body Of tho Laibon and ther
at me-
Surrender. and throw down your
spears, o Nandi," shouted to them