Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-05-21

Saravan after that" he laughed.
Watch how the conqueror breed comes
into its own"
A mob Of Baakgomo had come
SWarming up. Each carried a big rush
basket at his waist and a lighted torch
In his hand. They had no other weapons
and fear was in each face; only the
whip-lash tongue of Saravan mastered
that fear. And indeed, only Saravan
could have held them at that moment,
for the lowing Of the maddened cattle
was now dreadfully close and the gorge
shook with the thunder OF their hoofs.
Not even in the face of such danger
could the lean adventurer resist ges-
ture. He stood well in advance Of his
followers, horribly alone. his legs
Straddleq, bis air easy, and look OF
exultance held the Baakgomo spell
b0und-which may well have been the
reason for his unconcern.
Not even when the seething mass OF
tossing horns and heads broke into
sight did he finch, but held his place
until the very dust and thunder OF the
torrent seemed about TO roll over him.
Only at his own moment did the lean
arms shoot out, and the pistols in his
hands begin to crack. They famed with
the cool rapidity Of the master marks
man, and OF the 90 bullets in his maya
zines, no less than Is did their work
on the broad, easy heads Of the cattle.
Their bodies dropped right across the
gorge, and fear-blind beasts following
close. tripped and piled up on them
In a flash a barrier OF bodies was
formed across the narrow way, strong
enough to hold even the thrust of the
herd behind for half q minute.
And even as it held. Saravan's voice
had yelled the Baakgomo into action.
From the baskets at their sides, they
plucked rough black powder bombs,
Chinese and double crackers Of Sara
vans faShioning. Lighting these with
their torches they flung them into the
faces Of the cattle.
At once the gorge became an inferno !
OF loud explosions, blazing flashes and I
thick pungent smoke from which the
frightened beasts backed and shrank; !
and as they backed, the double crackers /
banged and leaped among their hoofs (
and more and more bombs rained down
on them. The terrified animals wilted.
fought round and pressed back against
the pressure behind.
Saravan shouted again, and the
Baakgomo heightened their aim, lob
bling their bombs and crackers far up
the gorge, so that the cattle farther
back Shrank and fought round to es-
cape. All the while the yells of the
;attlemen increased the animals terror,
and Saravan, who had never changed
MS position, shot and shot again with
lis reloaded pistols.
There could be only one end. No
beasts could charge such a barrage Of
ear. The cattle swung about, drove
backward. The wave Of fright travelling
10 the line, caught the whole herd SO
hat all went about and, instead Of
charging the Baakgomo, rushed back 1
nd upward TO the Cola
The Cola, as was their wont, had (
;rowded after their cattle in a mass,
,ager to finish with their spears what
he hoofs had spared. They we're caught
n the narrow corridor Of the gorge by 1
he returning cattle. There was no es- !
ape for them. The hoofs that were to ]
ave trampled the Baakgomo fiat went
yer them and they were no more.
An hour later an exultant Savaran
anne back to the Cola kraal search
ng for Ann Darricott. The eagle face
'as aflame with triumph. FL Harami
Lad bolted for his necks sake in spite
his stings. the broken remnant OF
he Cola had thrown down their
hields and submitted.
He, Saravan, was a king once more
king, who, with the Cola to stiffen
he Baakgomo, might even yet achieve
he Empire of his dreams. Amid the
ttered huts he sought out Ann, to
ffer to this proud beauty who had
lelted, as all women must, to the con-
ueror spirit Of Saravan, the fitting
1bute Of a throne.
He found her busy securing the last
rapS on a pack horse. Beside it stood
mother saddled for riding.
ANN, Star Of Womenl" he cried as