Allan Quatermain

ast I missed Flossie a

outside my door in which-But here it is, you can read it for yourself,

e till you see me. I have taken the white donkey; and nurse and a couple of boys are coming with me-also something

id, a little anxiously; 'I never mea

way like a true child of the wilderness.' But Mr Mackenzie, who came in just then

ssible to send after the girl and get her back, having in view the possibility of

he has taken. There are the hills;' and he pointed to a long range of rising ground stretching almost parallel with the co

earch the country round with a spyglass; and this, after Mr Mackenzie had

ce, even with a sound rope-ladder fixed at both ends to climb

mply glorious. In every direction the bush rolled away in great billows for miles and miles, as far as the glass would show, only here and there broken by the brighter green of patches of cultivation, or by the glittering surface of lakes. To the northwest,

d to come down disappointed. On reaching the veranda I found Umslopogaas sitting there,

hou, Umslopog

he answer; and I could

hough she already had an edge like a razor. Standing in front of him, and regarding him with a mixture of fear and fascination, was Alphonse. And certainly he did seem an alarming

ds in amazement. 'See but the hole in his head; the skin beats on it up and down

from his sharpening, and a sort of

ccount of his mustachios and feminine characteristics] say? Let him b

to warn him to desist, when suddenly the huge Zulu bounded off the veranda on to the open space where Alphonse was standing,

e-he will not hurt you;' but I doubt if Alphonse heard me, b

st it grazed it as it flew. Then suddenly the motion was changed, and it seemed to literally flow up and down his body and limbs, never more than an eighth of an inch from them, and yet never striking them. It was a wonderful sight to see the little man fixed there, having apparently realized that to move would be to run the risk of sudden death, while his bl

and mastery of a weapon. 'Inkosi-kaas is sharp enough,' he shouted; 'the blow that clipped the "buffalo-heifer's" horn would have split a man from the crown to the chin. Few could have struck it but I; none could have struck it and

Umslopogaas, indignantly. 'Surely thou art mad. T

but tell the "heifer" that it is not well to mock at such as I. Now I go to make a shield, for I smell blood, Macumazahn-of a truth I smell blood. Before the battle hast thou not

frightened Alphonse out of his wits; look!' and he pointed to the Frenchman, who, with a scared white face and trem

et he has a kind heart in his own fierce way. I remember years ago seeing him nurse a sick child f

right. I am getting very fearful about my little girl. She must have

ld not in the ordinary course of events return till nightfall; but

they had followed the spoor of the donkey for a couple of miles and had then lost it on some stony ground,

poor mother, she was quite prostrated by her fears, and no wonder, but the father kept his head wonderfully well. Everything that could be d

and still no sign of fa

an end I made an excuse to leave the table. I wanted to get outside and think the situation over. I went on to the veranda and, having lit my pipe, sat down on a seat about a dozen feet from the right-hand end of the structure, which was, as the reader may remember, exactly opposite one of the narrow doors of the protect

ut sat wondering what it could be. Finally, I concluded it must have been an animal. Just then, however, another idea struck me, and I got up quick enough. The thing lay quite still a few feet beyond

wly severed

body. I was about to go out into the darkness beyond, but remembering that to do so was to expose myself to the risk of being stabbed, I drew back, shut the door, and bolted it. Then I returned to the veranda,

said the clerg

ad to te

opposite the hall door, and there was a light in it so that I could s

o accompanied Flossie,' he said with

d at each other aghast

he door that I had bolted, and a vo

ed a terrified man. He was one o

own by the little stream. My father, make strong thy heart! In the midst of them I saw the white ass, and on it sat the Water-lily [Floss

ive?' asked Mr Ma

They passed quite close to me, and looking up fro

nd us!' groaned

e there of t

dred-two hundred a

hat was to be done? Just then there ros

e door! A herald-a herald to speak

ing with his long arms to the coping, l

id. 'He is armed, and carr

take thine axe and stand thereby. Let o

r panoply that I have already described, but bearing a large basket in his hand. The moonlight shone bright upon his great spear as he walked. He was physically a splendid man, apparently about thirty-five years of age. In

stly sight in the moonlight; 'but I have words to speak if ye have ears to hear. Also I bring presents;' and he pointed to the basket and laughed wi

said Mr

ollowed these three white men,' and he pointed to Sir Henry, Good, and myself, 'but they were

friend?' said

ck men we killed-there is his head upon the pavement; the other ran away. The black woman, the little white girl, and the white

dded, and the w

to harm thee, save as to thy cattle, which we have already gathered,

greatly valued this herd of cattle, wh

fficult one to take. But as to these men it is otherwise; we have followed them for nights and days, and must kill them. Were we to

r a life-and we will let her go, and throw in the black woman with her also. This is a fair offer, white man. We ask but for one, not for the three; we must take anothe

l not yield the man

other child. Were she older I would take her for a servant; but as she is so young I will slay her with my own hand-ay, with thi

old and worthless one, hers was young and valuable. Her death would pretty well kill her father and mother also, whilst nobody would be much the worse for mine; indeed, several charitable institutions would have cause to rejoice thereat. It was indirectly through me that the dear little girl was in her present position. Lastly, a man was better fitted to meet death in such a peculiarly awful form than a

I will exchange myself against Flossie, only I stipulate

and Good simultaneous

God that my daughter should die this awful death, His will be done. You are a brave

urns up I shall go

, addressing the Lygonani, 'and we must think

t night, but I know from the woman with the girl that your men are down at the coast, and that thou hast but twenty men here. It is not wise, white man,' he added with a laugh, 'to keep so small a garrison for your "boma" [kraal]. Well, good night, and good night to you also, other whit

onani, and this he could not stand. Placing his long hand on the Elmoran's shoulder he gripped it and gave him such a twist as brought him face to face w

t tho

low, I s

' and he held Inkosi-

I see the toy

with this "toy" will I hew thee limb from limb. Well for thee that th

he answered, 'I would that thou stoodst against me man to man

ith Umslopogaas, of the blood of Chaka, of the people of the Amazulu, a captain in the regiment of the Nkomabakosi, as many have done before, a

id it was found to contain a most lovely specimen of both bulb and flower of the Goya lily, which I have already described, in full bloom and quite un

nge us against one of Mr Quatermain's party. I will have nothing of the sort. Do not let anybody give his life for me. Try and attack them at night; they are going to feast on three bullocks they have stolen and killed. I have my pistol, and

Love to Mr Quatermain. They are going to

ntly near and horrible to have turned the brain of a strong man, I own I wept, and once

that I would go, and again Mackenzie negatived it, and Curtis and Good, like the true me

necessary that an effort of some so

hat force we can muster, and ta

ook, now; thus shall the battle go. Just as the light begins to glint upon the oxen's horns-not before, or it will be too dark, and not later, or they will be awakening and perceive us-let Bougwan creep round with ten men to the top end of the kraal, where the narrow entrance is. Let them silently slay the sentry there so that he makes no sound, and stand ready. Then, Incubu, let thee and me and one of the Askari-the one with the broad chest-he is a brave man-creep to the wide entrance that is filled with thorn bushes, and there also slay the sentry, and armed with battleaxes take our stand also one on each side of the pathway, and one a few paces beyond to deal with such as pass the twain at the gate. It is there that the rush will come. That will leave sixteen men. Let these men be divided into two parties, with one of which shalt thou go, Macumazahn, and wi

amme devised by the old Zulu, who was indeed, in his own savage fashion, the finest general I ever knew. After some discussion we determined to accept the scheme, as it stood, it being the only one poss

nowest how to lie in wait as well as how to bi

e I been a warrior, and have seen many things. It will b