sign of pursuit developed their spirits rose.
'Do you know,' he said presently, 'that I can't help but feel that we're going to get out of this all right in the end?'
'But what a terrible experience! It doesn't seem possible that such things could have happened to me. I can't forget Jobab.' It was the first time mention had been made of the tragedy at the southern village.
'You must not give that a thought,' he said. 'You did the only thing possible under the circumstances. If you had not done what you did both you and Jezebel would have been recaptured, and you know what that would have meant.'
'But I've killed a human being,' she said. There was an awed tone in her voice.
'I killed one, too,' he reminded her, 'but I don't regret it in the least, notwithstanding the fact that I never killed anyone before. If I were not such a terrible marksman I should have killed another today, perhaps several. My regret is that I didn't.'
'It's a strange world,' he continued after a moment's reflective silence. 'Now, I always considered myself rather well educated and fitted to meet the emergencies of life; and I suppose I should be, in the quiet environment of a college town; but what an awful failure I have proved to be when jolted out of my narrow little rut. I used to feel sorry for the boys who wasted their time in shooting galleries and in rabbit hunting. Men who boasted of their marksmanship merited only my contempt, yet within the last twentyfour hours I would have traded all my education along other lines for the ability to shoot straight.'
'One should know something of many things to be truly educated,' said the girl, 'but I'm afraid you exaggerate the value of marksmanship in determining one's cultural status.'
'Well, there's cooking,' he admitted. 'A person who cannot cook is not well educated. I had hoped one day to be an authority on geology; but with all I know of the subject, which of course isn't so much at that, I would probably starve to death in a land overrunning with game, because I can neither shoot nor cook.'
Lady Barbara laughed. 'Don't develop an inferiority complex at this stage,' she cried. 'We need every ounce of self-assurance that we can muster. I think you are top hole. You may not be much of a marksman—that I'll have to admit, and perhaps you cannot cook; but you've one thing that covers a multitude of shortcomings in a man—you are brave.'
It was Lafayette Smith's turn to laugh. 'That's mighty nice of you,' he said. 'I'd rather you thought that of me than anything else in the world; and I'd rather you thought it than any one else, because it would mean so much to you now; but it isn't true. I was scared stiff in that village last night and when those fellows came at us today, and that's the truth.'
'Which only the more definitely justifies my statement,' she replied.
'I don't understand.'
'Cultured and intelligent people are more ready to realize and appreciate the dangers of a critical situation than are ignorant, unimaginative types. So, when such a person stands his ground determinedly in the face of danger, or voluntarily walks into a dangerous situation from a sense of duty, as you did last night, it evidences a much higher quality of courage than that possessed by the ignorant, physical lout who hasn't brains enough to visualize the contingencies that may result from his action.'
'Be careful,' he warned her, 'or you'll make me believe all that—then I'll be unbearably egotistical. But please don't try to convince me that my inability to cook is a hallmark of virtue.'
'I—listen! What was that?' she halted and turned her eyes toward the rear.
'They have found us,' said Lafayette Smith. 'Go on—go as fast as you can! I'll try to delay them.'
'No,' she replied, 'there is no use. I'll remain with you, whatever happens.'
'Please!' he begged. 'Why should I face them if you won't take advantage of it.'
'It wouldn't do any good,' she said. 'They'd only get me later, and your sacrifice would be useless. We might as well give ourselves up in the hope that we can persuade them to free us later, or, perhaps, find the opportunity to escape after dark.'
'You had better run,' he said, 'because I am going to fight. I am not going to let them take you without raising a hand in your defense. If you get away now, perhaps I can get away later. We can meet at the foot of the cliffs—but don't wait for me if you can find a way out. Now, do as I tell you!' His tone was peremptory— commanding.
Obediently she continued on toward Chinnereth, but presently she stopped and turned. Three men were approaching Smith. Suddenly one of the three swung his club and hurled it at the American, at the same instant dashing forward with his fellows.
The club fell short of its mark, dropping at Smith's feet. She saw him stoop and seize it, and then she saw another detachment of the Midians coming through the woods in the wake of the first three.
Smith's antagonists were upon him as he straightened up with the club in his hand, and he swung it heavily upon the skull of the man who had hurled it at him and who had rushed forward in advance of his fellows with hands outstretched to seize the stranger.
Like a felled ox the man dropped; and then Lady Barbara saw Smith carry the unequal battle to the enemy as, swinging the club above his head, he rushed forward to meet them.
So unexpected was his attack that the men baited and turned to elude him, but one was too slow and the girl heard the fellow's skull crush beneath the heavy blow of the bludgeon.
Then the reinforcements, advancing at a run, surrounded and overwhelmed their lone antagonist, and Smith weni down beneath them.
Lady Barbara could not bring herself to desert the man who had thus bravely, however hopelessly, sought to defend her; and when the North Midians had disarmed and secured Smith they saw her standing where she had stood during the brief engagement.
'I couldn't run away and leave you,' she explained to Smith, as the two were being escorted toward the village of the North Midians. 'I thought they were going to kill you, and I couldn't help you—Oh, it was awful. I couldn't leave you then, could I?'
He looked at her for a moment. 'No,' he answered. "
Chapter 18
A Guy and A Skirt
Danny 'Gunner' Patrick was tired and disgusted. He had walked for several hours imagining that he was following a spoor, but he had seen nothing of his erstwhile companion. He was thirsty, and so cast frequent glances in the direction of the lake.
'Hell!' he muttered. 'I ain't goin' to tail that guy no longer till I get me a drink. My mouth feels like I'd been eating cotton for a week.'
He turned away from the cliffs and started down in the direction of the lake, the inviting waters of which sparkled alluringly in the afternoon sun; but the beauties of the scene were wasted upon the 'Gunner,' who saw only a means of quenching his thirst.
The way led through a field of scattered boulders fallen from the towering rim above. He had to pick his way carefully among the smaller ones, and his eyes were almost constantly upon the ground. Occasionally he was compelled to skirt some of the larger masses, many of which towered above his head obstructing his view ahead.
He was damning Africa in general and this section of it in particular as he rounded the corner of an unusually large fragment of rock, when suddenly he stopped and his eyes went wide.
'Geeze!' he exclaimed aloud. 'A broad!'
Before him, and coming in his direction, was a golden haired girl attired in a single, scant piece of rough material. She saw him simultaneously and halted.
'Oh,' exclaimed Jezebel with a happy smile. 'Who art thou?' but as she spoke in the language of the land of Midian the 'Gunner' failed to understand her.
'Geeze,' he said. 'I knew I must of come to Africa for something, and I guess you're it. Say kid, you're about all right. I'll tell the world you
