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Allan seemed to sense that the rebel had now gathered his forces and that a general attack was imminent. Time! At all hazards he must gain a moment's time! "H'yemba!" cried he. "What is your speech with me, your master?" "Master?" sneered the smith again. "My slave! Power has passed from you to me.
Reckoning no consequences, staying for no parley or diplomacy, he sprang; and as he sprang, he struck. The blow went home on the smith's jaw with a smash like a pile-driver. H'yemba, reeling, swung at him no skill, no science, just a wild, barbaric, sledge-hammer sweep. It would have killed had it landed, but Allan was not there. In point of tactics, the twentieth century met the tenth.
Once more Allan turned toward the assemblage. But before he had found time to frame the first question in this unfamiliar speech, a disturbance somewhat to the left interrupted him. There came a jostling, a pushing, a sound of voices in amazement, anger, approbation, doubt. Into the clear space stepped H'yemba, the smith. His powerful right hand he raised on high.
With harsh cries and a wild spatter of bullets aimed high above them, Allan drove the cowed and beaten partizans of H'yemba jostling, fleeing, howling for mercy, down the terrace-path between the cliff and parapet. Only then, when he knew victory was secure and his own dominance once more sealed on them, did he run swiftly back to his boy.
For it is not with her I would speak, but with you. And you shall hear me." "H'yemba!" cried Beatrice, startled, suddenly recognizing the squat and brutal figure that now, a threat in every gesture, approached the bed. "Out! Out of here, I say! How dare you enter my house? You shall pay heavily for this great insult when the master comes. Out and away!" The ugly fellow only laughed menacingly.
Thus his mind ran: "The first thing to do is look out for Beatrice, and make her comfortable find out what the matter is with her, and give treatment. I need fresh water, but I daren't go down to the river for it and leave her here. At any minute H'yemba may appear. And when he does, I must see him first. "Evidently the thing most necessary is to gain access to our home.
To wound H'yemba and not kill him meant the catastrophe. If the bullet failed to enter brain or heart, H'yemba though mortally hurt would of a surety, with his last quiver of strength, sling the boy outward over the dizzying parapet. Allan prayed; yet his prayer was wordless, formless and unconscious. He dared not glance down at the automatic. His eyes must hold the smith's.
Before long Cliff Villa shone resplendent, to the awe and marvel of the Folk. But Allan made no mystery of it. He explained it all to Zangamon, Bremilu and H'yemba, the smith; and when they seemed to understand, bade them tell the rest. Thus every day some new improvement was installed, or some fresh knowledge spread among the colonists.
Beyond and apart from the calamity of the landslide, some other and even greater peril menaces the colony!" She reflected on the incident of her pistol and ammunition being stolen. "There can be no doubt that H'yemba did that," she decided. "In the confusion of the catastrophe he has disarmed me. That means well-planned rebellion and at this time it will be fatal!
And the penalty of refusal may be the boy's death " He shuddered profoundly, and with both wasted hands covered his face. For a moment madness sought to possess him. He felt a wild desire to shout imprecations, to rush out, fling himself against the cave-door of H'yemba and riddle it with bullets but presently calm returned again. For in Stern's nature lay nothing of hysteria.
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