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But Dick's arms shot up, his hands catching the haft and wrenching the ugly weapon away from its wielder. "No, you don't!" Dick muttered in English, taking another step backward from the wild-looking old peasant who had attempted to brain him. "But a thousand pardons, monsieur!" cried the old man hoarsely in French, and now shaking from head to foot.
Hour after hour they toiled thus together, far down under the palace, in the damp, close air, that was cold and yet stifling to breathe. The hole was now over two feet deep. Suddenly, as Masin delivered a heavy blow, the drill ran in an inch instead of recoiling in Malipieri's tight hold. "Bricks," said Masin, resting on the haft of the long hammer.
If Gourlay had been on the floor he would have grappled with him there and then. But the temptation to gloat over his victim from his present height was irresistible. He went up another step, and sat down on the very summit of the ladder, his feet resting on one of the lower rounds. The hammer he had been using was lying on his thigh, his hand clutched about its haft.
Now he hunts no more, no more shall Groan-Maker be aloft; it is a woman's kiss he craves, not the touch of your rough tongue, it is a woman's hand he holds, not the smooth haft of horn, he, who of all men, was the fiercest and the first; for this last shame has overtaken him.
His body was nearly round, and about seven or eight feet long rather a formidable antagonist for close quarters; nevertheless, I was most eager to get at him, the more so, when I ascertained that his resistance was evidently decreasing. I continued to approach, and at last got near enough to plunge my knife up to the haft in his head, which at once put an end to the struggle.
"It is the haft of the Black One's spear," he exclaimed, "which the bullet of Macumazahn has severed from the blade." "Aye," said Zikali, "and the blade has drawn the blood of the Black One's child. Read me this omen, Sigananda; or ask it of her who stands above you." Now all looked to the rock, but it was empty. The figure had vanished. "Your word, King," said Zikali. "Is it for peace or war?"
I hesitated but a short while. The torture of my thirst impelled me on; and plunging the blade deeply, I felt the last fibres yielding to its point. Almost at the same instant a cold spray rushed out, sprinkling my hand upon the haft, and rushing far up my sleeve. After giving the blade a twist, I drew it out, and then a jet shot forth, as if forced from a syringe.
Out of long experience the young traveler had learned not to burden herself with too many things, but all her belongings had some pleasant associations: her button-hook was bought in Amsterdam, and a queer little silver box for buttons came from a village very far north in Norway, while a useful jackknife had been found in Spain, although it bore J. Crookes of Sheffield's name on the haft.
"No," said the latter suddenly. "Dat-a not sharp no! Look-a 'ere; you see dis?" He drew his own knife, and showed it pointing towards Conroy in a damp, swarthy hand, whose knuckles bulged above the haft. His rough, spatulate thumb rasped along it, drawing from it the crepitation that proves an acute edge. "Carve him like-a da pork," he said, in his stage-conspirator's whisper.
There could be absolutely no doubt as to its meaning, the evident anger of the red, his attitude, his hand on the haft of his knife. The Chippewa was fairly caught. He realised the fact, but his quick mind instantly turned the situation to his profit.
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