Part 18 (1/2)
All this while Leonard stood like amarried; it even came into his mind, as he looked upon the loveliness of the ht befall him Then of a sudden he woke from his reverie--the farce was played, now they must strive to escape
”There, that is done with, Dom Antonio,” he said, ”and I think I heard this lady whisper that with your perood-bye My canoe----”
”Nonsense, you will stop here to-night,” said Pereira
”Thanks, I think not,” answered Leonard ”To-morrow I may return to do a little business of another kind I have a coht sort”
As Leonard spoke thus, glancing to the east, he saw denseinto the air far away The damp reeds were fired at last
The Settlement men had not failed in their task, and soon the flaone and swiftly
”Well, if you must, you must,” answered Pereira, and Leonard observed that he looked relieved as he said it He did not know the reason at the tiht her would find his death in it He had a superstitious fear of the girl, and believed her; therefore he was glad that her purchaser should go, lest it ht be said that he had murdered him in order to retain both the woman and her price So he bade him farewell, and Leonard turned to depart, followed by Otter and Juanna, whoone well for that time had it not been for an unlucky chance Leonard's scheate, but, if no better plan of reaching it should offer, to turn suddenly and run for the drawbridge, where Soa and the others would be waiting, and thence, with or without the people of Mavoom, to escape up the banks of the Zauese, Xavier, atching plunged in sullen thought, stepped forward ”At least I will have a kiss forJuanna round the waist, he drew her towards hiot his caution, as under such circu point, well iant in the face with such force that Xavier fell headlong to the ground, dragging Juanna after him Leonard would have done better had he suffered her to be insulted, but just then he reirl
Juanna was up in ato his feet, cursing with fury and drawing his sabre as he rose
”Follow me,” said Leonard to Juanna and Otter Then without hter went up from the mob
”This is the brave man This is the French fire-eater,” they cried ”He strikes unawares and is afraid to fight” Nor did they stop at words
All of theer, and would have rejoiced to see him dead
”Stop hi like dogs to turn a hare
Still Leonard h, for he ift of foot But neither Juanna nor Otter could run so fast as he, and his pace one a hundred yards he found himself confronted by a dozen or more of the slavers, some of whoht,” they yelled in Portuguese and Arabic, waving their weapons in his face
”Certainly,” answered Leonard, wheeling round and glancing about hie of the slave caht that he saw it tremble, as if it was about to fall At his side were Otter and Juanna, and towards hiee, sabre aloft, and screa imprecations
”Otter,” Leonard said quickly, as he drew his sword, ”guardFor you, young lady, reach the bridge if you can Soa and your people are there”
Now Xavier was upon him with a rush He struck furiously, and Leonard avoided the blow, springing backwards out of his reach Twice more he rushed on thus and twice he se, that noas not ee calishman could not repeat his tactics, for the mob hemmed him in behind On sped Xavier and sht and lifted his sword to guard The blow fell, fire sprang froht on, Baas,” said the voice of Otter, ”fight on! Both swords have gone”
Leonard looked up It was true: the Portugee was casting aside his broken weapon and clutching at his knife Now Leonard had no knife, and at the ht of his revolver But he still held the hilt of his sword, and with it he sprang straight at Xavier, who rushed to meet him
They met with a dull shock as bull meets bull Leonard struck one bloith the broken sword-hilt, then dropped it--it was useless But the stroke did hiee, it paralysed his arer Then they gripped each other, fighting desperately with their naked strength alone Twice the huge Portugee lifted the English to throw him, while the crowd yelled with excite had Leonard learnt wrestling as a lad and hardened his iron hed sixteen stone and Leonard did not weigh thirteen, but his ar for dear life
He waited awhile, letting the Portugee exhaust hihtening his grip, Leonard put out all his strength He could not hope to lift the ht throw hi behind Xavier's left calf Then he cast his weight forward and pushed with all his strength upon the great man's breast