Part 20 (1/2)

As he spoke tongues of flame darted into the air, first from the thatch of the shed, then from the roof of the Nest They were afire

”We must be careful, Baas,” said Otter, ”or the slave-shelters behind us will burn also, and all those in theht of that,” answered Leonard ”Here, Father, if you wish to do a good work, take some of these people and the buckets they use to water the slaves Let three or four uish the sparks as they fall, while others bring the up and set to the task, at which he laboured gallantly for two long hours Had it not been for his efforts, the sheds and the slaves in them must have been burnt, for the sparks fell thick upon the dry thatch, which caught again and again

Now the sights and sounds grew more and more fearful Maddened with fear, the remainder of the slave-drivers and their servants rushed fro to escape fro themselves desperately into the aloes and prickly-pears on the inner ra the palisade beyond, escaped into the marsh, while soun was fired froain ran to the dike of the slave ca for mercy, there to be shot by Otter, who never wearied in his task of revenge From behind them also rose the hideous cries of the slaves, who believed that they were about to be burned alive, and screaed at their manacles

”Oh, it is like hell!” said Juanna to Leonard, as she buried her face in the grass that shesht

So the tis fell in, and spouts of flah into the air to descend about them in a rain of sparks But at last the cries ceased, for even the slaves could yell no rew less and less, and the wind dropped

Then the sun rose on the scene of death and desolation The morass ept bare to the depth ofruin streith the dead The walls of the Nest still stood, however, and here and there a charred post reazine, which had escaped the fla built of brick and stone, and roofed with tin

The adventurers looked around them in silence, then they looked at each other What a spectacle they presented in the clear light of the nal service! All were begrimed with s sparks Leonard's throat was a , and he was so stiff and hurt that he could scarcely ed and cut by the bullet which had shaved her head; the priest's robe hung in charred threads, and his hands were blistered with fire; Juanna's broidered Arab dress, torn by the brutal hand of Pereira, scarcely retained a trace of white, and her long dark locks were tangled and powdered with bits of blackened reed

All were utterly exhausted--that is, all except Otter, who advanced to speak to Leonard, begrimed and stripped to the waist, but fresh and fierce as ever

”What is it, Otter?” he asked

”Will the Baas let me take these ed to the Settleh the camp yonder? Many of the devils still live, and wounded snakes strike hardest”

”As you like,” answered Leonard ”Arhly But be careful”

In ten one with the men Then Leonard and the others fetched water and washed as best they ned to Juanna and Soa, who made their toilet with the help of a comb they found in it There also they discovered food, the rations of the sentry, of which they ate with such appetite as they ht, and a plentiful supply oftheir breakfast Otter returned unhar With him also were two of the four Settlement ht They were much exhausted, for their task had been no easy one, and fortunately for Leonard it was only after long delay that they succeeded in it Their two coator in the water, and the other had fallen into a deep hole in the , was drowned there

”Is it finished?” said Leonard to the dwarf

Otter nodded ”Some are dead and some are fled,” he answered; ”but from these last we have little to fear, for they believe that an arainst them Still that is not all the tale, Baas We have taken one of them alive Come and look at him, Baas”

Leonard clambered up the steps of the embankroup of Settlegard fellows, scarred by the slave-irons, but very fierce-looking In theirwith terror and misery Just then he lifted his face--it was that of the Yellow Devil hiht at last in his own snares

”Where did you find hie

”In the old with him, also many rifles and much powder He had locked himself up there, but he had not the heart to fire the powder and make an end”

Pereira did not see theed for water

”Give him blood,” said one of the men sullenly ”He has drunk it all his days, let it be his last drink”

Leonardwater, then Pereira saw thean to pray for mercy

”Antonio Pereira,” Leonard answered sternly, ”last night I and two companions, a woman and a black dwarf, set ourselves a task--to take this arirl whom you had condemned to slavery It did not seem possible that we should do it, but between sunset and sunrise we have done it Who helped us then?--that we should have carried out this thing which was impossible I will tell you; God helped us as He helped this lady when she called on Him Cry to God, then, to do that which is still more impossible--to help you From me you will have justice and no , and a flash of the old ferocity came into his eyes

”Ah!to Juanna he said: ”My dove, have I not treated you kindly? Will you say no word for ainst me?”

By way of answer Juanna looked first at the human reptile before her, and next at the bosohly pinned up with the spikes of aloe leaves Then she turned and went