Part 60 (1/2)
Accordingly Leonard and Otter waited for some hours Then the dwarf, as in far the best condition of the three, took the spear--Olfan's gift--and said that he would go and seek for food, since their store was exhausted Leonard nodded, though he knew that there was little chance of a a he returned, reporting that he had seen plenty of buck, but could not get near theht they passed hungry, by turns watching Juanna, as still delirious At dawn Otter started out again, leaving Leonard, who had been unable to sleep as on the previous night, crouched at Juanna's side, his face buried in his hands
Before noon Leonard chanced to look up, and saw the dwarf reeling towards hireat head and alh the skin of which the misshapen bones seemed to start in every direction, presented so curious a spectacle that his h
”Don't laugh, Baas,” gasped the dwarf; ”either I am mad, or we are saved”
”Then I think that you ,” he answered wearily, for he had ceased to believe in good fortune ”What is it?”
”This, Baas There is a whitethis way andup the mountain slope”
”You are certainly mad, Otter,” Leonard replied ”What in the na here? I ah to penetrate these regions, I and Francisco,”
and he shut his eyes and dozed off
Otter looked at hinificantly and started down the slope again An hour later, Leonard, still dozing, akened by a sound of ently
”Awake, Baas,” said the dwarf, for the hand was his; ”I have caught the white ered to his feet and saw before hilish gentlee, with a round and kindly face tanned by the sun, and solass fixed in one of thearded him with much coer in a pleasant voice ”So far as I can make out froe! there is a lady”
”How do you do?” answered Leonard ”Capital sun-helmet that of yours
I envy it, but you see I have had to go bare-headed lately,” and he ran his fingers through his ood gun!”
”Acho to the first donkey and fetch this lord of the earth a pint of chane and some oatmeal cakes; he see up my tent and to pitch it there by the water Quick, now”
Forty-eight hours had passed, and the benevolent stranger was sitting on a ca at two forms that lay wrapped in blankets and comfortably asleep within it
”I suppose that they ake so the pipe frone have done thene But what an unconscionable liar that dwarfhe can do better, and that is eat I never saw a chap stoay so h he needed it Still, allowing for all deductions, it is a precious queer story Who are they, and what the deuce are they doing here? One thing is clear: I never saw a finer-looking ain, replaced the eyeglass in his eye, and began s
Ten er withdrew out of sight She looked round her wildly, then, seeing Leonard lying at the further side of the tent, she crept to hi: ”Leonard! Thank God that you are still alive, Leonard! I dreamed that we both were dead Thank God that you are alive!”
Then the man who had been thus adjured woke up also and returned her caresses
”By George! this is quite affecting,” said the traveller ”I suppose that they are ht to be Any way, I had better clear out for a while”
An hour later he returned to find that the pair had made thearments which he had sent to Leonard, would allow, and were now sitting in the sun outside the tent He advanced, lifting his helmet, and they rose to meet him
”I suppose that I had better introduce myself,” he said with solish traveller, doing a little exploring on my own account, for lack of any other occupation, and my name is Sydney Wallace”
”Mine is Leonard Outra lady is Miss Juanna Rodd”
Mr Wallace started and bowed again So they were _not_ married!
”We are deeply indebted to you, sir,” went on Leonard; ”for you have rescued us from death”
”Not at all,” answered Mr Wallace ”You must thank that servant of yours, the dwarf, and not me, for if he had not seen us, I should have passed a mile or more to the left of you The fact is that I areat peak above us--I aa Mountains--I thought that I ht as well have a try at it before I turn hostonia, Blantyre, and Quilifrom the dwarf, but his tale seems a little too steep”