Between Snow and Fire — page 212: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

z 7 Pe SNO. vA 4 7 ’ . _ P| J if . - 7 Po VD ELE oy & wit ie aa : A ae . «€ [2 crunching of bone. Hlangani staggered back half a dozen paces, the blood pouring from a wound in his skull. It was a blow that would probably have shattered the skull of a white man. But before Carhayes could follow it up, the wily savage adopted a different plan. By a series of astonishing leaps and bounds, now backward, now from side to side, he en- deavoured to bewilder his enemy, and very nearly succeeded. r Mad with rage, desperation, and a consciousness of failing strength, Carhayes was fast losing control over himself. $ He roared like a wild animal. He began to strike out wildly, leaving his guard open. Thisthe cunning barbarian saw and encouraged. ‘Thoselooking on had no doubt now as to who held the winning cards; even Eustace could see it, but his cousin was too far off now to hear a word of warn- ing or advice, which, however, was just as well for himself, Again the combatants closed. The splinters began to fly in all directions as the hard-wood sticks whirled and érashed. Then suddenly a crushing blow on the wrist sent Carhayes’ kerrie flying from his grasp and almost simultaneously with it came asickening “scrunch.” The white man dropped like an ox at the shambles, the blood pouring from his head. Echoing the mighty roar of exultation that went up from the spectators, Hlangani stood with his foot on the chest of his prostrate adversary, his kerrie raised to strike again. But there was no necessity. Poor Tom lay like a corpse, "a stunned and motionless. ‘The ferocious triumph depicted on | the countenance of the savage was horrible to behold. ‘He is mine,” he cried, his chest heaving, his eyes blaz- ing, ““ mine absolutely. The Great Chief hassaid it. Bring Yeims.”’ In a trice a few stout rawhide thongs were procured, and & Carhayes was once more bound hand and foot. Then act- ing under the directions of his fierce conqueror—three or four stalwart Kafirs raised the insensible form of the unfor- _-_- tunate settler and bore it away. “He has only begun to taste the fury of Hlangani’s re- | venge,” said a voice at Eustace’s side. ‘Turning he beheld the witch-doctress, Ngcenika. The hag pointed to the re- . treating group with a mocking leer, fay . " He will wake,” she went on. ‘“ But he will never be seen again, Liseheue-—onaver, Hau!” ‘ | EComircbooks.com