Between Snow and Fire — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

al rs, 2: * i@ * ' Fas ; , @ F 7 id +. A . Ps - \> a -_ ’ = a 7, ; * i a, t *. ‘t. . —" il oo ol om r ai a " } : - > ~~ tir. a on 4 ~ g 3 es eG ef 4 “7 = 2 * - 5 = eres 4 : Ld » - 7 { . ; ‘s i J —_ a : »< A . . i) a ‘ - 4 Fv . j 5 o & [onal / | “a ; A R g ‘% a y y © &y & & wa OS «“ ~ : : A% = ar - G ‘ _— - — “ — “—* tee A ie 2 = . °° Pol » <2 _ =i iow on!” “Six dozen without counting!” “Cheeky brute!’* were some of the shouts that accompanied each kick and blow dealt or aimed at the prostrate Kafir, who altogether seemed to be having a pretty bad time of it. “ That’s a d—d shame!” exclaimed a voice behind them. All started and turned their heads, some astonished—all angry—some perhaps alittle ashamed of themselves—towards the owner of the voice, a horseman who sat calmly in his saddle some twenty yards away—an expression of strong dis- gust upon his features. “What have you got to say toit anyhow, I'd like to know?” cried the man who had just struck the native. “What I said before—that it’s a d—d shame,” replied Eustace Milne unhesitatingly. “What's ashame, Mister?” sneered another. “ Thatone o' your precious black kids is getting a hidin’ for his infernal cheek ?” “That it should take twenty mento give it him, and that, too, when he’s down.” “TI tell you what it is, friend,” said the first speaker furiously. “It may take rather less than twenty to give you one, and that, too, when you’re up !”’ which sally pro- voked a blatant guffaw from several of the hearers. “I’m not much afraid of that,” answered Eustace tran- quilly. “ But now, seeing that British love of fair play has been about vindicated by a score of Englishmen kicking a prostrate Kafir, how would it be to let him get up and go?” The keen, biting sarcasm told. The group, which mainly consisted of the low element, actually did begin to look a trifle ashamed of itself. The better element compos- ing it gave way and took itself off, as Eustace deliberately walked his horse up tothe fallen native. There were a few muttered jeers about “ the nigger’s friend” and getting into the Assembly on the strength of “ blanket votes,’’* and so forth, but none offered any active opposition except one, how- ever, and that wasthe man who had originated the disturb- ance. “Look here,” he shouted savagely. “ Idon’t know who you are and I don’t care. But if you don’t take yourself off out of this mighty quick, I'll just about knock you into a jelly ; you see if I don’t.” “ Ja, that’s right. Serve him as you did the nigger!” yelled * The native franchise, derisively so termed. Eomicbooks.c s a eo