The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

THE RIVER OF DARKNESS, 287 Zaila. We barely escaped with our lives. Captain Waller and Mr. Forbes and his servant will confirm my statement.”’ Sir Arthur sprang to his feet with a sharp cry. ‘‘ What is this you tell me?’’ he gasped. ‘‘ Can it be true?”’ Guy repeated his account, with all the particulars, but the governor actually seemed incredulous. ‘Colonel Carrington,’’ he cried, ‘‘ how many troops have we?’’ ‘‘ Five companies of the Bombay Infantry,’’ replied the colonel in a hol- low tone. ‘‘ We had six yesterday, but if this account be true x ‘Don’t delay a moment,’’ shouted Sir Arthur; ‘‘ prepare for the de- fense, colonel, aud see that the steamer is ready in case it comes to the worst.’’ The governor's condition was now truly pitiable. He was trembling with fright. ‘There is indeed but little time,’’ said Guy. ‘‘ There is danger at your very door. I see many Arabs and Somalis in the town.” ‘True, true,’’ groaned Sir Arthur, and, turning over the despatches with trembling hands, he added, ‘‘I am instructed to order troops from Cairo and Suakim. What madness! What madness !”’ Sir Arthur continued to talk in a rambling, excited way until Colonel Carrington assumed control of affairs. . “Your steamer is here now?’’ he said to the captain. ‘‘ Then you must make haste to Aden, and bring us what troops you can. I doubt, though, if we can resist a heavy attack for twenty four hours. And you, gentlemen, you will return on the steamer ?’”’ ‘No, we will remain,’’ Guy and Melton replied almost in one voice. The colonel glanced at them approvingly. ‘You are brave men,’’ he said. ‘‘Stop!’’ he added suddenly. ‘‘ You say you left Berbera at sunset last night, and were delayed by an accident. Were there any camels there ?’’ ‘A caravan of two thousand arrived two days ago,”’ replied Melton. The colonel’s face paled. ‘““Then the eaemy are due here now,’’ he said huskily. ‘‘On camels they could traverse the sixty miles in from fifteen to twenty hours. It is already dark,’’ and he pointed out through the window. At this Sir Arthur groaned aloud, and tossed down three or four glasses of champagne in rapid succession. ‘To your steamer, quick !’’ cried the colonel, addressing Captain Waller - “and you, gentlemen, since you decide to throw your fate in with ours, come with me, and we will inspect the fortifications, and do what little we ean.”’ They had risen to their feet, and were giving a hasty look to their arms, when a bright flash lit up the gloom from without, followed by a sharp re- port, and at the same moment, from all quarters of the town, rose a con- tinuous rifle firing, a violent uproar and shouting, and a deep beating of drums. Sir Arthur sprang to his feet, crying frantically, ‘‘ ’T'o the steamer, to the Copmmicoooks S|