The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

242 various tribes, and promulgated new ideas to outwit the adversary. The queen had nothing to do but sit down and wait for the result. Foster became restive. He thought Ross needed some advice, or at least some assistance. But my view of the matter was different. I realized that Ross, having taken it upon himself to fight for the girl to whom he had taken a fancy, did not wish to drag us into the affair. A war among savages is no joke, and some of us were likely to lose our lives. Ross was not the man to inveigle us into any- thing of that kind. None the less, we determined to stand ‘by him. The attack did not take place when it was expected. This gave Ross more op- portunity to become acquainted with his soldiers. But 1t was an anxious time for the queen. Makolota was so great a war chief, and his skill and prowess so well known, that she expected defeat even with our assistance. | It was apparent to all of us that the queen was nervous. She seemed not to be able to compose herself. She was continually on the porch of her palace watching the forest to sce the first ap- proach of Makolota and his forces. Toward noon Ross came up to us from the village. “That Makolota is a fakir,” he said. “T’ve heard that he does not intend to make real war. You see the fellow is shrewd enough. He ranks in intelli- geence—well, almost up to the kaybees. He wants to marry the queen and he- come king. And in this war that he himself declared, he docs not wish to kill anybody. “You see the point, Bayne? He is fighting against those who would-be his subjects, and he knows he needs them when he is king. What kind of a war is this going to be anvhow?” “T fear you will find Makolota ready enough to kill,” said the queen sadly. “ He is a desperate fellow. He is likely to spring upon us any moment with hundreds of warriors.” “ But would they kill their own kind here?” asked Mr. Donaldson in sur- prise. THE ARGOSY. ‘Oh, that would make no difference. When these people get really aroused to savagery they make no distinctions. They are not naturally cruel, but when in war they become maddened by de- feat, or even conquest, they will go to any.length.” : The chief named Dako had been sent to reconnoiter. About three o’clock in the afternoon he came to the palace. We had been watching all day for the threatened attack, and had grown weary of the constant strain. ‘Great White Queen,” he said, “ Ma- — kolota has cut us off.’ “What do you mean?” asked the queen. “His warriors are in the forest and stretch across the island.” The queen gave a quick, apprehen- sive glance at Ross. ‘Do you know what that means? ” she asked abruptly. ‘’ Means we've got to thrash him,” he answered. “We cannot even wait for an attack. They could starve us out. All the food consumed in this village comes from that forest and the larger one beyond. With the exception of the fish in the sea, and such few fruits and vegetables as my father taught them to plant, the five hundred or more people in this vil- lage are dependent for their supplies upon the interior. We must attack at once.” oo As she spoke she turned into the palace, and came out in a few minutes with a rifle. “But you must not go!” exclaimed Ross. “Oh, ves! I would not let these faithful warriors fight without seeing me.” “ But that is all wrong! The women do not fight.” “ But Iam queen. They would think me a poor sort of queen if I did not encourage them in person.” ‘Oh, let’s go on and make the at- tack,” J said. “ We can protect the queen.” Evervbody made a move at once. ‘But look here, Mary,” I added, as the dear girl stepped down from the porch platform, “ vou must not go and risk vour hfe.” GOHMGOOo (GO) awa