The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUISE OF THE HANDICAP. “Why,” she answered, “ you just said you could protect the queen. Why can- not I go as well as she? She is no more or less a woman than I am.” “But the case is different. The queen is fighting for her control over her own destiny. This chief is fighting to com- pel her to be his wife.” “But I am afraid to remain alone.” This was an unanswerable argu- ment. : I looked at the professor. He was making sure his rifle was loaded. Mr. Donaldson, not having a rifle, was un- employed. “You must not remain alone,” I said. “Professor, you are not needed. We will take care of Makolota. You and Mr. Donaldson remain and take care of Mary.” “Sir,” said the thin old professor, “ I never shirked my duty.” “IT am commander,” declared Ross. “Professor, you will oblige me by re- maining.” “ Then I remain,” said the professor. “Come on,” went on Ross. “ Let’s get the thing over as soon as possible.” We all followed his lead, I kissing Mary good-by. She was considerably wrought up. “Oh, Archie,” she exclaimed, cling- ing to me, “I wish you were not going to war.” “Tm not,” I answered. “ I’m simply going out with Ross to shoot Makolota. That will settle the matter.” “I fear the result,” she said with a sigh. “ These savages—my father has told me about them.” “Don’t worry, dear. We will be back with Makolota a prisoner or a dead man in about ten minutes.” “That sounds well,” said Mr. Don- aldson. “I hope it is a true prognosti- cation.” We sallied forth, and I soon found that I had conceived no idea. as to what savage warfare meant. Behind us came the cohorts of the queen, with Dako leading. Other chiefs and head men chanted their encoura- ging songs. We had marched perhaps a quarter of a mile without seeing any enemies, and had reached the thickest portion of the great forest, when suddenly our 243 “ears were split by a blood-curdling yell, and the painted warriors of Makolota came swarming around us. Spears and arrows flew in clouds from trees, and the voice of Makolota, though he him- self was invisible, could be heard urging on his men. The warriors from the queen’s village seemed to be demoralized at the sud- .denness of the attack. They stood still, chattering and shouting, and Ross urged them in vain to charge Mako- lota’s forces. The queen showed remarkable cour- age. ‘hough pale, she was not excited. She calmly walked up to Dako. “They say they do not understand your methods,” she said, when she re- turned. “ They say fight Makolota as Makolota fights them.” “But I had planned to divide our forces and assault him on both sides, and if they will do that, we can sweep them from the forest,” explained Ross. “No, they will not do that. Such people as these never do that. They ° will fight only when they are all in a crowd.” | “Then tell them to follow me,” said Ross. He sprang forward, and, with a shout of encouragement to the following blacks, we went with him. The queen started to come along, but I stopped, took her by the arm and turned her round. “ You go back to the palace,” I said. ‘We can do better without you.” “But 1 am queen.” “ But a queen with an arrow in her heart is not a pretty sight.” She stood for a moment perplexed, and then went back. But in that moment I had lost Ross and Foster. I ran on with the warriors, and soon reached the fighting district. It was guerrilla warfare all the way through. From behind trees and clumps of bushes arrows and spears would dart, and shouts of victory came even from the tree tops. I saw one fellow leaning ‘out from a tree to aim his arrow. I fired, and the arrow went spinning in the air. He fell to the ground, picked himself up. and limped away. I did not know whether I had GOnMIG OOo SS) Colin