Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 237: what you’re looking at

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

228 “You mustn’t get your hopes too high,” Bradshaw suggested; ‘the mine isn’t likely to be such a valuable matter as you think.” * Only take me there!’’ was Mur- dock’s reply. ‘“ I can see that we must be approaching it by the marks along the route of your previous journey.” On the fifth day they made a much longer stretch than usual. Bradshaw forced the pace with the idea of camp- ing that night within easy reach of the mine by the succeeding noon. It was his firm intention to keep his word to Murdock by showing him the mine and then insisting that the jour- ney be resumed at once, and he believed it would be easier to execute this plan if the stages were so arranged that there should be no halt for a night within the vicinity of the mine. The result was the utter exhaustion of apparently every member of the ex- pedition when night fell. Bradshaw himself was the first to yield to sleep, and his slumber was deep. Not so with Pan. Ever watchful and indefatigable, his eyes were wide open long aiter all others had been breathing heavily. He even got up and moved cautiously about the camp, inspecting the pickets, and taking a long look in the darkness at Murdock’s motionless form. . The old man seemed, like the rest, to be wrapped in unconsciousness, and at length Pan returned to his shake down and tried to sleep. Probably it was the first time in his life that he found it impossible. Leg weary though he was, he could not still his apprehensive thoughts. A long time passed fretfully. The small noises of the forest were infernally loud to his unusually sensitive ears, but no other sounds broke their monotony. At length he sat up suddenly, but with the greatest care not to make the least noise. No movement was distinguishable unless it might be the rustling of the THE ARGOSY. warm night breeze in the foliage. The heavy breathing of the men was plain enough, and now and again one of them turned restlessly. Pan started to lie down again, and checked himself. He put his hand to his brow and felt drops of perspiration there. It was all but totally dark, and, though Bradshaw lay very near him, he could barely make out the outlines of his employer’s recumbent form. All was as it should be there, and Pan turned his eyes in the direction of Mtema’s sleeping place. He could distinguish nothing. Em- bers of the camp fire still glowed, but they cast no light upon her. Noiselessly he got on hands and knees and crept toward her. Half way he paused, conscious of a sound that did not accord with the or- dinary noises of night. What it was he could not make out. It seemed to cease as soon as he stopped to listen. Pan crept on again. He was close to Mtema now, when something, a ripe nut, probably, fell from a tree among the glowing embers of the fire, causing a tiny flame to flash momentarily. By its hight he saw Murdock, on hands and knees also, bending over the sleeping woman. The old man’s hand was raised and a long blade gleamed beneath it. With one leap Pan was upon him. He wrenched the knife away just as the blade was descending and, catch- ing Murdock by the throat, pushed him over against a tree trunk, holding him there as with a grip of steel. Mtema sat up with a low cry of ter- ror. “Be still!’ whispered Pan to her in the Marotse tongue; “ you are safe. The master must not be disturbed.” The woman shrank away a little, but made no other sound. Pan looked at Murdock, the fire giving just light enough to distinguish his features at such short range. ECOMRRIC Oe CO