Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

244 ‘Then I should have to be silent,” said Pan, turning away. CHAPTER XIV. HOMEWARD. THE flag of truce was near by. When Pan fell he had thrown it aside, -and 1t had caught in the branches of a bush beside the lane. As if to testify to the desecration of the emblem, an arrow had gone through the cloth. Bradshaw took the flag down, re- moved the cloth from the staff, and placed it over Murdock’s upturned face. Then he summoned one of the non combatant carriers, who were be- ginning to straggle down from the mine, and stationed him near the body to drive away the vultures who were already circling overhead. As soon as he could get his men to- gether, Bradshaw took an accounting of casualties. It proved, as Pan had said, that none of the carriers was seriously wounded. Several of them had been clipped by arrows, and one had a hole in his arm made by a pistol ball; but the medicine chest of the expedition was amply equal to the proper treatment of these in- juries, and only the man with the bullet hole was incapacitated for work. On the attacking side, beside the dead Arab, they found six Marotses. It was gruesomely significant that all were dead. How many had been shot and killed after they took to the water could only be guessed. A glance at the slain showed that not only did the carriers shoot to kill, but if their first shot failed, they repeated the dose until fatality was assured. The afternoon was vet young when the battle was over. There was no reason for lingering at the mine, but on the contrary, the best reason for hurry- ing away from it. There might be another canoe load of warriors on the way under the direction of Dirik’s re- maining partner. Bradshaw had no THE ARGOSY. thirst for more fighting, and he accord- ingly hastened preparations for de- parture. , The raft would have been in better shape for a long voyage if another day’s work could have been spent upon it, but 1t would do for a start, and repairs could be made anywhere, once the ex- pedition was far from possible encoun- ter with pursuing Marotses. The two spades in the outfit and some of the tools lying about the mine were put to immediate use in making graves for the dead. A general trench was dug for the enemy, but Murdock’s body was buried separately. While some of the carriers were em- ployed at this task, and others were completing the interrupted loading of the raft, Pan said: “ Dirik’s diamonds, Mr. Bradshaw ; what are you going to do with them? ” Nothing,” answered Bradshaw with a shudder. “In view of Murdock’s long effort to find the mine, he may as well be Icft in possession of the stones he obtained.” ‘“ Certainly, if you say so,” said Pan, indifferently ; “ they won’t do him any good.” “.If they would you'd take them from him, I suppose?” ‘“ Perhaps. Yes, I think so.” ‘IT do not blame you,” said Brad- shaw, “for thinking bitterly of Mur- dock, but you must remember ” “Tknow. He was your sweetheart’s father. I am silent,’’and the black man went down to the raft whither he had conducted Mtema as soon as the battle was over. Bradshaw had given little thought to the diamonds until Pan spoke, but there was a matter that he had considered very sadly. He had come to Africa to find Irene’s father, had found him, and must now go home to tell the news of his death. Following the suggestion of the Latin proverb, he could refrain from disclosing anything more unpleasant than the loss of Murdock’s life in a ECOMRRIC Oe CO