Adventure Magazine Cover — page 168: what you’re looking at

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

162 wa M’POINE’S charging Kaffirs beat on through the long grass as if no one 1 of them knew it was there. And close behind and side by side the crazy thing and the two white men brought up Aas rear. Like a flash each white man’s hand dgahed down inside his shirt. Each hand came back with a revolver loaded and ready for imme- diate use. And as they ran spare cartridges beat a tattoo against each dripping waist. Quickly the naked white man drew well out ahead and led the way. Bounded along _ and almost out of sight in the long grass ath before the waiting mob could even know what they had lost. Then things began to fall. Behind and on the right and left assagais fell as though a shower. of leaves, and quivered in the sand; and howls of fury, howls of flaunted savagery rent the still tropic air. The assagais fell closer, fell with better aim. The howls came closer and ever closer still. The naked savages, agile as the beasts with which they lived, were gaining. Still running, the graybeard turned and fired at random. The fleeing men came to an open space, passed it and darted into the tall grass on beyond. A Kaffir—crazy satellite of his more crazy chief—bounded into the space behind them and madly tore away an assagai which still quivered where it struck the earth. — Raising himself he went to throw. A chance shot caught him in the leg, and, howling, down he went. And still the fleeing men tore on. The chasing Kaffirs halted around their fallen man and chattered, then went on with the race. But not so certainly or eagerly. Panting and firing as they ran the white men charged along, the Kaffirs running much more falteringly. On and yet on, a mile, two miles, and more. On the clear air the shouts behind grew fainter and fainter —and fainter still. ~ The grass ahead grew thicker—thicker and still more high. The grass turned into bush; the bush was dense. A huge, dark clump of bush was right ahead. With a squeal, a hideous howl, the mad thing leaped straight for it. Leaped round the bush and into it and into an open space. And in the open space stood two cringing awestruck Kafiir ‘‘boys” whose dumb obedi- - Adventure ence to the madman’s slightest look showed their great fear, and seven horses ready saddled, and seven loaded rifles lying by. For a second Frank looked around bewil- dered, then smiled as it sunk into his head. “Must have had the horses out grazing — and told them to drive them off this way; then while the row was on they stole the rifles and saddles from the kraal,’’ Frank’s old mind reasoned. ‘‘More system than I ever dreamed ‘he had.” Quickly each panting man gripped his rifle. Stiffly each mounted his horse. The howling niadman, now silent as the grave, waited till all were up, then sprang to the remaining horse. The horses broke to a canter, to a gallop. The grass alongside rattled, waved, moved wildly. From out the grass, with joyous leaps the ancient Cora gamboled. And playful as a kitten she leaped her happy way along. The sun had ae away overhead; the afternoon was passing. Wearily the gray- beard drew rein and slid limply to earth. Sweating and weary’the other men drew in and they, too, dismounted. Shakily they rubbed their horses down and tried to SAE lect their fluttering nerves. “T couldn’t go through that again and live, Frank,” Bertie remarked, and he slowly shook his head. “I wonder I’m alive and breathing as it is.”’ “T wonder I am, too, Bertie,” the old man said, scarcely above a whisper. “I’ve been through many experiences in my long life, but never sucha horror as that. And think, Bertie, of the many poor devils who’ve gone through it all and died that awful death.” “T can t think, Frank; it makes me want to vomit.” The graybeard darned his head and looked toward the madman. The crazy may, fresh as a healthy animal, slouched by the purr- ing Cora and. gently scratched her ear. And Cora, fawning, nuzzled her gnarled old head against him as she would against a fellow beast. “T can’t make out cibaiaune kind of idea was running through his head,” the gray- beard murmured thoughtfully. ‘To make him put us through that agony. He had some deepest reason, of that .we can be sure.’ “Must have had, F a but he needn’t GOMICbDoOO (E Ss) (EO) im