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she but only had some sort of a weapon that might give her even a faint hope,
some slight advantage against the blacks. Then she would not hesitate to
venture into the village in an attempt to save the man who had upon three
different occasions saved her. She knew that he hated her and yet strong within
her breast burned the sense of her obligation to him. She could not fathom him.
Never in her life had she seen a man at once so paradoxical and dependable. In
many of his ways he was more savage than the beasts with which he associated
and yet, on the other hand, he was as chivalrous as a knight of old. For several
days she had been lost with him in the jungle absolutely at his mercy, yet she
had come to trust so implicitly in his honor that any fear she had had of him was
rapidly disappearing.
On the other hand, that he might be hideously cruel was evidenced to her by the
fact that he was planning to leave her alone in the midst of the frightful dangers
which menaced her by night and by day.
Zu-tag was evidently waiting for darkness to fall before carrying out whatever
plans had matured in his savage little brain, for he and his fellows sat quietly in
the tree about her, watching the preparations of the blacks. Presently it became
apparent that some altercation had arisen among the Negroes, for a score or more
of them were gathered around one who appeared to be their chief, and all were
talking and gesticulating heatedly. The argument lasted for some five or ten
minutes when suddenly the little knot broke and two warriors ran to the opposite
side of the village from whence they presently returned with a large stake which
they soon set up beside the one already in place. The girl wondered what the
purpose of the second stake might be, nor did she have long to wait for an
explanation.
It was quite dark by this time, the village being lighted by the fitful glare of many
fires, and now she saw a number of warriors approach and enter the hut Zu-tag
had been watching. A moment later they reappeared, dragging between them two
captives, one of whom the girl immediately recognized as her protector and the
other as an Englishman in the uniform of an aviator. This, then, was the reason
for the two stakes.
Arising quickly she placed a hand upon Zu-tag's shoulder and pointed down into
the village. "Come," she said, as if she had been talking to one of her own kind,
and with the word she swung lightly to the roof of the hut below. From there to
the ground was but a short drop and a moment later she was circling the hut
upon the side farthest from the fires, keeping in the dense shadows where there
was little likelihood of being discovered. She turned once to see that Zu-tag was
directly behind her and could see his huge bulk looming up in the dark, while
beyond was another one of his eight. Doubtless they had all followed her and this
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