ee from that of the
scoundrel before him.

As our friends noiselessly gained their coign of vantage, the prisoner
was speaking, and his voice, though clear, was so weak and low that the
trio had to strain their ears to catch his words.

"Abiram Levert," he said, "you have kept me bound to this tree for three
days and nights without food, you have given me water to prolong my
sufferings and keep me alive, and I tell you once and for all that your
devilish ingenuity is utterly thrown away upon me. I am an Englishman,
and a man, moreover, who fears and trusts the God you daily blaspheme in
your false, infamous worship: and I warn you that no power on earth
shall force or induce me to consent to my daughter's union with such a
wretched piece of carrion as yourself, having already half a dozen
miserable so-called wives in your filthy harem. I would undergo a
thousand horrible deaths sooner than agree to your proposals, and I pray
God that Dora may die rather than fall into such abominable hands."

The face of the Mormon assumed a positively Satanic aspect, and he
nervously fingered the lock of his rifle, but suddenly rose and laughed
a harsh discordant laugh, removed his pipe from his mouth, and
expectorated violently. "All right, Jack Winfield," he growled. "I
guess I can wait; another week of this will bring you to your senses;
and if it doesn't--why, I'll carry your pretty daughter off into the
woods, and then perhaps she'll be glad to form one of my establishment,
_if she can get the chance_," and the villain turned to walk away.

And now was enacted a singular drama--part tragedy, part comedy.

The cousins, with their rifles cocked, had been watching every action of
the Mormon so closely that they had quite forgotten their Zulu friend,
and just as the man who had been designated as Abiram Levert was about
to leave the glade and betake himself to the forest on the side farthest
from their hiding-place, to the utter astonishment of the watchers,
Myzukulwa coolly stepped out into the open and barred his passage in a
threatening manner. Quick as thought the Mormon threw forward his
rifle, but before he could pull the trigger the active Zulu had struck
up his muzzle and the piece was harmlessly discharged in the air.

Myzukulwa promptly followed up his advantage, and aimed a thrust at his
enemy which would certainly have annihilated him, when his spear was
deftly turned aside by a similar weapon, from which it stru