lt thou take his place upon yon glowing bed, thou fool white man?" he
said with a sneer that was more than half a menacing snarl.

"Haviland, go easy, man," warned Oakley. "This won't do at all. Why
should we sacrifice ourselves for that infernal villain? Haviland,
you're an ass."

The sneer had gone out of the King's face. For a moment he contemplated
the two white men in silence.

"What were his words?" he said, pointing to Oakley. Haviland told him.

"Not so," said Umnovunovu, with an impatient stamp of the foot. "Let
him say the words exactly as he said them. Or--" The last was rolled
out in a roar of menace.

Oakley, greatly wondering, repeated his words. The King, still
wondering, pointed with his spear at Mushad. In a moment the
executioners were upon him, and he was dragged to the place of his
torment and death.

But to make him fast to the poles it was necessary to cut the thongs
which bound his wrists. Mushad, apparently more helpless than a
new-born babe, saw his opportunity and characteristically seized it.
From one of the executioners he snatched a heavy two-edged dagger, and
with all the old determination reviving, in a twinkling he drove it
home--hard, strong, and straight--cleaving his own heart.

It took the spectators some moments to realise that they were cheated of
the glut of revenge for which they were there. Then went up the most
awful ravening roar. The two white men! They had bewitched the Arab!
They it was who had saved him from their vengeance! Let them take the
slaver's place!

For a few minutes the King listened to their frenzied bellowing. Then,
slowly, he raised his spear and pointed at Haviland.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

A NEW WONDER.

At the fatal signal the executioners threw themselves upon Haviland, so
quickly that it became evident that no opportunity would be allowed him
of repeating Mushad's device. His revolver and knife were taken from
him, and, firmly held in the iron grasp of these muscular savages, he
was forced to stand powerless, awaiting the will of the King. No
chance, either, had Oakley of coming to his aid, separated as they were
by an infuriated and armed crowd.

"First of all," said the King, "those who allowed the Arab to escape
must go. I have no use for such."

Two of the executioners were immediately seized by the rest. No prayer
for mercy escaped them; perhaps they knew the futility of it. The King
made a sign. Both knelt do