we must at sunrise push on.

Sulky and grumbling, the Shokas left the fortified corner and went below
to the creek. They said they preferred sleeping down there. I suspected
them. I sat up watching them and listening instead of sleeping. My
Indian servant rolled himself up in his blanket, and, as usual, was
soon asleep. The Shokas lighted a fire, sat around it, and with their
heads close together held an excited council in a half-whisper. In the
heated discussion some spoke louder than they imagined. The night being
particularly still, and the place well adapted for carrying sound, I
overheard words which put me on the alert. I soon convinced myself that
they were arranging to sell my head ... yes ... and to divide the money!

The men got closer together, and spoke so faintly that I could hear no
more. Then they each in turn placed one hand above the other along a
stick, until the end of it was reached; each man then passed it to his
neighbor, who went through the same performance; a queer kind of drawing
lots, common among the Shokas. Eventually the man selected by fate drew
from a load a large Gourkha knife, and removed its scabbard. I well
remember the moment when the men, with their faces lighted by the small
flame of the flickering fire, all looked up toward my aerie. Seen from
the fissure in the wall behind which I knelt, their countenances seemed
distorted and ghastly. They listened to hear if we were asleep. Then all
but one rolled themselves in their blankets, completely covering their
heads and bodies. The one figure I could now see sat up by the fire for
some time, as if thinking hard. Every now and then he turned his head up
toward my fortress and listened. At last he got up and, with his feet,
smothered the fire. It was a lovely night, and as soon as the reddish
flame was put out the stars shone like diamonds in the deep-blue sky.

I rested the barrel of my rifle on the wall, my eyes being fixed on the
black figure down below. Stooping low, the traitor crawled step by step
the few yards up to my abode, pausing to listen each time a rolling
stone caused a noise. He was now only two or three yards away. He seemed
to hesitate. Drawing back, and ready to spring up, I kept my eyes fixed
on the top of the wall. I waited some time, but the man was in no hurry.
I grew impatient.

I slowly got up, rifle in hand, and as I raised my head above the wall I
found myself face to face with the man on the other side. I