s, the
doomed girl interpreted what was passing in his mind, and by a sudden
movement flung herself before him, and clasped his "beautiful white
legs" with her hands.

"Oh, white father from the Stars!" she cried, "throw over me the mantle
of thy protection; let me creep into the shadow of thy strength, that I
may be saved. Oh, keep me from these cruel men and from the mercies of
Gagool!"

"All right, my hearty, I'll look after you," sang out Good in nervous
Saxon. "Come, get up, there's a good girl," and he stooped and caught
her hand.

Twala turned and motioned to his son, who advanced with his spear
lifted.

"Now's your time," whispered Sir Henry to me; "what are you waiting
for?"

"I am waiting for that eclipse," I answered; "I have had my eye on the
moon for the last half-hour, and I never saw it look healthier."

"Well, you must risk it now, or the girl will be killed. Twala is
losing patience."

Recognising the force of the argument, and having cast one more
despairing look at the bright face of the moon, for never did the most
ardent astronomer with a theory to prove await a celestial event with
such anxiety, I stepped with all the dignity that I could command
between the prostrate girl and the advancing spear of Scragga.

"King," I said, "it shall not be; we will not endure this thing; let
the girl go in safety."

Twala rose from his seat in wrath and astonishment, and from the chiefs
and serried ranks of maidens who had closed in slowly upon us in
anticipation of the tragedy came a murmur of amazement.

"_Shall not be!_ thou white dog, that yappest at the lion in his cave;
_shall not be!_ art thou mad? Be careful, lest this chicken's fate
overtake thee, and those with thee. How canst thou save her or thyself?
Who art thou that thou settest thyself between me and my will? Back, I
say. Scragga, kill her! Ho, guards! seize these men."

At his cry armed men ran swiftly from behind the hut, where they had
evidently been placed beforehand.

Sir Henry, Good, and Umbopa ranged themselves alongside of me, and
lifted their rifles.

"Stop!" I shouted boldly, though at the moment my heart was in my
boots. "Stop! we, the white men from the Stars, say that it shall not
be. Come but one pace nearer, and we will put out the moon like a
wind-blown lamp, as we who dwell in her House can do, and plunge the
land in darkness. Dare to disobey, and ye shall taste of our magic."

My threat produced an effect; the