? Would he find death, or slavery, or
salvation for Nell?

It was imperative to ascertain this. He could not retreat now, nor did
he desire to. After a while he stepped in the direction of the fire,
moving as quietly as possible and holding the breath in his bosom.
Having proceeded thus about a hundred paces he unexpectedly heard from
the direction of the jungle the snorting of horses and again stopped.
In the moonlight he counted five horses. For the dervishes this would
not be enough, but he assumed that the rest were concealed in the high
grass. He was only surprised that there were no guards near them nor
had these guards lighted any fires above to scare away the wild
animals. But he thanked the Lord that it was so, as he could proceed
farther without detection.

The luster on the rocks became more and more distinct. Before a quarter
of an hour passed, Stas found himself at a place at which the opposite
rock was most illuminated, which indicated that at its base a fire must
be burning.

Then, crawling slowly, he crept to the brink and glanced below.

The first object which struck his eyes was a big white tent; before the
tent stood a canvas field bed, and on it lay a man attired in a white
European dress. A little negro, perhaps twelve years old, was adding
dry fuel to the fire which illumined the rocky wall and a row of
negroes sleeping under it on both sides of the tent.

Stas in one moment slid down the declivity to the bottom of the ravine.

XI

For some time from exhaustion and emotion he could not utter a word,
and stood panting heavily before the man lying on the bed, who also was
silent and stared at him with an amazement bordering almost upon
unconsciousness.

Finally the latter exclaimed:

"Nasibu! Are you there?"

"Yes, master," answered the negro lad.

"Do you see any one any one standing there before me?"

But before the boy was able to reply Stas recovered his speech.

"Sir," he said, "my name is Stanislas Tarkowski. With little Miss
Rawlinson I have escaped from dervish captivity and we are hiding in
the jungle. But Nell is terribly sick; and for her sake I beg for help."

The unknown continued to stare at him, blinking with his eyes, and then
rubbed his brow with his hand.

"I not only see but hear!" he said to himself. "This is no illusion!
What? Help? I myself am in need of help. I am wounded."

Suddenly, however, he shook himself as though out of a wild dream or
torpor, ga