Only one man was present, a fat, cruel-looking
man with small eyes and a hanging lip. It was the chief Wambe, and he
stood by the trap ready to force the victim down upon it so soon as the
women had dragged him into the necessary position.
"At this instant they caught sight of us, and there came a moment's
pause, and then, before I knew what she was going to do, Maiwa lifted
the assegai she still held, and whirled it at Wambe's head. I saw the
flash of light speed towards him, and so did he, for he stepped backward
to avoid it--stepped backward right into the trap. He yelled with pain
as the iron teeth of the 'Thing that bites' sprang up with a rattling
sound like living fangs and fastened into him--such a yell I have not
often heard. Now at last he tasted of the torture which he had inflicted
upon so many, and though I trust I am a Christian, I cannot say that I
felt sorry for him.
"The assegai sped on and struck one of the women who had hold of the
unfortunate Every, piercing through her arm. This made her leave go, an
example that the other women quickly followed, so that Every fell to the
ground, where he lay gasping.
"'Kill the witches,' roared Nala, in a voice of thunder, pointing to the
group of women.
"'Nay,' gasped Every, 'spare them. He made them do it,' and he pointed
to the human fiend in the trap. Then Maiwa waved her hand to us to
fall back, for the moment of her vengeance was come. We did so, and she
strode up to her lord, and flinging the white robe from her stood before
him, her fierce beautiful face fixed like stone.
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