88 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



card rested well in the middle of that black mass. I can 

 remember the extraordinary sensation conveyed by that 

 hairy waddling thing, the short white moonlit grass, black 

 trees, and dead silence. Next moment there was a bang! 

 and a blow on my shoulder. The momentary flash had 

 gone, the echoes rolled away into distance, and a black 

 rock, as it were, lay there motionless : then, still sitting in 

 my place, I could see a convulsive movement of the head. 

 That, too, was shortly stilled. . . . 



Leaving him lying there, I climbed the path up the little 

 terrace-side to the sleeping village. There was an old forest 

 hut hard by, and in its verandah I found my roll of bedding. 

 The old mare was picketed not far away. In a few minutes 

 I was asleep. 



Perhaps I had slept half an hour when there was a quick 

 thudding of naked heels on hard ground, a clinking of 

 jingling metal, and a graceful upright figure swept by with 

 long quick strides. An upward-curving brown arm, the 

 dark silhouette of a big brass waterpot poised aloft 

 against the luminous Eastern sky, where twinkled the 

 morning star, and the figure was gone, with its retreating 

 "clink-clank" of barbaric anklets. Then more hurrying 

 feet and clashing ornaments, as bevy on bevy of dusky 

 Rebeccas went swiftly and silently down the path to the 

 well. Scanty the water-supply therein at this season, it 

 was only the early birds among the village damsels who 

 obtained their household utensils full ; therefore their hurry. 



Then, as the faint light spread wider and higher behind 

 the distant mountains, and the jungle-cocks began calling 

 loudly in all directions, I turned me over to complete my 

 nap, smiling as I pictured the little Korkunis' affright to 

 discover what lay that morning in their path to Mdkla 

 well. 



