TIGERLAND 



of the officer commanding was, perhaps, the more painful, 

 since to him was left the responsibility of deciding whether 

 I was to be given up or not. Indeed, it would be difficult 

 to imagine a more painful situation for a commanding 

 officer to be placed in ! For he knew that to comply with 

 the demand made by the villagers would be practically 

 dooming me to death, seeing they had made no secret as 

 to my disposal. On the other hand, he was powerless to 

 protect me, as any attempt to do so would undoubtedly 

 have involved the instant massacre of the detachment to 

 a man a clearly useless sacrifice of life, since I too must 

 necessarily be murdered with the rest. Nor could I, under 

 such circumstances, as a man, much less as a soldier, ask 

 for or even expect his protection. And yet it was difficult 

 for me to yield myself up willingly, knowing full well the 

 terrible fate in store for me. 



Accordingly when, a moment or two later, he questioned 

 me as to what was to be done, I replied that it was impossible 

 for me to give any opinion, and must therefore leave the 

 matter to himself and my brother soldiers to decide as 

 they thought best. He then went off to consult them. 

 At this consultation, so far as I could gather from a 

 word or two I heard, opinion seemed divided, the doctor 

 in particular seeming to be at variance with the others. 

 However, the infuriated mob allowing them little time for 

 argument, a decision was soon made. 



Meanwhile I had nerved myself for the result, and 

 decided what to do should they, as I thought probable, 

 decide to give me up. Hence, when the Commandant 

 informed me that such was the decision necessity had 

 compelled them to arrive at, I was to some extent prepared. 



" Very well, sir," I replied ; " but I intend to make a 

 fight for it before giving myself up, and if you will keep the 

 crowd engaged for a minute or two longer, I think I shall 

 be able to defend myself, at any rate for a time." My 

 intention being to place myself with my back against a 

 neghbouring tree, there with the firearms keep the crowd 

 at bay, and if they rushed me to shoot down as many as I 

 could, and thus so inflame the fury of the rest that they 

 would finish me off at once ! For since I knew I had to 

 die, to do so fighting seemed infinitely preferable to being 

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