136 THE LION KILLER. 



" Soon after, I met a party of our relations on horseback, 

 who had set out to seek us. 



" After having related my day's adventures, they wanted 

 to proceed instantly and avenge the death of my cousin. 



" I made them understand that there was not enough of 

 them, that we could not leave the body of our friend, and, 

 finally, that I was unarmed and on foot. 



" A horseman placed the burnous containing the dead body 

 across his saddle, another took me behind him, and we arrived 

 at the douar before any one was stirring in the morning. 



" On the evening of the same day, at the hour of supper, 

 fifty chosen horsemen could have been seen spurring their 

 steeds towards the smala of the murderer of Lakdar. 



" The Sheik was holding a great festival in honor of the 

 execution of the morning. The couscoussou had been served, 

 and we arrived very apropos to take part in the feast. The 

 dogs having given notice of our approach, we were met by 

 some servants who had run out, astonished at seeing so many 

 guests arrive at once. 



" They were seized, and while ten horsemen were strang- 

 ling them with the camel ropes they had in their hands, the 

 rest of our party arrived before the Sheik's tent, and sabred 

 the servants and inferior guests in the outer apartment, who 

 were awaiting the remains of the dinner, and their share of 

 the feast. 



" From that moment I left my comrades to turn where 

 they would, and sought for the Sheik, whom I wanted to kill 

 with my own hand. 



" The tent once gained, I was the first to cut an entrance 



