TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 267 



struck at me with his spear. It would have fallen 

 heavily upon me had not Clarence seen the danger and 

 parried it on his rifle. This annoyed me frightfully. 

 I tendered the amount we considered the water worth, 

 and tapped my rifle significantly. The Somalis fell 

 back, and congregated at a little distance, one of their 

 number presently advancing to ask for backsheesh. 

 The battle was over. 



That night my arm was in a parlous state, swollen 

 and inflamed, and the pain well-nigh overwhelmed 

 me. I was in a high fever, and to proceed with the 

 journey was impossible. Cecily's kindness during the 

 awful days that followed was wonderful, and her 

 patience inexhaustible. In truth, I cannot tell how 

 much trouble I must have caused her, for things were 

 not always clear to me, and time seemed nothing. 

 One night I wakened from this world o' dreams, and 

 the tent flap being open I saw the scene around me like 

 a clear-limned etching. A glorious moon lit up the 

 camp. Cecily stood just outside, and by her side — 

 who was it ? I racked my muddled brains. Why, of 

 course, the leader of the Opposition. I sank back 

 again, convinced I was dreaming. By my side, on an 

 upturned packing case, lay a bunch of flowers. In 

 the dim light they looked like English roses. They 

 were dream flowers, I suspect, but they seemed to me 

 most sweet. I pondered about them for an age. Was 

 it the marvellous Marconi ? Or did Mercury bring 

 them ? I cared not, so they came. 



Next morning I wakened to sense again, and Cecily 

 was beside me and told me — her dear eyes rilled with 



