It was as though all the landscape
had burst into flames, while the heaven over us remained of the hue of
ink. Again the lightning flashed, showing the faces and staring eyes
of the thousands who watched, and even the white teeth of a great bat
that flittered past. That flash seemed to burn off an edge of the
lowering cloud and the light grew stronger and stronger, and redder
and redder.
Imbozwi uttered a hiss like a snake. I heard a bow-string twang, and
almost at the same moment the thud of an arrow striking my post just
above my head. Indeed, by lifting myself I could touch it. I shut my
eyes and began to see all sorts of queer things that I had forgotten
for years and years. My brain swam and seemed to melt into a kind of
confusion. Through the intense silence I thought I heard the sound of
some animal running heavily, much as a fat bull eland does when it is
suddenly disturbed. Someone uttered a startled exclamation, which
caused me to open my eyes again. The first thing I saw was the squad
of savage archers lifting their bows--evidently that first arrow had
been a kind of trial shot.
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