th there."

Almost ere these words had fallen from his lips, loud shouting sounded at
the door that gave entrance to the patio wherein we stood, and we were
startled to notice a scuffle taking place between a number of those who
were about to guard the house and some would-be intruders. Yet ere we
could realise the true state of affairs, we saw dozens of the royal
soldiers scrambling down from the walls on every side, rifles flashed
here and there, and within a few moments the place was in possession of
the troops of the Naya.

"We seek Omar, the prince, and his companions," cried a man in a shining
golden breastplate, evidently an officer of high rank, striding up to
Goliba. "We hold orders from the Naya to capture them, and take them to
the palace. We know thou hast harboured them."

Before our host could reply twenty of the fighting-men of Mo, having
recognized us, dashed across, and notwithstanding our resistance, had
seized us. Goliba, too, was quickly made prisoner, and above the shouting
and hoarse imprecations we heard in the darkness a loud piercing woman's
scream.

Liola had also fallen into their hands!

We fought our captors with all the strength of which we were capable, but
were unarmed, for on receiving the rifles and swords from Goliba we had
placed them together at a little distance away in a corner of the court.
It took fully a dozen stalwart soldiers to hold the black giant Kona, and
even then it was as much as they could do to prevent him from severely
mauling them. His grip was like a vice; his fist hard as iron.

In the hands of three of these white robed soldiers, who had on our
arrival in Mo cheered and belauded us, I struggled fiercely, but to no
avail, for they dragged us all onward across the patio and out into the
street, now crowded by those attracted by the unusual disturbance in the
house of the Naya's councillor. The huge grim gateway of the royal palace
stood facing the end of the long, broad thoroughfare, and from where we
stood we had an uninterrupted view of it. Our arrest was indeed a
disaster when we seemed within an ace of success. The people regarded us
indifferently as we were hurried up the hill towards the great stone arch
with its massive watch-towers, and it appeared as though the swift
decisive step of securing the ringleaders of the revolt had entirely
crushed it, for the people, instead of showing defiance, shrank back from
the soldiers, cowed and submissive.

Sudd