eady to
march out and defend the Palace. When they saw the flag and heard the
battle-cry there was a movement backward, as though this handful of
men were an overwhelming army coming at them. Scattered and disorderly
groups of men swayed here and there, and just before the entrance of the
Palace was a wailing group, by which stood two priests with their yellow
robes and bare shoulders, speaking to them. From the walls the soldiers
paused from resisting the swarming herds without.

"The Dakoon is dead!" cried Tang-a-Dahit.

As if in response came the wailing death-cry of the women of the Palace
through the lattice windows, and it was taken up by the discomfited
crowd before the Palace door.

"The Lord of all the Earth, the great Dakoon, is dead."

Pango Dooni rode straight upon the group, who fled at his approach, and,
driving the priests indoors, he called aloud:

"The Dakoon is living. Fear not!"

For a moment there was no reply, and he waved his men into place
before the Palace, and was about to ride down upon the native army, but
Cumner's Son whispered to him, and an instant after the lad was riding
alone upon the dark legions. He reined in his horse not ten feet away
from the irregular columns.

"You know me," said he. "I am Cumner's Son. I rode into the hills at the
Governor's word to bring a strong man to rule you. Why do ye stand
here idle? My father, your friend, fights with a hundred men at the
Residency. Choose ye between Boonda Broke, the mongrel, and Pango Dooni,
the great hillsman. If ye choose Boonda Broke, then shall your city be
levelled to the sea, and ye shall lose your name as a people. Choose!"

One or two voices cried out; then from the people, and presently from
the whole dark battalions, came the cry: "Long live Pango Dooni!"

Pango Dooni rode down with Tang-a-Dahit and Cushnan Di. He bade all but
five hundred mounted men to lay down their arms. Then he put over them a
guard of near a hundred of his own horsemen. Gathering the men from the
rampart he did the same with these, reserving only one hundred to remain
upon the walls under guard of ten hillsmen. Then, taking his own six
hundred men and five hundred of the Dakoon's horsemen, he bade the gates
to be opened, and with Cushnan Di marched out upon the town, leaving
Tanga-Dahit and Cumner's Son in command at the Palace.

At least four thousand besiegers lay before the walls, and, far beyond,
they could see the attack upon the Residenc